Madrid, 18 May 2022 – Access Info welcomes the news that two more Spanish regions – Asturias and Valencia – have joined Open Government Partnership’s local programme, making Spain the European country with the largest number of sub-national members, at six in total.[1]
Access Info is calling on these regional governments to institute strong and inclusive multi-stakeholder forums, something which three of the Spain’s other OGP local members – Aragon, the Basque Country, and Catalonia – have, but the City of Madrid does not.
“As a late-comer to the field of transparency, only adopting an access to information law in 2013, Spain needs to work hard on developing a culture of openness at all levels of government,” Helen Darbishire, Executive Director of Access Info.
“Until Spain recognises access to information as a fundamental right in line with international standards, the legal framework across the country is likely to remain weak and fragmented,” added Darbishire.
Spain is also running behind schedule on implementing its ambitious IV OGP Action Plan, putting in jeopardy the promised reform of the Transparency Law currently being developed by a working group of just twelve experts, with limited involvement from other civil society organisations and no public scrutiny.
On the positive side, Access Info welcomes the expansion of Spain’s open government ecosystem:
“We are optimistic that with more members of OGP, this will speed the development of a culture of open government in Spain, particularly if accompanied by a true cocreation of action plans between public bodies and civil society,” added Patricia González, Legal Researcher at Access Info Europe.
Access Info coordinates Spain’s one hundred civil society organisations in the Coalicion Pro Acceso and channels their input into the development, implementation, and monitoring of the Action Plans.
Notes
- Other European countries with OGP Local members are: The UK and Ukraine with three, Albania, Armenia, Georgia, Germany, Romania, Slovakia, with two, and France, Ireland, Italy, Macedonia, and Serbia with just one; the others have none.
For further Information, please contact:
Helen Darbishire, Executive Director | Access Info Europe
Mobile: +34 667 685 319
Patricia González, Legal Researcher | Access Info Europe
Mobile: +34 637 226 609