Access Info Europe

Access Info Europe is a Madrid based group that campaigns for access to information in Europe.


Access Info Europe

Background

Formed in June 2006, due to the need for an organization within Europe dedicated to promoting everyone's right of access to information.


With the core belief that access to information is a basic human right at its core, and the ideal that this access to information is critical for participation within government decision-making and also for holding governments accountable. Originally formed by international experts in access to information. Access Info is a not-for-profit, non-governmental association.


Boasting a strong, multicultural, multidisciplinary team, along side experience working on civil society advocacy campaigns.



Members

The Access Info Team

Helen Darbishire, Vice President and Executive Director - Contact:
Victoria Anderica Caddarena, Legal Researcher and Campaigner - Contact
Pamela Bartlett Quintanilla, Researcher and Campaigner - Contact
Andreas Pavlou, Communications and Community Coordinator - Contact
Alvaro Rodriguez Matesanz, IT administrator/Webmaster - Contact

Executive Board

Daniel Bezzares Susín, President
Helen Darbishire, Vice President and Executive Director
Juanjo Cordero, Secretary
Carlos Cordero Sanz, Treasurer

International Advisory Board

David Goldberg, Academic and activist working on issues of freedom of expression and freedom of information
Gergana Jouleva, Executive Director, Access to Information Programme, Bulgaria
Maeve McDonagh, Professor of Law, University College Cork, Ireland
Ivan Szekely, Counsellor of Open Society Archives, Hungary



Mission and Strategy

"Access Info Europe is a human rights organisation dedicated to promoting and protecting the right of access to information in Europe as a tool for defending civil liberties and human rights, for facilitating public participation in decision making, and for holding governments accountable."



Strategy 2014-2016

  • Assess the current state of the right of access to information.
  • Analise the challenges arising from current political, social and economic situations, including the war on terror and surveillance of citizens.
  • Examination of the obstacles to EU and national transparency.


Actions and Projects as of 2012

European Union Transparency
  • Reform of the EU's access to documents rules.
  • Transparency in the Legislative Process: Access Info vs. Council of the EU
  • Implementing the current access to documents rules
  • Lobbying for lobbying transparency
  • Transparency of decisions on civil liberties & financial issues
  • Citizen participation in decision making - the eu-Citizens Prokect


Civil Liberties : Access for Rights
  • Access for Rights
  • CIA flights, Rendition on Record
  • Freedom of Expression Review: of Anti-Terror Laws
  • Interlaken: Reform of the European Court of Human Rights
  • Toolkit & Training for Civil Liberties Organisations
Legal Leaks: Access
  • Legal Leaks Toolkit
  • Trainings for investigative journalists
  • Help Desk & Legal support


Right to Information : Legal Framework
  • Right to Information Global Rating
  • Ratification of Convention on Access to Official Documents.


Data for Democracy:measuring open government data
  • Data for Democracy
  • Open Government Partnership


Business Transparency:Corporate Justice & Standard Setting
  • Standards on non-financial reporting of companies
  • Transparency of Media Ownership