Wobbing Europe - News

EU: Patients get information at last �" following EU-Ombudsman decision

Thu, 12 Aug 2010 16:39:11 +0100

BRUSSELS – 11 / 8 / 2010 – Side-effects of medicines? So far a secret on European level, but now soon to be public thanks to a successful wob-request. Important Ombudsman argument on basic right to information, definition of documents and proportional work-load.

DENMARK - WoB used to document threat to filmmaker

Wed, 07 Jul 2010 08:24:29 +0100

BRUSSELS - 7 / 7 / 2010 - The director of the documentary Armadillo about the activities of Danish soldiers in Afghanistan has been threatened to silence by Danish military according to Danish newspaper BT. The paper bases its article on wobbed out e-mails.

EUROPE - Black Tuesday for transparency

Fri, 02 Jul 2010 13:28:24 +0100

BRUSSELS - 2 / 7 / 2010 - The public until Tuesday had the right to know the names of the officials working on their behalf nor of lobbyists trying to influence those officials. However Tuesday the 29^th of June the European Court of Justice decided that the strict data protection rules should weigh more than the public interest rules. The outcome is devastating for the public’s right to know: This reverses the burden of proof, says expert lawyer. A ‘depressing judgement’ says key-politician.

UNITED KINGDOM - Good questions do have an impact

Mon, 07 Jun 2010 10:33:19 +0100

BRUSSELS – 7 / 6 / 2010 – The British government makes big promises for more open governance. This may well be a consequence of a wob-request for the expenses of British MPs, which ended up causing a big scandal last year.

GERMANY - Landmark ruling on Eichmann documents

Thu, 06 May 2010 16:39:35 +0100

BRUSSELS - 6 / 5 / 2010 – In a landmark ruling the German Constitutional Court this week ordered the German Chancellors Office to release a set of documents on Nazi criminal Adolf Eichmann. A wob-request by a German-Argentinian journalist at lower courts had been turned down referring to the German national interest.

DENMARK Public access to CIA case must be evaluated again

Mon, 29 Mar 2010 13:16:30 +0100

BRUSSELS – 29 / 3 / 2010 - Internal working documents are exempted from public access in Denmark as in many other countries. However the so-called CIA working group, which investigated the alleged CIA flights in Danish airspace, can not be regarded as an independent authority, the danish Ombudsman states in a recent press release. The Ombudsmand therefore calls on the Foreign Ministry to look at three journalists' requests for access again. The decision is interesting, not least seen in the light of the international aspects of the case.

Sweden struggles with e-transparency

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 08:43:24 +0100

BRUSSELS - 21 / 3 / 2010 - A draft law for access to electronically held information has caused a protest by the Swedish Union of Journalists. If the proposal comes through as it is, civil servants should deny access to electronic data when such access is found ”inappropriate”. E-transparency is seen as a grace, not as a public right.

Surveillance legislation reduces Freedom of Information

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 15:29:53 +0100

BRUSSELS – 19 / 2 / 2010 - The Law Faculty of the KU Leuven organised a seminar on the new BIM-law, that allows Belgian intelligence to apply special intelligence methods. The way the surveillance legislation decreases the Belgian law on Access to Documents legislation "is not possible in a modern democracy", said Professor Frankie Schram.

How dear was the past Commission?

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 14:08:48 +0100

BRUSSELS – 11 / 2 / 2010 - Dutch tv-channel RTL wobbed out how much the previous Commission cost European tax payers on travel and representation. Have a look how much the commissioners travelled and how much their travel and representations cost.

Deadlock on new EU transparency rules

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 18:45:38 +0100

BRUSSELS – 7 / 2 / 2010 - New EU-rules for access to documents will be delayed for an indefinite time it appears. The three EU-institutions the Council, the Parliament and the Commission have come to a standstill in negotiations on a proposal put forward in the spring 2008.

Risc companies and terrorism

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 23:44:23 +0100

BRUSSELS – 14 / 01 / 2010 – Risc companies have to be known, argues Danish wob-site Aabenhedstinget and fights to get out the list of companies of high risc. One of the arguments against disclosure was that such companies could be targets of terrorism.

Lobbyists can not expect secrecy

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 22:03:30 +0100

BRUSSELS – 15 / 10 / 09 - The ‘presumption of confidentiality’ between EU institutions and their contacts can not be used as an argument anymore to reject access to document requests, if the European Court of Justice follows today’s opinion by the General Advocat.

