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28 Sep 2021

Spain: Civil Society calls for full Recognition of the Right of Access to Information

Helen Darbishire2021-09-28T10:49:09+02:00

Alicante, 28 September 2021 - On the International Day for Universal Access to Information, Access Info Europe and other (35) organisations of the Coalición Pro Acceso have published a declaration calling on the Spanish government to recognise the right of access to information as a fundamental right, and to adopt a transparency law that applies to all public authorities, as well as to private entities that perform public functions and/or operate mostly with public resources. Among the 18 demands contained in the Declaration of the Coalición Pro Acceso, presented at the VI international Congress on Transparency (Alicante, 27 to 29

Spain: Civil Society calls for full Recognition of the Right of Access to InformationHelen Darbishire2021-09-28T10:49:09+02:00

21 Sep 2021

Public kept in the dark over European Commission decision making on opening company ownership data

Helen Darbishire2021-09-21T16:07:53+02:00

Madrid, 20 September 2021 – In an open letter to European Commissioners Thierry Breton and Vera Jourová sent today, Access Info and other leading transparency organisations raised concerns about the Commission’s failure to take a decision on publication of company data under the Open Data Directive, even after the 17 June 2021 deadline Member States to transpose the directive has passed. The European Commission should by now have held a month-long public consultation on the Implementing Act for the Open Data Directive, permitting potential users, including journalists, businesses, and anti-corruption organisations, to put forward arguments as to its democratic value

Public kept in the dark over European Commission decision making on opening company ownership dataHelen Darbishire2021-09-21T16:07:53+02:00

29 Jun 2021

European Commission urged to make procurement transparent to protect pandemic recovery and green spending

Helen Darbishire2021-08-11T14:09:51+02:00

Brussels, 29 June 2021 – Leading transparency organisations from across Europe today alerted the European Commission to a series of weaknesses in national public procurement systems, and recommended specific measures urgently needed to protect pandemic recovery funds and green deal spending from corruption.

European Commission urged to make procurement transparent to protect pandemic recovery and green spendingHelen Darbishire2021-08-11T14:09:51+02:00

21 Jun 2021

Spain: Government should guarantee transparency of EU recovery funds

Helen Darbishire2021-06-22T12:44:44+02:00

Madrid, 21 June 2021 – Members of the Coalición Pro Acceso and the Open Generation EU Platform have called on the Spanish government to guarantee the transparency of the European pandemic recover funds, after a report revealed the lack of mechanisms for public oversight of these funds.

Spain: Government should guarantee transparency of EU recovery fundsHelen Darbishire2021-06-22T12:44:44+02:00

15 Jun 2021

EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility spending at risk due to lack of transparency

Helen Darbishire2021-06-25T11:45:45+02:00

Madrid, 15 June 2021- The EU’s massive commitment to spend €672.5 billion on the recovery from the pandemic is at risk of corruption and misuse due to a serious lack of transparency and accountability mechanisms, according to an analysis by civil society organisations from across Europe.

EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility spending at risk due to lack of transparencyHelen Darbishire2021-06-25T11:45:45+02:00

11 Jun 2021

OGP governments urged to open company registers

Helen Darbishire2021-06-15T13:06:55+02:00

Madrid, 10 June 2021- Speaking at the Ministerial Level meeting of the Open Government Partnership Steering Committee, Helen Darbishire of Access Info, in her role as a civil society member of the Steering Committee, stressed the need to act on the transparency agenda that the pandemic has indicated should be a top priority.

OGP governments urged to open company registersHelen Darbishire2021-06-15T13:06:55+02:00

3 Jun 2021

Open company registers across EU at risk because of revenue concerns of just three Member States

Helen Darbishire2021-06-07T16:44:50+02:00

Madrid, 3 June 2021- The European Commission is considering going back on the promise of requiring Member States to open company registers because a handful of rich countries – Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands – could lose income from selling this data, Access Info has discovered.

Open company registers across EU at risk because of revenue concerns of just three Member StatesHelen Darbishire2021-06-07T16:44:50+02:00

21 May 2021

Open Government Week 2021: Survey finds European civil society is working largely unfunded on national Open Government Partnership activities

Helen Darbishire2021-06-07T16:44:25+02:00

Madrid, 21 May 2021- As Open Government week is celebrated around the world, a survey of 24 transparency organisations reveals that most national Open Government Partnership work in Europe is largely unfunded: of an estimated total value of OGP-related work of € 435,220 reported by survey respondents, a full 60%, or €261,130 is unfunded.

Open Government Week 2021: Survey finds European civil society is working largely unfunded on national Open Government Partnership activitiesHelen Darbishire2021-06-07T16:44:25+02:00

18 May 2021

Austria urged to strengthen weak draft FOI law

Helen Darbishire2021-06-08T10:01:16+02:00

Madrid, 18 May 2021 – Access Info Europe today issued a legal analysis of the draft of the Austrian Freedom of Information Act, expressing concerns over shortcomings such as the narrow definition of information, the absence of an independent oversight body, and the lack of a sanctions regime for non-compliance.

Austria urged to strengthen weak draft FOI lawHelen Darbishire2021-06-08T10:01:16+02:00

11 May 2021

Stop the harassment of human rights activists in Russia

Helen Darbishire2021-05-11T17:33:18+02:00

Madrid, 11 May 2021 – Access Info Europe and 97 civil society organisations and individuals today expressed concern about the Russian authorities' persecution and harassment of Ivan Pavlov, freedom of information advocate and lawyer defending opposition leader Aleksei Navalny's Anticorruption Foundation.

Stop the harassment of human rights activists in RussiaHelen Darbishire2021-05-11T17:33:18+02:00