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UN anti corruption conference makes progress on beneficial ownership transparency and access to information

2018-11-13T10:12:14+01:00

Madrid, 13 December 2013 – Access Info Europe has welcomed the progress made on beneficial ownership transparency and access to information mechanisms during the recent conference of governments which are signatories to the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), held on 25-29 November in Panama. Access Info Europe has been engaged in advocacy for stronger transparency mechanisms under the UNCAC as part of the UNCAC Coalition of civil society organisations. The agreement to promote transparency of the real owners of businesses followed significant advocacy work by civil society as well as an impassioned conference speech by former UN Secretary General Kofi

UN anti corruption conference makes progress on beneficial ownership transparency and access to information2018-11-13T10:12:14+01:00

Standards: Lobbying Transparency via Right to Information Laws

2018-11-13T10:12:14+01:00

Standards: Lobbying Transparency via Right to Information Laws Madrid, 12 December 2013 – Access Info Europe today published a set of recommendations on the information which governments should make available to ensure that there is full transparency around lobbying. “It is not sufficient to place the burden on lobbyists to publish information: public bodies have an obligation to be transparent about their relations with interest groups,” said Helen Darbishire, Executive Director of Access Info Europe.

Standards: Lobbying Transparency via Right to Information Laws2018-11-13T10:12:14+01:00

Access Info Europe calls for the creation and publication of registers of beneficial owners.

2018-11-13T10:12:14+01:00

Madrid, 4 December 2013 - Access Info Europe together with Inspiraction and Intermon Oxfam has called upon Spanish MEPs to support the creation of a public register of beneficial owners of any kind of corporate structure, trusts, and businesses. This letter was has been sent in the context of an international campaign led by the Financial Transparency Coalition, and with the participation of organisations around Europe. This letter has been sent at a key time, with the EU revising the fourth EU Directive on Money Laundering. The period for presenting amendments closes on the 5 December and the letter is

Access Info Europe calls for the creation and publication of registers of beneficial owners.2018-11-13T10:12:14+01:00

Why you should not need to provide personal ID in order to request access to information

2018-11-13T10:12:14+01:00

The Spanish Transparency, Access to Information and Good Governance Law establishes the rules on the access to information procedures in Article 17, one of which is identifying the identity of the requester. This is not necessarily a problem, given that many access to information laws around the world also ask for such information in order to direct the response directly back to the requester, the difference and real problem in Spain is that access to information is considered an administrative procedure and therefore making requests comes under administrative procedure rules. The following mini report by Access Info outlines the reasons

Why you should not need to provide personal ID in order to request access to information2018-11-13T10:12:14+01:00

Ya tenemos ley de transparencia, ¿y ahora qué?

2018-11-13T10:12:15+01:00

Madrid, 2 de diciembre 2013 –  El Congreso de los Diputados el 28 de noviembre de 2013 aprobaba las últimas enmiendas a la ley de transparencia para España. Casi diez años después de que se hiciera la primera promesa electoral la sociedad española estrena una ley de transparencia que se coloca a España en la posición 72 de 96 países con leyes de transparencia. Las reacciones de Access Info Europe, de la Coalición Pro Acceso y de la OSCE van en la misma línea, esta ley es insuficiente. Han sido muchas campañas, la campaña de las 100 preguntas, #preguntaalgobierno, tuderechoasaber.es,

Ya tenemos ley de transparencia, ¿y ahora qué?2018-11-13T10:12:15+01:00

In Context of Crisis and Corruption, a Transparency Law with No Heart

2018-11-13T10:12:15+01:00

Helen Darbishire, Executive Director, Access Info Europe explains why the new Transparency and Access to Information Law in Spain is particularly weak, and also maps out the political context in which the law was adopted, seeking to explain why the Spanish Government opted for an instrument which will not empower citizens to obtain the information they need for participation and to hold power to account. Download a copy or continue reading. Madrid, 28 November 2013 — The Spanish Government has missed an historic opportunity to adopt an access to information law in line with international standards, instead adopting a law

In Context of Crisis and Corruption, a Transparency Law with No Heart2018-11-13T10:12:15+01:00

The Coalición Pro Acceso rejects the Spanish Transparency Law as it is not in line with international standards

2018-11-13T10:12:15+01:00

Madrid, 28 November 2013 – The Spanish Parliament today adopted the Law on Transparency, Access to Information and Good Governance, the first law of its kind in Spain. The Coalición Pro Acceso regrets that final text is insufficient, given its serious shortcomings and contradictions, making the law obsolete from the outset and far from meeting international standards.

The Coalición Pro Acceso rejects the Spanish Transparency Law as it is not in line with international standards2018-11-13T10:12:15+01:00

Spanish Transparency Law approved by Senate without significant changes

2018-11-13T10:12:16+01:00

The law will be adopted on 28 November 2013 but will enter into force only after one year at the national level and two years at the regional level Madrid, 26 November 2013 – The Spanish Law on Transparency, Access to Information and Good Governance was approved by the Senate last Wednesday with no improvements to the right of access to information, despite the rejection of the text from the majority of parliamentary groups. The following political groups and parties voted against the law: ERC, AMAIUR, IU, ENTESA PROGRES PER CATALUNYA y PSOE. “The ruling Partido Popular has ignored civil society

Spanish Transparency Law approved by Senate without significant changes2018-11-13T10:12:16+01:00

Reasons not to limit access to information because of age

2018-11-13T10:12:16+01:00

Limiting access to information to under-16s goes against the principle of access to information as a fundamental right No one should have their right of access to information restricted due to their age according to Access Info Europe and transparency experts. This declaration follows a meeting between Access Info and authors of a draft transparency law in Catalonia, Spain, who have a provision which would restrict access to information to under-16s. Following the meeting between Catalan representatives and Victoria Anderica, Access Info Europe has published a short report that outlines the arguments against restricting access to information due to age,

Reasons not to limit access to information because of age2018-11-13T10:12:16+01:00

Ireland: Campaign to block FOI fee increases successful, but unacceptable €15 up-front fee remains

2018-11-13T10:12:17+01:00

Madrid/Halifax, 15 November 2013 - Intense campaigning by Irish and international civil society organisations has resulted in an important policy reversal by the Irish government. The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Brendan Howlin, has withdrawn, for now at least, an amendment to the Freedom of Information Bill 2013 which threatened to charge multiple up-front fees for requests deemed to include more than one question. Welcoming the withdrawal of the proposed amendment to expand the charging regime, Access Info Europe and Centre for Law and Democracy today wrote to Minister Howlin urging him to go further and abolish the existing

Ireland: Campaign to block FOI fee increases successful, but unacceptable €15 up-front fee remains2018-11-13T10:12:17+01:00
Original content developed by Access Info Europe and is made public under a Creative Commons Attribution, Share Alike licence.