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“Don’t go through the revolving door”, transparency campaigners tell EU Commissioners

2018-11-13T10:12:08+01:00

“Don’t go through the revolving door”, transparency campaigners tell EU Commissioners Brussels, 10 March 2014 – European Commissioners have been reminded of the need to avoid conflicts of interest which undermine public trust in EU policy-making as they near the end of their term in office. The Alliance for Lobbying Transparency and Ethics Regulation (ALTER-EU) [1], of which Access Info Europe is a Steering Committee member, has sent individual letters to every serving European Commissioner to remind them of their responsibilities under the revolving door rules. [2]

“Don’t go through the revolving door”, transparency campaigners tell EU Commissioners2018-11-13T10:12:08+01:00

ECB Criticised for Lack of Transparency over Financial Crisis

2020-01-29T11:25:02+01:00

Madrid/Brussels, 7 March 2014 – The European Central Bank (ECB) has once again come under fire for lack of transparency over the financial crisis, this time from the European Ombudsman who today regretted the decision not to release a letter sent to Ireland’s Finance Minister in November 2010. The ECB letter, which might reveal pressure on the Irish government to enter the EU’s bailout programme, was requested by Irish journalist and FOI activist Gavin Sheridan in December 2011 via the web platform AsktheEU.org. The request and all correspondence can be found here.

ECB Criticised for Lack of Transparency over Financial Crisis2020-01-29T11:25:02+01:00

European Parliament votes to increase transparency of decision-making

2020-01-29T11:14:52+01:00

Madrid/Brussels, 7 March 2014 - Access Info Europe has welcomed the decision [1] by the European Parliament to bring greater transparency to its decision making by recording and publishing records of final voting in committee. Previously most committee votes were taken by a simple show of hands and were not recorded. The decision, adopted on 26 February 2014, applies to all final votes on resolutions and legislation. It also makes it compulsory to record and publish the final votes by MEPs in plenary on non-binding resolutions. “This decision will make it easier for citizens to hold MEPs to account, and

European Parliament votes to increase transparency of decision-making2020-01-29T11:14:52+01:00

Access Info joins We Promise campaign to get European Parliament candidates to support 10 point Charter of Digital Rights

2020-01-29T11:15:19+01:00

Madrid, 27 February 2014 – Access Info Europe today joined European civil society organisations campaigning for pledges from European Parliament election candidates to support the 10 point Charter of Digital Rights. This campaign is run EDRi, a network of European civil rights organisations defending digital rights. Between 22 and 25 May 2014, European Parliament elections will take place in 28 Member States. The next five years will be hugely important for digital rights, with legislation expected on copyright, cybercrime, data protection and surveillance. The campaign aims to put digital civil rights issues firmly on the agenda of the election campaigns

Access Info joins We Promise campaign to get European Parliament candidates to support 10 point Charter of Digital Rights2020-01-29T11:15:19+01:00

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
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