Consejo de Transparencia – Access Info Europe

4 Apr 2017

How two Spanish journalists got major scoops from just one information request!

Helen Darbishire2018-11-13T10:03:20+01:00

Madrid/Perugia, 4 April 2017 - In March leading Spanish newspapers El País and El Confidencial published exclusive stories revealing never-before-seen information that exposed remarkable micro-management by the Spanish Cabinet (“Consejo de Ministros”) of decisions such as overspending on public procurement contracts and the granting or revocation of nationality. These stories – including a full page in the weekend edition of El País as well as a series of stories in the digital El Confidencial – were made possible thanks to a single access to information request by Alba Gutierrez of Access Info Europe. By exploiting a loophole in the Spanish

How two Spanish journalists got major scoops from just one information request!Helen Darbishire2018-11-13T10:03:20+01:00

14 Nov 2016

Spanish Transparency Council confirms that Agendas of Cabinet meetings of the Government is public information

Helen Darbishire2018-11-13T10:03:58+01:00

Madrid, 14 November 2016 – Access Info today welcomed the recent ruling by the Spanish Transparency Council that agendas of Cabinet meetings constitute information that should be available for public scrutiny in accordance with the obligations set out in Spain’s Transparency Law. The Council’s important Decision rejected the arguments of the Ministry of the Presidency, concluding that publication of the red and green index[1] in the agendas is not “internal information” and does not harm “the confidentiality of the discussions” of the Spanish Cabinet. “This very important decision gives the public the chance to know what topics will be discussed

Spanish Transparency Council confirms that Agendas of Cabinet meetings of the Government is public informationHelen Darbishire2018-11-13T10:03:58+01:00

12 May 2016

Spain: NGOs go to court to obtain documents about lobbying on a controversial energy law

Helen Darbishire2018-11-13T10:10:41+01:00

Madrid 12 May 2016 – Two Spanish NGOs are challenging in court a decision by the Transparency Council granting only partial access to lobby documents submitted during elaboration of a controversial 2015 Law that imposes prohibitive taxes on use of home-produced energy (such as from solar power). Access Info Europe and the Platform for a New Energy Model in December 2015 had requested all documents submitted by third parties to the Ministry of Industry; the Ministry denied access on the grounds that the documents are “internal”, invoking one of the most problematic provisions of Spain’s 2013 Transparency Law. The Transparency

Spain: NGOs go to court to obtain documents about lobbying on a controversial energy lawHelen Darbishire2018-11-13T10:10:41+01:00

27 Nov 2015

Documents used in decision making are not “internal” rules Spain’s Transparency Council

Helen Darbishire2018-11-13T10:04:36+01:00

Madrid, 27 November 2015 – In another important decision from Spain’s Transparency Council, Access Info Europe has been granted access to Spanish government progress reports on Open Government Partnership (OGP) commitments. The Transparency Council’s decision rejects arguments by the Ministry of the Presidency that these documents, which were used as part of the decision-making process, are “internal documents.” In August 2015, Access Info’s director Helen Darbishire asked for copies of OGP-related documents in order to get an insight into what the government is doing in implementing the action plan. This request was necessary because, unlike in other OGP countries, there

Documents used in decision making are not “internal” rules Spain’s Transparency CouncilHelen Darbishire2018-11-13T10:04:36+01:00