Slipping through the net

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 09:57:33 +0100

BRUSSELS - 19 / 9 / 2009 – A new report analyses the state of transparency on European Union fishsubsidies. It shows, that the new obligatory active publication settled the previous fight about business secrets and privacy: Now all beneficiaries are to be made public. But while wobbing gave 15 out of 16 pieces of information, the active publication gives only 4 out of 16 pieces of information.

EU: When even the date is secret

Sat, 12 Sep 2009 10:46:26 +0100

BRUSSELS – 12 / 9 / 2009 - The European Medicines Agency has been criticised for not being open enough. Now it has sent its future transparency policy into a public hearing. Comments possible until September 25th 2009.

EU: ...unless there is an overriding public interest

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 08:02:17 +0100

BRUXELLES - 10 / 9 / 2009 - Interesting judgement on the way testing the exception of ongoing investigations in the EU wob.

Belgium shares the wob-league with Uzbekistan

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 17:26:45 +0100

BRUSSELS – 07 / 09 / 2009 - Freedom of Information Legislation is on the move worldwide, but Belgium is still playing with Uzbekistan and Tajikistan in the name and shame league of poor performers.

Europe: New support for research journalism in Europe and for Wobbing.eu

Mon, 07 Sep 2009 17:40:15 +0100

BRUSSELS – 7 / 9 / 09 – Journalismfund.eu and Wobbing.eu have received €114.000 from the Open Society Institute's Media Programme. This will allow two new rounds of grants for journalistic research and it also includes support to streamline Wobbing.eu, so it becomes an even better tool for wobbing practicioners.

Comment: Common cause against transparency and birds?

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 10:27:15 +0100

BRUSSELS – 26 / 8 / 2009 - Denmark does not treat its wild birds well, at least not according to EU-legislation – or so it appears. A concerned citizen wishes to know more. However the Danish government and the Commission both deny him access to the documents. Is this another case about how transparency is squeezed between EU and national systems?

Videos: Dutch-speaking students dive into WOB legislation

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 15:09:34 +0100

BRUSSELS - 24 / 8 / 2009 - Marco de Lange wrote his dissertation about the WOB for his bachelor in journalism at the Dutch University College Ede. He looks at the history and how it is being used in Belgium and the Netherlands. He also did a WOB/FOIA-request himself. See video - interview below. Nils Dumortier, student of the Flemish University College Artevelde, made a documentary about the WOB legislation in Belgium: How transparent is Belgium after the WOB/FOIA introduction 15 years ago?

Euro-Wobbers meet again

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 11:14:24 +0100

BRUSSELS - 15TH OF AUGUST 2009 - In the context of the Investigative Journalism Conference of the Vereniging van Onderzoeksjournalisten (VVOJ) some of Europe's most experienced and active wob-journalists will gather in Utrecht, November 27th-28th, 2009.

BULGARIA: Daily 24 Casa publishes files about royal family

Sun, 02 Aug 2009 15:36:55 +0100

BRUSSELS - 3 / 8 / 2009 - Bulgarian journalist gets access to the files about the Bulgarian royal family in the pre-1989 archives of the secret service.

The real price for nuclear power not secret anymore

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 18:20:39 +0100

BRUSSELS – 12 / 6 / 2009 - Thanks to the wob on environmental information, a Belgian politician achieved a breakthrough in access to information about costs for nuclear power in Belgium.

EU: First European Open Data Summit held after transparency success

Sat, 09 May 2009 15:06:24 +0100

BRUSSELS – 9 / 5 / 2009 - What do you do, when you achieve a good bit of one task? You move on to the next level or to the next. This is exactly what the Farmsubsidy.org team did last week, when they gathered in Brussels past week with a group of e-gov experts and journalists for the first European Open Data Summit.

EU: Netherlands support transparency line by seven ministers

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 10:37:17 +0100

BRUSSELS - 16 / 4 / 2009 - In the struggle to improve the EU-wob, the Netherlands support the transparency line by seven ministers from Nordic and Baltic countries aswell as from Slovenia. The ministers in an open letter expressed their concern that the planned reform of the EU-wob would roll back existing rights rather than to improve them.

