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28 Nov 2022

Global Civil Society Organisations Concerned About European Court Ruling on Beneficial Ownership Transparency

Helen Darbishire2022-11-30T15:11:57+01:00

As European Union and African Union representatives meet in Brussels on Monday 28 November 2022 to review progress following the EU-AU Summit in February, 34 African and European civil society organisations have raised concerns about threats to ground-breaking EU transparency measures, which could undermine all that has been put in place to prevent and combat the problem of illicit financial flows out of Africa. The 34 organisations state: “Illicit financial flows rob African nations of almost US$89 billion each year. Anonymous companies are often used as the get-away vehicles of the corrupt, helping syphon these funds out of Africa

Global Civil Society Organisations Concerned About European Court Ruling on Beneficial Ownership TransparencyHelen Darbishire2022-11-30T15:11:57+01:00

23 Nov 2022

Open Beneficial Ownership Register Rules Declared Invalid by EU’s Highest Court

Helen Darbishire2022-11-25T11:07:47+01:00

Madrid, 23 November 2022 – The Court of Justice of the European Union on 22 November 2022 declared invalid the provision of the Fifth European Union Anti-Money Laundering Directive that requires EU countries to provide public access to beneficial ownership registers. In a ruling that has sent shockwaves through Europe’s anti-corruption and transparency community, the Court found that the Fifth Anti-Money Laundering Directive (AMLD5, 2018) is too loosely framed and provides for overly-wide public access to the registers without a proper justification of the necessity and proportionality of the interference with the rights to privacy and personal data protection of

Open Beneficial Ownership Register Rules Declared Invalid by EU’s Highest CourtHelen Darbishire2022-11-25T11:07:47+01:00

10 Nov 2022

Don’t miss the opportunity! UNESCO free, online course on Access to Information is still up and running

Helen Darbishire2022-11-10T09:59:36+01:00

Madrid, 10 November 2022 – UNESCO and the Centre for Law and Democracy (CLD) recently launched a massive open online course (MOOC) about the right of access to information with the aim to offer people worldwide the opportunity to learn about this fundamental right. The course is free for everyone, it takes just six hours to complete, and provides official certification from UNESCO upon completion. This course is an excellent opportunity for public officials, journalists, civil society, students, and all those who have an appetite to increase or reinforce their knowledge on the right of access to information (ATI). Thaís

Don’t miss the opportunity! UNESCO free, online course on Access to Information is still up and runningHelen Darbishire2022-11-10T09:59:36+01:00

4 Nov 2022

MPs’ expenses should be disclosed in response to information requests: Civil Society Brief to the European Court of Human Rights

Helen Darbishire2022-11-04T15:28:24+01:00

Photo: The French Assememblée Nationale in Paris, and the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. Strasbourg, 3 November 2022 - Access Info, ARTICLE 19, and ten access to information organisations from across Europe have submitted a brief to the European Court of Human Rights in a case against France demonstrating that information about expenses by members of parliament (MPs) falls under the scope of access to information laws and should be disclosed. Gathering comparative law and practice from across Europe, the third-party intervention – also known as an “amicus curiae” or friend of the court brief – was

MPs’ expenses should be disclosed in response to information requests: Civil Society Brief to the European Court of Human RightsHelen Darbishire2022-11-04T15:28:24+01:00

17 Oct 2022

Malta: Civil society calls for justice for Daphne Caruana Galizia on fifth anniversary of her assassination

Helen Darbishire2022-10-17T16:32:52+02:00

Valletta, 16 October 2022 – Access Info is one of 36 freedom of expression and information groups which have denounced the Maltese government's lack of ambition and transparency in press freedom reforms and renewed calls for full justice for Daphne Caruana Galizia. The full statement reads as follows: Five years ago today, investigative reporter Daphne Caruana Galizia was brutally assassinated in a car bomb attack in Malta. Our thoughts are with her family, friends and colleagues. Together with them, we continue to fight for full justice. Today is a day to remember and celebrate her fearless journalism, the far-reaching impact of

Malta: Civil society calls for justice for Daphne Caruana Galizia on fifth anniversary of her assassinationHelen Darbishire2022-10-17T16:32:52+02:00

28 Sep 2022

Right to Know Day 2022: The EU should make this a right for all citizens!

