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15 Jun 2017

Cyprus government flawed interpretation of European transparency standards

2018-11-13T10:03:19+01:00

[UPDATE: Madrid, 11 December 2017 - On 25 April, the Cyptriot Government answered the letter sent by Access Info raising questions regarding to Cyprus Access to Information Law. You can find a copy of the letters here : ] Madrid, 15 June 2017 - Access Info Europe and six Cypriot civil society organisations [1] have raised concerns with the Cyprus government that the future draft access to information law would violate European standards if adopted in its current form. In particular, they warned the exceptions to transparency are seriously out of line with the Council of Europe Convention on Access

Cyprus government flawed interpretation of European transparency standards2018-11-13T10:03:19+01:00
31 Mar 2017

Civil society warn Cyprus’ draft transparency law under threat if excessive exceptions persist

2018-11-13T10:03:21+01:00

» This article is also available in Greek, here. Madrid, 31 March 2017 – Access Info Europe and 30 international and Cypriot civil society organisations have today urged the government of Cyprus to guarantee that exceptions to access in its draft transparency law meet international standards. The letter urges the Cypriot Justice Minister in charge of the law, Ionas Nicolaou, to reverse the unacceptable inclusion of five absolute exceptions [1] as well as ensure that information may only be refused if its disclosure would or would be likely to harm a protected interest, unless there is an overriding public interest

Civil society warn Cyprus’ draft transparency law under threat if excessive exceptions persist2018-11-13T10:03:21+01:00
2 Feb 2017

European Parliament votes in favour of beneficial ownership transparency for fishing vessels

2018-11-13T10:03:42+01:00

Madrid, 2 February 2017 - Access Info Europe welcomed today’s European Parliament plenary vote overwhelmingly in favour of a regulation that will introduce beneficial ownership transparency for EU fishing vessels. MEPs voted 586 in favour, with 56 against and just 6 abstentions, to create a public register of the EU flagged fishing fleet, something that will contribute to the fight against illegal and unsustainable fishing, as well as limiting opportunities for money laundering and tax evasion by vessel owners. “The Parliament’s position represents an opportunity for the EU to make its fisheries policy a leading example of how beneficial ownership

European Parliament votes in favour of beneficial ownership transparency for fishing vessels2018-11-13T10:03:42+01:00
25 Jan 2017

MEPs urged to ensure transparency and accountability of EU fishing fleet operating internationally

2018-11-13T10:03:43+01:00

Brussels/Madrid, 25 January 2017 – Over forty civil society organisations have endorsed a joint letter initiated by Access Info Europe and Oceana to urge Members of the European Parliament to vote in favour of a proposed Regulation that will help fight illegal fishing by increasing transparency about the owners of EU flagged vessels. The Regulation on the sustainable management of external fishing fleets will set up an EU-managed public register of authorisations for vessels fishing outside EU waters, and has already been approved by the Parliament’s Fishing (PECH) and Development (DEVE) committees. A key feature of this future register is

MEPs urged to ensure transparency and accountability of EU fishing fleet operating internationally2018-11-13T10:03:43+01:00
21 Dec 2016

UNESCO urged to be transparent about its transparency policy!

2018-11-13T10:03:44+01:00

Madrid, 21 December 2016 - Over 50 of the world’s leading civil society organisations, along with key experts, have called on UNESCO to share a draft access to information policy, which it is currently being discussed inside the organisation. In a letter to UNESCO Secretary General Irina Bokova, the civil society access to information groups stress “the cardinal importance of engaging in genuine consultations with external stakeholders as part of the process of developing a policy in this area,” to ensure that the final policy reflects the concerns of those it is designed to benefit. Helen Darbishire, Executive Director of

UNESCO urged to be transparent about its transparency policy!2018-11-13T10:03:44+01:00
12 Dec 2016

Over 50 Spanish constitutional experts urge recognition of access to information as a fundamental right

2018-11-13T10:03:57+01:00

Madrid, 12 December 2016 - Over 50 of Spain’s top constitutional experts, lawyers, and academics have called upon the Spanish government to recognise access to information as a fundamental right in line with international jurisprudence which links the right to information to freedom of expression. The experts insist that there is no need for a constitutional reform as the Spanish Constitution already establishes the right to information (Article 20.1.d) and freedom of expression (20.1.a). In the letter, released to coincide with the second anniversary of the entry into force of Spain’s Transparency Law (10 December 2014), the signatories recognised the

Over 50 Spanish constitutional experts urge recognition of access to information as a fundamental right2018-11-13T10:03:57+01:00
24 Nov 2016

Civil society calls on Spanish Government to be open about the Open Government Partnership – again!

2018-11-13T10:03:58+01:00

Madrid, 24 November 2016 – A letter from seventeen (17) Spanish civil society organisations sent today to the Spanish government calls for information about progress on the third Open Government Partnership Action Plan, as well as urging the Spanish authorities to send ministerial level representatives to the OGP summit, to be held in Paris on 7-9 December 2016. The letter from members of the Coalicíon Pro Acceso[1], also signed by five (5) individual transparency experts, notes that Paris is a high level summit, and at least 32 countries, including France, Germany and the UK, will be sending heads of state

Civil society calls on Spanish Government to be open about the Open Government Partnership – again!2018-11-13T10:03:58+01:00
7 Oct 2016

Global Civil Society Critiques Lack of Transparency in Spain

2018-11-13T10:03:59+01:00

Madrid, 7 October 2016 – Access Info Europe, Civio, and a total of 22 civil society organisations[1] meeting in Madrid at the International Open Data Conference, have sent a letter to the Spanish government expressing serious concerns about levels of transparency in Spain. Welcoming the hosting of the IODC by the Spanish government and some recent advances, the organisations noted that there is a critical need to improve open data and open government. “We are in a country where the government, surreal as it sounds, is litigating against the Transparency Council to resist publishing documents related to the Open Government

Global Civil Society Critiques Lack of Transparency in Spain2018-11-13T10:03:59+01:00
14 Sep 2016

European Commission Withdraws Automated August Holiday Delay Message

2018-11-13T10:04:00+01:00

Madrid, 14 September 2016 - Access Info Europe has welcomed the decision by the European Commission not to repeat August's automatic "out-of-office" style message warning requesters that there might be delays in processing their requests due to the summer holidays. This decision came after Access Info's Executive Director Helen Darbishire sent a letter to the Commission on 1 September 2016 expressing concerns about the automatic response, which read "Due to the holiday period in August, some delays may occur in the treatment of your access-to-documents request." In a rapid reply sent on 7 September 2016, the head of the EU's

European Commission Withdraws Automated August Holiday Delay Message2018-11-13T10:04:00+01:00
7 Jun 2016

Access Info condemns slashing of World Bank’s Access to Information Unit

2018-11-13T10:04:10+01:00

Calls for Transparency to be core part of future governance agenda Madrid, 7 June 2016 - Access Info Europe has criticised the decision by the World Bank to axe its department working on access to information and called on it to keep promotion of transparency as a core part of promoting good, open government. Access Info also expressed concern that the Bank is likely to stop work on developing indicators that can be used to measure Sustainable Development Goal 16.10.2 on the right of access to information, something that other bodies such as UNESCO had been planning to rely on

Access Info condemns slashing of World Bank’s Access to Information Unit2018-11-13T10:04:10+01:00
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