Membership Type: Member Organisation
Website: www.access-info.org
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Telephone: +34 913 656 558
Full Address: Calle Cava de San Miguel 8, 4c, 28005 Madrid
Region: Europe
Organisation Contact Name: Helen Darbishire (Executive Director), Andreas Pavlou (UNCAC Coordinator for Europe)
Organisation Mission
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. This mandate is established in our statutes.
How did your organisation get involved in the Coalition?
Access Info Europe has been involved with the UNCAC Coalition for many years. We have worked closely with TI and the UNCAC Coalition on projects such as the Tell Us What You’ve Done Initiative back in 2010–2011 and have been Europe Regional Coordinator since 2013. Back in 2007 we made an access to information request to the Spanish government about anti-corruption measures implemented in relation to the UNCAC, and have now taken this to the European Court of Human Rights.
What do you find most exciting about UNCAC work?
Access to information is vital to building a preventative framework against corruption. Using the UNCAC and getting countries to commit to adopting robust access to information legislation, which meets high international standards is crucial to ensuring this fundamental right is respected and implemented. Having a wide network of organisations that enable and help to push towards similar goals is key in achieving positive and lasting impact in this area.
What, if any, UNCAC related activities have you been involved in?
We work with the Coalition to build and advocate for commitments from countries for strong transparency mechanisms, including through the introduction of effective measures facilitating public access to information held by public bodies and those performing public functions. We also travelled to Vienna and the 4th UNCAC COSP in Morocco in order to help campaign and advocate for further commitments, and have helped to develop the Coalition Ask on access to information. Access Info is currently the UNCAC Coalition Europe Region Coordinator.
What UNCAC related activities/work are you most looking forward to?
We look forward to advocating with the UNCAC Coalition for further commitments by signatories to the adoption, reform, and implementation of robust access to information legislation as part of a series of preventative measures they should implement. We will also support and advocate for further and more direct civil society participation and involvement in future COSP and UNCAC meetings in order to ensure a viable and inclusive anti-corruption process.
Quote
Your Right to Ask … Your Right to Know
Social Links
Our reaction to donations covering the €3000 fine we received after asking the Spanish government for information on measures taken to combat corruption.