Europe, Hungary: Wobbing is a human right recent judgement confirms

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 09:32:15 +0100

BRUSSELS -15 / 4 / 2009 - In a recent judgement by the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg it is confirmed, that access to information is a human right to freedom of expression. The case was brought by a Hungarian NGO and tested the access to a court document as information of public interest.

Bulgaria: New book about wob-litigation in Bulgaria

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 19:55:33 +0100

BRUSSELS - 19/3/09 - A new handbook about the past four years wob-litigation in Bulgaria is online now, published by the Sofia based Access to Information Programme, AIP.

EU COMMENT: Danger of public being pushed back into the paper ages

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 10:29:34 +0100

BRUSSELS – 10/3/2009 – Will the public be held in the paper ages, while the EU administration is moving on to modern electronic administration? Analysis and comment on access to information in the EU institutions at a cross-road vote tomorrow between rolling back or preparing for the future.

Germany: Court questions EU transparency initiative

Mon, 09 Mar 2009 11:53:16 +0100

BRUSSELS - 9/3/09/ - A German court now questions the initiative of the European Commission to disclose end-recipients of the European farmsubsidies.

EU: Baltic and Slovene ministers unite for better EU wob

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 17:43:58 +0100

BRUSSELS - 5/3/09 - Seven ministers call for the EU to make a commitment to more transparency, when revising the EU-wob. The common articles comes ahead of next weeks vote on the subject in the European Parliament.

Europe: Protection of privacy and media privilege - interesting court ruling

Sun, 22 Feb 2009 10:35:04 +0100

BRUSSELS - 22/02/09 - The core of the disagreement was dissemination of individual income tax information via a specialised newspaper in Finland. The European Court of Justice was asked to look into the delicate balance between protection of privacy and freedom of expression.

Info commissioner rejects FoI request for Diana letters

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 16:20:59 +0100

LONDON- 18/02/09- The content of private letters between the Government and Diana, Princess of Wales, should be kept secret, the information commissioner ruled today.

Dutch journalist launches Bigwobber.nl

Fri, 13 Feb 2009 14:01:30 +0100

AMSTERDAM- 12/02/09- From now on Dutch journalists can find more information about the act on Freedom of Information on Bigwobber.nl. Journalist Brenno De Winter launches a website with WOB-files. Renewing is the downloadable wobbed information.

Parties stay tough on their positions, as EP-debate on wob approaches

Mon, 26 Jan 2009 18:47:58 +0100

Parties keep their positions as they struggle towards a reform of the EU-wob, a recent debate in the European Parliament showed. Debate in key-committee scheduled for February 17th.

US: New wob fully in force now

Fri, 16 Jan 2009 15:57:52 +0100

A reform of the US-wob was carried out and all sections have now come into force. Read a useful resumé of the most important changes at LLRX.

Europe: Nordic ministers stand up against roll-back of EU wob

Mon, 15 Dec 2008 11:44:22 +0100

BRUSSELS – DECEMBER 15^TH 2008 - Ministers of Finland and Sweden stand up against the roll-back of the EU access to documents regulation as drafted by the European Commission. During a seminar held by the Finish representation in Brussels on December 11^th, they argued that “Europe needs more transparency, not less.”

Europe: EU-ombudsman publishes report about access to databases

Fri, 12 Dec 2008 01:18:35 +0100

BRUSSELS - DECEMBER 11th, 2008 - Today the European Ombudsman sent his report about access to databases to the European Parliament and the public. His conclusion is, that the content of databases should be accessible to the public, and he drafted new wording relevant for the reform of the EU wob.

United Kingdom: Get a copy of your public ‘performance’ using the Freedom Of Information act or WOB

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 17:23:02 +0100

MANCHESTER - 11th of DECEMBER 2008 - You probably know that CCTV cameras everywhere on the streets, buses, stations, in shops and banks and so on, are watching you. Especially in Britain, where there are an estimated 13 million CCTV cameras. But you might not know that you can actually get a copy of these video records. By using the Freedom Of Information act or WOB, you can legally ask for any data – including the aforementioned video records – stored on you. (source: UK Telegraph) >>

Europe: Wob-conference in Brussels gets cooperations off the ground

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 12:01:08 +0100

BRUSSELS - NOVEMBER 25TH 2008 - New journalistic stories using freedom of information acts as an integral and important part of the research are well on the way after conference in Brussels this weekend.

