Helen Darbishire – Access Info Europe

9 Dec 2022

Missing Data Opens the Door to Corruption

Helen Darbishire2022-12-14T16:44:05+01:00

Madrid, 9 December 2022 – On the occasion of International Anti-Corruption Day, Access Info is calling on European governments to do more to ensure that the data needed for preventing corruption is both collected and made public. In the wake of the shock ruling from the Court of Justice of the European Union, which has already suspended access to beneficial ownership registers in various countries, including Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta and the Netherlands, Access Info warns that it is not only data on the owners of businesses that is missing. Access Info’s research as part of

Missing Data Opens the Door to CorruptionHelen Darbishire2022-12-14T16:44:05+01:00

8 Dec 2022

No Biodiversity: Europe’s Missing Climate Action Data

Helen Darbishire2022-12-14T16:43:26+01:00

Madrid, 8 December 2022 – As the UN Biodiversity Conference opens in Montreal, Canada, Access Info has raised concerns about the shortage of biodiversity data with the Global Data Barometer findings being only 43% for biodiversity data in European countries, and only 27% globally. Our research found that no biodiversity data is published online in six (6) European countries, namely Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Lithuania, Romania and Slovakia. The Global Data Barometer also found a score for Emissions data of 61% in Europe against just 32% globally, with worrying little data on Vulnerabilities to climate change at a low 28%

No Biodiversity: Europe’s Missing Climate Action DataHelen Darbishire2022-12-14T16:43:26+01:00

6 Dec 2022

Not all Expression is Lobbying

Helen Darbishire2023-01-11T12:13:43+01:00

Submission to OECD Consultation on Lobbying and Influence Madrid, 6 December 2022 – In its analysis of the draft OECD Recommendation on the regulation of lobbying and influence, Access Info has warned of the risk of some governments using the proposed provisions to limit media freedom and freedom of expression in the name of regulating “influence” and ensuring that public officials are “shielded from undue influence”. In the full version of its submission to the consultation on the OECD Recommendation on Transparency and Integrity in Lobbying and Influence (hereinafter “Draft Recommendation) [1], Access Info highlights concerns about the broad

Not all Expression is LobbyingHelen Darbishire2023-01-11T12:13:43+01:00

13 Aug 2022

Spain and State Secrets: Civil Society condemns mid-August consultation on first new secrecy law in over 50 years!

Helen Darbishire2022-08-26T21:05:19+02:00

Photo: El País Update, 26 August 2022: 24 organisations have signed this statement, as well as three individual experts. Madrid, 13 August 2022 – Access Info is one of 15 civil society organisations which today condemned in the strongest terms an incredibly short, mid-August, public consultation on a Spain’s new secrecy law, proposed to replace the 1968 Franco-era law still in force. The new draft law was made public by the Spanish government on 3 August 2022 with a deadline of 12 August for public comments, right in the heart of the holiday period when very few academics, legal experts,

Spain and State Secrets: Civil Society condemns mid-August consultation on first new secrecy law in over 50 years!Helen Darbishire2022-08-26T21:05:19+02:00

29 Jun 2022

European Commission rejects recommendation by Ombudsman to open up secret covid vaccine negotiations

Helen Darbishire2022-06-29T12:47:01+02:00

130,000-strong petition backs European Ombudsman ruling for Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to adhere to EU transparency rules around vaccine negotiations. Brussels, 29 June 2022 – The European Commission today doubled-down on its refusal to release text messages exchanged with Pfizer CEO, Albert Bourla, relating to negotiations of the purchase of covid vaccines in spite of calls to do so from over 130,000 citizens and the European Ombudsman. This Wednesday, rejecting the opinion by the European Ombudsman, Emily O'Reilly, who said that the text messages are subject to EU transparency rules, the European Commission is arguing instead that text

European Commission rejects recommendation by Ombudsman to open up secret covid vaccine negotiationsHelen Darbishire2022-06-29T12:47:01+02:00

3 Mar 2022

Call for Transparency of Discussions on the Future of Europe’s Digital Market

Helen Darbishire2022-03-03T15:55:38+01:00

Madrid, 1 March 2022 – Access Info is one of 43 organisations which today called on EU leaders to ensure full transparency of debates over the future regulation of our digital environment, including services and marketplaces online. As three-way negotiations are proceeding between the European Commission, European Parliament and the Member States in the Council of the EU, the organisations expressed concern at the lack of transparency of the texts being discussed. Rather unusually, there has been little transparency of the so-called “trilogue” negotiations on the Digital Markets and the Digital Services Acts, in spite of this being required by

Call for Transparency of Discussions on the Future of Europe’s Digital MarketHelen Darbishire2022-03-03T15:55:38+01:00

1 Aug 2021

La tasa franquista que “secuestra” los datos mercantiles y lastra la lucha contra el fraude

Helen Darbishire2021-08-04T11:33:11+02:00

elDiario.es | 01/08/2021 Spanish- Un arancel de 1973 impide la libre consulta de los datos de las empresas españolas y el uso de herramientas de 'big data'. El Gobierno reconoce que es "discriminatorio" pero no ha concretado sus planes para derogarlo. Read more...

La tasa franquista que “secuestra” los datos mercantiles y lastra la lucha contra el fraudeHelen Darbishire2021-08-04T11:33:11+02:00

29 Jul 2021

Las organizaciones reclaman la apertura del Registro Mercantil, pendiente de que se aplique la directiva de la UE

Helen Darbishire2021-07-29T12:17:37+02:00

Newtral | 27/07/2021 Spanish- El 31 de julio finaliza el plazo del compromiso que se había marcado el Gobierno para transponer la directiva aprobada por la Unión Europea para un acceso más transparente de los datos recogidos en el registro mercantil. Read more...

Las organizaciones reclaman la apertura del Registro Mercantil, pendiente de que se aplique la directiva de la UEHelen Darbishire2021-07-29T12:17:37+02:00

15 Jul 2021

Freedom of Information in the Balkans: Classified, Rejected, Delayed

Helen Darbishire2021-08-27T15:50:44+02:00

Date: 15/07/2021 The global pandemic has been used as an excuse for many Balkan states to not fully implement freedom of information laws, leaving the public in the dark. Transparency has been another victim of the COVID-19 pandemic. While on paper, freedom of information laws are up-to-date in almost all countries in the region, implementation is patchy at best and has grown worse since governments clamped down on the flow of information with the onset of the coronavirus. Together with journalists, public officers and the Open Government Partnership, Access Info participated in this event led by the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network

Freedom of Information in the Balkans: Classified, Rejected, DelayedHelen Darbishire2021-08-27T15:50:44+02:00

30 Jun 2021

Gazetaria nga ekrani; rregullorja e re e Kuvendit cënon lirinë e medias

Helen Darbishire2021-07-13T12:39:37+02:00

Citizens Channel | 30 June 2021 Albanian- Ato janë mësuar të komunikojnë përpara kamerave, por me 9 qershor gazetarët që mbulojnë punimet e Kuvendit dhe komisionet parlamentare nuk mbanin në duar mikrofona. Me pankarta ku shkruhej: “Ne duam të raportojmë atë që shohim, jo atë që na servirin,” ata u mblodhën të protestonin kundër rregullores së re të Kuvendit të Shqipërisë, për të cilën shprehen se cënon lirinë e medias dhe të drejtën e publikut për t’u informuar. Read more...

Gazetaria nga ekrani; rregullorja e re e Kuvendit cënon lirinë e mediasHelen Darbishire2021-07-13T12:39:37+02:00

About Helen Darbishire