Author: Editor

AsktheEU.org Report on Council of the European Union: Transparency problems exposed

Madrid/Brussels, 19 May 2014 – The Council of the EU is failing to comply with EU transparency rules by not respecting time frames for responding, applying too many extensions to requests, and not informing all requesters of their right to appeal when information is denied, according to a report published today by Access Info Europe. read more

Making EU-requests is getting more popular!

Since the creation of the AsktheEU.org platform in September 2011, increasing numbers of citizens have been logging in and making requests to EU institutions. This has not gone unnoticed. The 2012 Council report on access to documents acknowledges that, “Since 2012, the number of initial requests for access sent to the General Secretariat of the Council via the AsktheEU.org platform has been continuously rising.” read more

Access to EU Documents Guide!

Madrid, 9 May 2013 – To celebrate Europe Day, Access Info Europe launched a citizen-friendly Guide on Access to EU Documents and is calling on members of the public and civil society organisations to exercise their rights and file access to documents requests.

The EU has recognised a fundamental right of access to EU documents, but the EU’s freedom of information law – which goes by the catchy title of ‘Regulation 1049/2001’ – remains underused by the population at large. The new guide demystifies the process of asking for EU documents explaining step by step how to make a request. read more

Trendreport

Betterplace.org is Germany’s largest online fundraising website.

It has a running Trendreport which gathers digital innovations on the internet and elsewhere in order to spread new ideas to the civil society and social sector.

AsktheEU.org has been considered as one of the examples of digital innovation that has made it onto the Trendreport as one of their ‘Cases’. Please click to see more about Trendreport and Betterplace.org as well as check out the AsktheEU.org case! read more

AsktheEU Report on EU Transparency 2011-2012

In the year running up to 28 September 2012, members of the European public presented a total of 214 requests for documents with European institutions and bodies using the AsktheEU.org request platform.

As of 23 September, almost 65% of the 214 requests made using AsktheEU.org resulted in full (37%) or partial (28%) disclosure of documents. In a further 19% of instances (40 requests) the institution responded that it did not hold the information requested, either because the document did
not exist or because it was not in that institutions’ possession. Information was refused in only 13 cases (6% of requests). read more