Some of Europe's best wobbers meet in Brussels

Sat, 15 Nov 2008 14:44:02 +0100

BRUSSELS - 15TH OF NOVEMBER 2008 - In the context of the European Investigative Journalism Conference, some of Europe's most experienced and active wob-journalists will gather.

Sweden: Journalists complain about slow-wob

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 19:05:23 +0100

BRUSSELS - 20TH OCTOBER 2008 - Swedish media now complain about slow reaction by Swedish defence authorities to wob-requests. In all cases journalists complain about overly long answering time.

EU: More then 800.000 euros of easy money revealed by wob-request

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 00:00:00 +0100

BRUSSELS - 20TH OF OCTOBER 2008 - About 60 MEPs have signed up for daily allowances of almost 300 euro for a day of meetings, when no meetings are held. This was revealed by a recent wob-request.

Britain: Information Commissioner updates guidelines on personal data

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 12:15:20 +0100

The British Information Commissioner’s Office has recently published a new guidance for freedom of information practicioners on the question of personal data when asking for access to documents.

Moldova: New law on transparency in decision-making process

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 13:16:53 +0100

BRUSSELS - NOVEMBER 16TH 2008 - On 13 November 2008 the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova has passed the Law on transparency in decision-making process, according to the Access Info Center, a pro-transparency NGO, in Moldova.

Secret documents on side-effects wobbed out �" online now

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 15:32:56 +0100

COPENHAGEN - 23. OCTOBER 2008 - An international team from Belgium, the Netherlands and Denmark started to wob out previously secret documents on side effects last year. After intense additional research they finalised their series of articles today, and the previously secret reports are now published on the internet to provide this important information to the public.

United Kingdom: Freedom of Information Act: 'Government still reluctant to release data'

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 09:49:30 +0100

LONDON - 8 OCTOBER 2008 - The Freedom of Information Act had not stopped a culture of secrecy pervading government, a House of Lords Committee was told today. Guardian columnist Jackie Ashley said that despite the government promising the public a right to obtain information held by public authorities, an attitude still existed at Westminster that freeing information would lead to persecution of government departments. (source: The Guardian) >>

United Kingdom: MPs given a month to object before expenses disclosed

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 09:41:28 +0100

MPs will be given a month to lodge objections before full details of their controversial expenses claims are posted online for the public to examine.

LONDON - 12 OKTOBER 2008 - The "period of grace" means that the publication of a million documents and receipts detailing payouts to individual MPs, which had been expected next month, may now be delayed until January. (source: Weekly Telegraph) >>

United Kindom: FOIA generates 1,000 stories in two years

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 12:13:05 +0100

LONDON - 6 OKTOBER 2008 – The Freedom of Information Act has led to the media publishing more than 1,000 stories based on disclosures by public authorities in just two years, according to a new report. The disclosures, made under the UK and Scottish legislation, demonstrated the enormous range of information being released, said the report, published by the Campaign for Freedom of Information. >>

United Kingdom: 'Government still reluctant to release data'

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 11:56:13 +0100

LONDON - 8 OKTOBER 2008 – The Freedom of Information Act had not stopped a culture of secrecy pervading government, a House of Lords Committee was told today. Guardian columnist Jackie Ashley said that despite the government promising the public a right to obtain information held by public authorities, an attitude still existed at Westminster that freeing information would lead to persecution of government departments.(source: The Guardian) >>

The Netherlands: The right to know - freedom of information

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 15:00:57 +0100

A'DAM - 1 OKTOBER 2008 – Around the world, campaigners for the freedom of government information celebrate Right to Know Day on 28 September. As more and more people all over the world are finding out, getting information on what your government is doing can make a real difference in protecting rights. (Source: Radio Netherlands Worldwide) >>

28th of September: Freedom of Information Day

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 13:40:47 +0100

BRUSSELS - 28 SEPTEMBER 2008 – On this particular day, the 28th of September investigative journalists and organizations for freedom of information have their different fests and celebrations all for one exact aim, in order to ensure the place for the relevant information and achievable data's.

Sweden: Wob, politics and subsidies - EU-Commission rejects access to files on media monopoly

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 15:20:07 +0100

BRUSSELS - 25. SEPTEMBER 2008 - The European Commission has turned down a wob-request concerning a case between Sweden and the Commission about state subsidies and media diversity. The Commission considers it an ongoing case and thus rejects acces - a notion that is completely unknown in Sweden. And also a notion, that the Commission wants to fix in the forthcoming new law about access to information in the EU.

