asktheEU – Access Info Europe

3 Mar 2017

Why is the European Commission not publishing reports on Corruption in the 28 Member States?

Helen Darbishire2018-11-13T10:03:41+01:00

Madrid, 3 March 2017 – Fourteen (14) of Europe’s leading transparency organisations today submitted a formal request for EU documents in an attempt to understand what lies behind the European Commission’s surprise decision not to publish the EU Anti-Corruption Report, which was originally scheduled for publication in 2016. The unexpected decision to permanently shelve the second edition of the EU Anti-Corruption Report, first published in 2014, was announced by Vice-President Frans Timmermans in a letter to the European Parliament in early 2017. The watchdog organisations from across the European Union have requested documents relating to the decision to withhold the

Why is the European Commission not publishing reports on Corruption in the 28 Member States?Helen Darbishire2018-11-13T10:03:41+01:00

27 Feb 2017

Commissioners’ Expenses Campaign Update: Requesters Left in the Dark

Helen Darbishire2018-11-13T10:03:42+01:00

Madrid, 27 February 2017 – A month after 120 people from around Europe submitted a total of 189 requests for data on the travel expenses of European Commissioners for the year 2016, the requests have not even been registered by the Commission, in flagrant breach of its legal obligation to do so, and to respond within 15 working days. In an email exchange with Access Info’s director, Helen Darbishire, the Head of the Transparency Unit at the Secretariat General, Martin Kröger, has stated in writing that “Commission does not intend to send individual communications … to the applicants” and that

Commissioners’ Expenses Campaign Update: Requesters Left in the DarkHelen Darbishire2018-11-13T10:03:42+01:00

2 Sep 2016

Your fundamental right might have to wait, I’m out of office

Helen Darbishire2018-11-13T10:04:00+01:00

Madrid, 2 September 2016 - Since the beginning of August, requesters of access to EU documents may have noticed the following automated messages from the Secretariat General warning them about possible delays to dealing with requests: “Due to the holiday period in August, some delays may occur in the treatment of your access-to-documents request, especially where the processing of data requires the consultation of national administrations, external organisations or other services.” So far during August, Access Info has counted 22 instances of this specific message appearing on the AsktheEU.org request platform. It is unacceptable for citizens to have to anticipate

Your fundamental right might have to wait, I’m out of officeHelen Darbishire2018-11-13T10:04:00+01:00

18 Mar 2016

We Have the Right to Know: Is the EU-Turkey Deal Legal? So We’re Asking.

Helen Darbishire2018-11-13T10:04:12+01:00

Madrid, 18 March 2016 – As EU leaders meet in Brussels to finalise details of last week’s controversial deal on sending refugees back from Greece to Turkey, Access Info Europe is launching an access to information campaign digging into the legality of the agreement, and asking EU institutions whether they sought legal advice on or properly evaluated the human rights impacts of the deal. The three initial access to documents requests, sent to the Council of the European Union, the European Commission, and the European Parliament, also ask for legal advice-related documents in regards to the pre-existing 2014 Agreement between

We Have the Right to Know: Is the EU-Turkey Deal Legal? So We’re Asking.Helen Darbishire2018-11-13T10:04:12+01:00

12 Feb 2015

MEP Julia Reda questions European Commission on postal address policy

Helen Darbishire2018-11-13T10:11:26+01:00

Madrid, 12 February 2015 – A Member of the European Parliament, Julia Reda (Pirate Party, Germany), has filed a Parliamentary Question calling on the European Commission to provide justifications for its policy of refusing to register access to documents requests if citizens do not provide their personal postal address. Access Info Europe welcomes this investigation into the postal address policy, introduced on 1 April 2014, which the Commission has stated is necessary because it is "increasingly confronted with cases where applicants seem to hide behind false identities". Julia Reda’s Parliamentary Question notes that the new policy is placing barriers for

MEP Julia Reda questions European Commission on postal address policyHelen Darbishire2018-11-13T10:11:26+01:00