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Regulation of Lobbying in Spain – Statement by Access Info Europe

2018-11-13T10:12:36+01:00

Madrid, 2 June 2013 - Today the Spanish daily El País published an article revealing the government's plans for future lobby regulation in Spain. The main highlights include the creation of an obligatory register of interest representatives, applicable to all those who undertake lobbying activities via-a-vis the upper and lower houses of Parliament. The article also outlines a series of ethics reforms such as the publication of declarations of interest by senior officials or stricter controls over conflicts of interest. Though the government has not yet released detailed information about its plans to regulate lobbying nor has it published the

Regulation of Lobbying in Spain – Statement by Access Info Europe2018-11-13T10:12:36+01:00

El Gobierno sortea las enmiendas a la Ley de Transparencia sin dar a conocer su nuevo redactado

2019-02-05T15:20:25+01:00

  • Se confirma la inclusión de la Casa Real, el Banco de España, los partidos políticos, sindicatos y patronal en la ley, sin aclarar por el momento los detalles • A pesar de las demandas de partidos en minoría y de la sociedad civil, el Gobierno es rotundo: el acceso a la información no será un derecho fundamental • El Gobierno mantiene su intención de excluir los documentos que se utilizan para la toma decisiones -borradores e informes-, tal y como se señala en el artículo 15   Madrid – 30 de mayo de 2013 – El Pleno del

El Gobierno sortea las enmiendas a la Ley de Transparencia sin dar a conocer su nuevo redactado2019-02-05T15:20:25+01:00

Focus on Access to Information Laws essential for implementation of UN Convention against Corruption

2018-11-13T10:12:37+01:00

Vienna, 29 May 2013 – Access Info Europe today called on States Parties to the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) to make strong mechanisms for access to information a priority issue. The right of access to information is a key tool for the prevention of corruption, yet there is no mention of it in the work plan of the UNCAC’s Working Group on Corruption Prevention. Speaking at the UN Convention against Corruption Briefing for NGOs today, Lydia Medland of Access Info said, "To fight corruption, citizens and civil society organisations need effective access to information laws which not only oblige

Focus on Access to Information Laws essential for implementation of UN Convention against Corruption2018-11-13T10:12:37+01:00

Latest news on Spanish Transparency law

2018-11-13T10:12:39+01:00

Madrid, 29 May 2013 - Today, members of the Access Info team have been invited by the Spanish political party Izquierda Plural to witness the third session of interventions on the future Spanish Transparency law. The debate in the Spanish Congress will deal with the range of amendments to the entire law, which are being introduced by the majority of the political parties, whilst civil society considers the law to still be insufficient and not up to scratch in meeting international standards. Victoria Anderica, Campaign Coordinator at Access Info, reviews party by party the reasons behind the amendments to the

Latest news on Spanish Transparency law2018-11-13T10:12:39+01:00

Why care about the right of access to information?

2018-11-13T10:12:41+01:00

How to avoid the closure of rural schools with data Madrid, 28 May 2013 – The right of Access to information isn’t just something that deals with transparency in an abstract, disconnected manner, it is also a way of improving day-to-day life through access to objective information. Some of the stories about the excommissioner for information of Scotland, Kevin Dunion, demonstrate the practical application of this right, through concrete victories. How would these cases run in Spain? This is something that is very difficult to compare without a law that requires public administrations to respond to citizens questions. But we

Why care about the right of access to information?2018-11-13T10:12:41+01:00

Mustafa al-Hawsawi Case

2018-11-13T10:12:42+01:00

Information obtained by Access Info Europe as part of the Rendition project with UK NGO Reprieve, using access to information in order to get information on secret CIA flights, has been used by REDRESS and the Human Rights Monitoring Institute (HRMI) to bring to court a complaint calling for an investigation into allegations that Mustafa al-Hawsawi was illegally transferred to and secretly detained and tortured in Lithuania as part of the CIA-led programme. Access Info Europe together with Reprieve gathered data on flights associated with "extraordinary rendition" - the covert transfer of prisoners by the USA from locations in Europe

Mustafa al-Hawsawi Case2018-11-13T10:12:42+01:00

Advocate General Opinion issued in European Court of Justice Case

2018-11-13T10:12:42+01:00

AG advises Court to dismiss challenge by Council Luxembourg/Madrid, 16 May 2013 – In the penultimate stage of Access Info’s court case for full access to a document relating to the reform of the EU’s access to documents rules, the Advocate General of the European Court of Justice has issued an opinion which advises the Court to dismiss the legal challenge brought by the Council of the EU against the March 2011 decision by the first instance General Court that the Council should provide Access Info Europe with the requested document.

Advocate General Opinion issued in European Court of Justice Case2018-11-13T10:12:42+01:00

Transparency of the European Central Bank on the Financial Crisis

2020-01-29T11:24:49+01:00

Access Info Europe applies to join key case at European Court of Justice  Madrid, 6 May 2013 – Access Info Europe has applied to the European Court of Justice to intervene in a case which is of great importance to the European public in the context of the financial crisis: the case is about whether we have a right to know what key EU bodies, such as the European Central Bank, know about the financial health of Eurozone Member States. In a letter to the Court sent on 6 May 2013, Access Info Europe asked for leave to intervene in

Transparency of the European Central Bank on the Financial Crisis2020-01-29T11:24:49+01:00

No news means … no news!

2018-11-13T10:12:43+01:00

Madrid, 20 May 2013 – Spain’s future Transparency Law remains stalled in the Parliament, which continues to invite selected experts to address the Constitutional Commission, although Access Info Europe has not yet been invited to present its criticisms of the draft. A summary of the latest interventions by experts such as Soledad Becerril, Àngels Barbarà, Borja Bergareche, Ignacio Escolar and Manuel Villoria, can be found here. There is also no news on Spain’s Open Government Partnership plans: the action plan presented to the OGP in April 2012 is still unavailable in Spanish on any government website, and there has been

No news means … no news!2018-11-13T10:12:43+01:00

The lobby battle around data privacy

2021-03-29T15:57:05+02:00

Brussels, 15 May 2013 – The European Commission has proposed new regulation on data protection, which is currently being debated in the European Parliament. However, it threatens the commercial interests of big corporations who are currently making millions from collecting and selling our private data. Big corporation are trying to do everything in their power to water down the new regulation and protect their profits at the expense of our privacy. According to Commission Vice-President Reding, who is responsible for the proposal, it is some of the most aggressive industry lobbying she has ever witnessed.

The lobby battle around data privacy2021-03-29T15:57:05+02:00