The final version over the 2008 Overview of all FOIA Countries

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 11:58:17 +0100

BRUSSELS - 22 SEPTEMBER 2008 - An improved version of the 2008 Overview of all FOIA Countries for the 2008 Right to Know Day by Roger Vleugels.

Europe: Brussels keeps information under its hat

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 11:47:56 +0100

BRUSSELS- 23 SEPTEMBER 2008 - Kartika Liotard MEP of the Dutch Socialist Party questioned transparency in Europe in Financieele Dagblad on the 11th of July: Brussels concerns itself with every aspect of our lives, but gives little away when it comes to information. This creates distrust. Even the European Ombudsman is now complaining that the hands of the openneness clock are being turned back. It takes a lot of clicks on the mouse to find out that a new European Regulation on openness in administration is on the way. The European Commission sees the Regulation as a way to bring Europe closer to the citizen. Why don't they turn this around and make rules which would help us get closer to Europe? (source: Financieele Dagblad) >>

Britain: Revealing the facts about freedom of information

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 14:15:40 +0100

WALES - 22 SEPTEMBER 2008 - It is shocking that so few people in Wales know of their rights under the Freedom of Information Act. However, the lack of a public awareness campaign until now makes the ignorance far from surprising. (source: WalesOnline) >>

Britain: Innocent �" but still on DNA database

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 13:47:49 +0100

LIVERPOOL - 22 SEPTEMBER 2008 - Almost one in 10 people on Merseyside has their genetic profile stored on the national DNA database, according to information released to the Daily Post under the Freedom of Information Act. (source: Liverpool Daily Post) >>

Access to info laws around the world

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 10:59:13 +0100

LONDON - 16 AUGUST 2008 - An excellent two part series on the use of access to info laws around the world on BBC radio. The broadcast features interviews with an Indian activist who has filed more than 170 applications for info, ragarding railway safety for instance. Al Roberts of Syracuse University and author of Blacked Out; David Banisar of Privacy International; Robert Hazell of University College London; Jimmy Carter; Tom McLane; Olivia Grange, Minister of Information, Culture & Sports of Jamaica; a Malian official, I believe Modibu Makalu; Marta Oyhanarte, Undersecretary for Institutional Reform, Argentina; and several others. >>

Britian: Public-wobbing website by MySociety

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 14:49:51 +0100

BRUSSELS - 22 JULY 2008 - British website pioneers MySociety have launched a website to faciliate the use of the British wob. It's called WhatDoTheyKnow.com and allows to file requests and find your way among the hundreds of wobable public bodies. Only downturn for journalists: All requests are public.

Netherlands-Europe: MEP Erik Meijer asks European Commission about transparency

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 12:31:25 +0100

BRUSSELS – 15th of June 2008 – Dutch MEP Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL, SP NL) questions European transparency in the EU. See below three series of questions (NL) that the fraction askes in Strassborg. The answers are foreseen in a couple of weeks.

EU: Breakthrough judgement on legal documents

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 12:04:03 +0100

BRUSSELS - JULY 4TH 2008 - Citizens, journalists and elected members of the European Parliament will in the future have better access to legal advise given during preparation of law. The openness-breakthrough is the result of a judgement in the Turco-case. The Italian former MEP Maurizio Turco had in 2002 asked the Council of the EU for a legal analysis on draft-legislation regarding minimum standards for the reception of applicants for asylum in Member States.

Commissioner Wallströms hits back at critics: ”They can’t have read the text”

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 17:03:40 +0100

STOCKHOLM – 10th of June 2008 – Commissioner Margot Wallström, responsible for the proposed revision of EU transparency rules, says criticism of her proposal is based on misunderstandings, and an inability to read the text.

EU: Ombudsman warns that citizens' right of access to documents is at risk

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 08:47:18 +0100

BRUSSELS - 2nd of June 2008 - The European Ombudsman Nikiforos Diamandouros today raises the question, whether the EU really is committed to openness and transparency. Ahead of a hearing on the reform of the EU-wob, he publishes a harsh criticism of the draft law and urges the European Parliament to defend opennes.