Helen Darbishire2022-09-28T15:29:33+02:00

28 September 2022 - As we celebrate the International Day for Universal Access to Information, Access Info calls on European Union bodies to fully respect the right to EU documents and ensure that it can be enjoyed by all in practice. Releasing the key findings of a survey of the websites of 54 EU bodies, Access Info has identified a string of practical obstacles that stand between European citizens and their right to know, including: Languages – a right for English speakers only: While nearly three-quarters of EU websites explain the right of access to documents (70%), the majority

Right to Know Day 2022: The EU should make this a right for all citizens!Helen Darbishire2022-09-28T15:29:33+02:00

19 Sep 2022

Malta and Spain: The Right to Request – New Developments!

Helen Darbishire2022-09-19T17:45:38+02:00

19 September 2022 – As part of Access Info’s work to promote access to information as a right for all, a right which can be exercised transnationally, we are happy to share two important updates on our campaigns with a key court hearing in Malta and the good news of opening up requests to all in Spain. Access Info’s Litigation in Malta In Malta on 14 September 2022, the Court of Appeal heard a challenge brought by the Ministry of Home Affairs and National Security against a March 2022 decision of the Information and Data Protection Appeals Tribunal (hereafter the

Malta and Spain: The Right to Request – New Developments!Helen Darbishire2022-09-19T17:45:38+02:00

15 Sep 2022

25 Civil Society Organisations Urge the Spanish Government and Political Groups to Amend the Draft Law on Protection of Whistleblowers

Helen Darbishire2022-09-20T13:09:27+02:00

Madrid, September 15, 2022 – 20 members of the Coalición Pro Acceso and 5 international organisations have sent the Spanish Government and parliamentary groups a Decalogue of Recommendations to strengthen Spain’s draft law on protection of whistleblowers. The draft law was first released by the Ministry of Justice as part of a public consultation held in March 2022. This draft law contained important gaps and loopholes that, if implemented in that form, would mean weakened protection of whistleblowers in practice. The Council of Ministers has now approved a new text based on this draft law, however, this text has not

25 Civil Society Organisations Urge the Spanish Government and Political Groups to Amend the Draft Law on Protection of WhistleblowersHelen Darbishire2022-09-20T13:09:27+02:00

13 Sep 2022

Helen Darbishire re-elected Chair of UNCAC Coalition

Helen Darbishire2022-09-14T12:23:23+02:00

Madrid, 13 September 2022 – Access Info Europe is delighted to announce that its Executive Director, Helen Darbishire, has been re-elected as Chair of the UNCAC Coalition, the global network of anti-corruption organisations. Helen Darbishire, who has served as Chair for the past two years, was elected along with Co-Chair Gillian Dell of Transparency International who set up the UNCAC Coalition, and two Vice-Chairs, Samantha Feinstein of the Government Accountability Project, and David Ugolor, of the Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice. The Coalition works to promote implementation of the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) as well as to

Helen Darbishire re-elected Chair of UNCAC CoalitionHelen Darbishire2022-09-14T12:23:23+02:00

5 Sep 2022

Access Info: Renewed Board of Directors and International Advisory Board

Helen Darbishire2022-09-05T13:34:23+02:00

Madrid, 5 September 2022 – Access Info is proud to announce its renewed Board of Directors and International Advisory Board (IAB), with leading experts in access to information and related fields from across Europe. This leadership and governance team will guide our staff, promote the organisation, and refine our strategy so that the right of access to information can be used to help address current challenges, including defending democracy, combatting corruption, and delivering a just climate transition. The diverse group includes journalists, lawyers, CSO directors, and campaigners, and has good gender balance, reflects how Access Info is prioritising creating a

Access Info: Renewed Board of Directors and International Advisory BoardHelen Darbishire2022-09-05T13:34:23+02:00