2 Oct 2020

What’s going on in Spain? Ratification of the Council of Europe Convention, a New 4-year OGP Action Plan, and a new Director for the Transparency Council

2021-04-01T14:33:52+02:00

Madrid, 2 October 2020- The global news headlines might be talking about the worrying rise in coronavirus infections in Madrid - and the new lockdown - but there is also a lot of good news for transparency activists coming out of Spain this week, beautifully timed to coincide with International Access to Information Day on 28 September. 

What’s going on in Spain? Ratification of the Council of Europe Convention, a New 4-year OGP Action Plan, and a new Director for the Transparency Council2021-04-01T14:33:52+02:00
28 Sep 2020

International Access to Information Day 2020: European governments urged to ratify Convention on Access to Official Documents

2021-04-01T14:33:35+02:00

Madrid, 28 September 2020- On the occasion of International Access to Information Day, the pro-transparency organisation Access Info Europe is calling on the governments of the European region to sign and ratify the Council of Europe Convention on Access to Official Documents, which will come into force on 1 December 2020, and to commit to strengthening this fundamental right.

International Access to Information Day 2020: European governments urged to ratify Convention on Access to Official Documents2021-04-01T14:33:35+02:00
4 Sep 2020

Balancing the right to information with the right to privacy during a pandemic: Access Info discusses lessons learned and next steps at RightsCon

2021-03-29T15:56:39+02:00

Access Info Europe and the Open Data Charter co-hosted a RightsCon panel where they spoke with data and privacy experts on the importance of making data open during the Covid-19 pandemic, while ensuring both the public’s safety and the privacy of the individual.

Balancing the right to information with the right to privacy during a pandemic: Access Info discusses lessons learned and next steps at RightsCon2021-03-29T15:56:39+02:00
31 Aug 2020

European Medicines Agency: Open letter calling for an email address

2021-04-01T14:32:57+02:00

Madrid, 31 August 2020 – An open letter, signed by 28 health organisations, transparency associations, and academics, has called on the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to take the simple step of providing an email address so that EU citizens can send access to documents requests directly via email.

European Medicines Agency: Open letter calling for an email address2021-04-01T14:32:57+02:00
15 Jul 2020

Transparency as a Priority for the UN General Assembly Special Session on Corruption

2020-07-15T14:11:30+02:00

Madrid, 15 July 2020 - Access Info Europe has called for the right of access to information to be treated as priority during the first UN General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) against corruption, to be held in April 2021 in New York. In its submission to preparation of the UNGASS, Access Info recalls that the United Nations Convention against Corruption UNCAC establishes that States Party should establish specific mechanisms to implement the right of information. “To end corruption it is not enough to prosecute the corrupt once the crime has been committed. It is essential to work to prevent corrupt

Transparency as a Priority for the UN General Assembly Special Session on Corruption2020-07-15T14:11:30+02:00
13 Jul 2020

Why continued support for transparency is essential to recovering from the coronavirus crisis

2020-07-13T10:08:05+02:00

Madrid, 13 July 2020 – Access Info Europe has joined 83 civil society organisations from around the world in calling on donors to continue funding transparency and accountability in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and the ensuing economic crisis. In an open letter, the signatories welcomed efforts by donors to redirect funds towards potential new needs arising from the covid-19 pandemic, but also stressed the need to keep investment in civil society work on access to information and data disclosure during the recovery phase and beyond. “It has become crystal clear during the past four months that transparent, open,

Why continued support for transparency is essential to recovering from the coronavirus crisis2020-07-13T10:08:05+02:00
27 May 2020

Access Info supports principles on right of access to information during health crisis by Alianza Regional

2020-06-04T17:34:33+02:00

Madrid, 27 May 2020- Access Info Europe and 17 NGOs from Latin America today called on governments in the region to guarantee the right of access to informaton during the Covid-19 pandemic, to prioritise the disclosure of emergency-related information and to ensure that information reaches the most vulnerable populations.  The proposal also highlights the negative consequences of the absence of policies on transparency and access to information. These include the authorities’ lack of coordination as well as limited performance of the agencies guaranteeing bodies for the full exercise of the right of access to information, which the text defines as

Access Info supports principles on right of access to information during health crisis by Alianza Regional2020-06-04T17:34:33+02:00
8 May 2020

Spain: Access Info requests names of members of technical committee advising government on unwinding the lockdown

2021-04-01T14:29:38+02:00

Madrid, 8 May 2020- Access Info today presented two information requests to the Spanish government about the management of the Covid-19 pandemic. In the first request, Access Info asked for the names and professional profiles of the members of the Technical Team that is advising the government on the region-by-region winding down of Spain’s very tight lockdown. In a second request, Access Info has asked for access to all the minutes of meetings and reports from the Scientific Committee that has been advising the government on managing the pandemic since March 2020. The government yesterday refused to provide these names to

Spain: Access Info requests names of members of technical committee advising government on unwinding the lockdown2021-04-01T14:29:38+02:00
27 Apr 2020

Spanish Government urged to guarantee the right of access to information during the Covid-19 crisis

2021-04-01T14:30:00+02:00

Madrid, 27 April 2020- 31 Spanish civil society organisations, all members of the Coalición Pro Acceso, have called on the Spanish Government to guarantee the right of access to information. This comes after the suspension of all administrative deadlines under the state of emergency, which was declared on 14 March due to the coronavirus. In a letter addressed to Carolina Darias, the Minister of Territorial Policy and Public Function, the organisations denounce the negative effects that the pandemic is having on transparency and on access to information in Spain, a fundamental right that must be protected especially during a crisis,

Spanish Government urged to guarantee the right of access to information during the Covid-19 crisis2021-04-01T14:30:00+02:00