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Launch of new global campaign to stop secret government contracting

2021-08-11T13:22:15+02:00

Madrid, 27 February 2014 - Today sees the launch of a new global campaign, Stop Secret Contracts, calling on world leaders to end secrecy in public contracting. The campaign is coordinated by the Open Knowledge Foundation, and signed by Access Info Europe along with  signatories including Global Witness, Integrity Action, the International Budget Partnership, the Sunlight Foundation and Transparency International.

Launch of new global campaign to stop secret government contracting2021-08-11T13:22:15+02:00

Open Data Day 2014: Open Government Standards

2018-11-13T10:12:09+01:00

Madrid, 22 February 2014 - As open data activists around the world celebrate "Open Data Day" on 22 February 2014, Access Info Europe recalls that Open Data is an integral part of all work to promote open government and has been integrated into the core of the Open Government Standards, which are being promoted by civil society as a framework for determining and evaluating government progress on openness. To mark Open Data Day 2014, Access Info reiterated its call for governments to ensure that all data released in digital formats is made available in an open format. In practice this

Open Data Day 2014: Open Government Standards2018-11-13T10:12:09+01:00

European Parliament moves forward on Transparency of Company Ownership

2018-11-13T10:12:09+01:00

Madrid, 21 February 2014 – In an important move with widespread implications for the defence of human rights and the fight against corruption, the European Parliament moved a step closer towards a legal obligation for companies to disclose their real or “beneficial” owners on 20 February 2014. The progress came in the form of a vote in favour of beneficial ownership transparency by Parliamentarians in the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee (ECON) and the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee (LIBE). The Parliamentarians voted that the future EU Anti-Money Laundering Directive should require mandatory public registries of the beneficial

European Parliament moves forward on Transparency of Company Ownership2018-11-13T10:12:09+01:00

Access Info Europe endorses International Principles on Surveillance

2018-11-13T10:12:10+01:00

Madrid, 24 February 2014 – Access Info Europe today formally signed the International Principles on the Application of Human Rights to Communications Surveillance, and reiterated its call for greater transparency of state surveillance of private communications. "In spite of the scandal which followed the Snowden revelations, we still have insufficient information about the nature, scale, and use by states of surveillance of private individuals," said Helen Darbishire, Executive Director of Access Info Europe. In November 2013, Access Info Europe and the Web Foundation initiated a letter, signed by 140 civil society organisations and individual leaders and thinkers including Aruna Roy

Access Info Europe endorses International Principles on Surveillance2018-11-13T10:12:10+01:00

Country case study: United Kingdom

2018-11-13T10:12:10+01:00

Is media ownership transparent? In law YES FOR BROADCAST MEDIA ONLY In practice NO IN LAW Under the Broadcasting Act 1990 and Communications Act 2003 it is possible to find out who owns the broadcast media through information reported to media authority, the Office for Communications (Ofcom). The law does not state what information should be disclosed but leaves it to the discretion of Ofcom to request all the information it deems necessary. In practice this may include information on the size of shareholdings, beneficial owners and those with indirect interests and control if Ofcom requests such information. These requirements

Country case study: United Kingdom2018-11-13T10:12:10+01:00

Country case study: Norway

2018-11-13T10:12:10+01:00

Is media ownership transparent? In law YES In practice NO IN LAW According to the law, it is possible to finds out who owns print, broadcast and online media in Norway through information reported to the Norwegian Media Authority. Under the 1997 Media Ownership Act, on the request of the Norwegian Media Authority, all media must report sufficient information for their owners to be identified. It should be noted that, in common with Luxembourg and the UK, the Norwegian law does not specific exactly what information should be reported but rather relies on the media authority to request of the

Country case study: Norway2018-11-13T10:12:10+01:00

Country case study: Georgia

2018-11-13T10:12:10+01:00

Is media ownership transparent? In law YES FOR BROADCAST MEDIA ONLY In practice NO IN LAW According to the law, it is possible to finds out who owns broadcast media only in Georgia through information reported to the media authority, Georgian National Communications Council (GNCC), and directly to the public. As a result of amendments to the Law on Broadcasting in 2011, broadcast media must disclose enough information for their real owners to be identified. This includes information on the size of shareholdings, beneficial owners and those with indirect interests and control. Ownership of broadcast media by offshore companies was

Country case study: Georgia2018-11-13T10:12:10+01:00

Country case study: Croatia

2018-11-13T10:12:10+01:00

Is media ownership transparent? In law YES In practice NO IN LAW According to amendments to the Media Law (2011) and the Electronic Media Law (2012), it is possible to finds out who owns print, broadcast and online media in Croatia through information reported to: the relevant media authorities; directly to the public; or to corporate /trade registers. Through the various laws media must disclose enough information for their real owners to be identified right back to the individual, not just to a company. This includes information on the all shareholdings over 1%, disclosure of beneficial owners and those with

Country case study: Croatia2018-11-13T10:12:10+01:00

Country case study: Austria

2018-11-13T10:12:10+01:00

Is media ownership transparent? In law YES In practice YES IN LAW According Media Law, as amended in 2011, it is possible to finds out who owns print, online and broadcast media through information reported directly to the public. All media must disclose directly to the public enough information for their real owners to be identified, including information on all shareholdings, beneficial owners back to a real person and those with indirect interests and control. Information reported to the media authority, the Austrian Communications Authority (KommAustria), under the Audiovisual Media Services Act or Private Radio Broadcast Act will also reveal

Country case study: Austria2018-11-13T10:12:10+01:00

Events during 2014

2018-11-13T10:12:10+01:00

Special Seminar on Transparency of Media Ownership 3 October 2014, Brussels, Belgium Helen Darbishire took part in a special seminar hosted by the European Commission on media ownership transparency, pluralism and freedom that was live-streamed to facilitate virtual participation. As part of the event, Access Info Europe and Open Society Programme on Independent Journalism published new research on media ownership transparency in Europe and its neighbourhood, to put this issue on the agenda of the incoming college of European Commissioners. Personal Democracy Forum Italia 2014 29 September, Rome, Italy Helen Darbishire will be attending the Personal Democracy Forum Italia 2014,

Events during 20142018-11-13T10:12:10+01:00
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