EU: Hearing on draft new EU-wob

Fri, 30 May 2008 14:02:48 +0100

BRUSSELS - May 30th 2008 - The European Parliament invites to a public hearing about the draft new EU-wob Monday June 2nd in Brussels. Key actors like vice-president of the European Commission, Margot Wallström, and EP-rapporteur, Michael Cashman will be among the speakers, aswell as a number of others concerned with the legislation.

Europe: Wobbing.eu endorsed by European Journalism Centre

Mon, 26 May 2008 17:45:59 +0100

BRUSSELS - May 26th 2008 - Hardly one year online, wobbing.eu got endorsed by the director of the European Journalism Centre.

Britain: New kitchens and clean windows

Mon, 26 May 2008 17:35:52 +0100

BRUSSELS - May 26th 2008 - A recent wob-success revealed tax-payed expenses of the members of the British Parliament. Previous prime minister Tony Blair and current prime minister Gordon Brown both got installed new kitchens, and one MP had her windows cleaned not less than 18 times in one year, according to a report in Daily Mail.

Britain: MPs expenses transparent after court ruling

Mon, 26 May 2008 17:23:04 +0100

LONDON - May 23rd 2008 - British wob-expert Heather Brooke won a victory Friday 23rd of May: She was allowed to fetch piles of information on how much tax money British MPs spend on their second homes. The information got out through a wob-request that went all the way up to the British High Court.

Isle of Man: Wob on the way

Mon, 26 May 2008 21:20:08 +0100

BRUSSELS - May 26th 2008 - A long-awaited freedom of information bill will be included in the 2008/09 legislative programme, Chief Minister Tony Brown told Tynwald, according to Isle of Man Today. He said the government's strategic plan included a commitment to provide the public with a statutory right to access government information. An Access to Information bill was currently being drafted and would be introduced to the House of Keys in 2008/09.

EU: Swedish government announces fight against rolling back of EU-wob

Tue, 20 May 2008 21:01:21 +0100

BRUSSELS - May 20th 2008 - The Swedish minister of Justice is disappointed about the draft EU reform for access to documents. The Swedish government has already taken contact with the European Parliament and other governments to prevent a rolling-back of transparency.

Denmark: Million crown salary to spindoctor

Thu, 15 May 2008 09:33:39 +0100

BRUSSELS - May 15th 2008 - The spindoctor of the Danish liberal prime minister, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, receives a million-crown salary, a wobrequest revealed. Opposition requires liberal party to pay for themselves.

EU: Ombudsman consults on access to information in databases

Thu, 15 May 2008 09:16:13 +0100

BRUSSELS - 15th May 2008 - The European ombudsman investigates the options for access to information held in databases. This is a follow-up on a case by wobsite-editor towards the Commission, that was considered "maladministration" by the Ombudsman last autumn. The consultation in the European Network of Ombudsmen comes amidst the ongoing debate about the reform of the EU-wob, 1049/01.

EU: Swedish Journalist's Association considers draft EU-law 'disgraceful'

Sat, 10 May 2008 08:50:43 +0100

BRUSSELS - 10th of May 2008 - The Swedish Journalist's association raises an alarm: "This is a disgracul attack against transparency in the EU," it says in a recent press release commenting on the recent EU-Commission draft on a reform of the rules to access to documents. Not only does the Commission claim this to be an improvement, but it also prevents media and citizens from a true possibility for access to documents.

Denmark: Buy a professor

Thu, 08 May 2008 08:26:23 +0100

BRUSSELS - 8th of May 2008 - External funding for Copenhagen University was connected to the request of promoting two researchers to professors, a wob-request has revealed.

Netherlands: Dutch put Taliban fighters in the cold

Mon, 05 May 2008 11:02:05 +0100

UTRECHT/ROTTERDAM - May 5th 2008 – Some irregularities have taken place in the treatment of three Taliban fighters who were imprisoned in Camp Holland on January 17th last year. This is written in a letter that former Commander of the armed forces (CDS) Dick Berlijn wrote to former Secretary of State Cees van der Knaap. The Dutch newspaper NRC Handelsblad got hold of the letter of April 15th 2007 through the WOB. (Source: Tiscali) >>

EU: Experts go into detail with draft EU-wob

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 23:15:47 +0100

BRUSSELS - April 30th 2008 - Take a look at the draft new EU-wob and read arguments by key players article by article. Wobbing.eu has talked to the European Commission expert Marc Maes, who drafted the new legislation, and we have talked to Oluf Jørgensen, Danish professor of media law and expert in wobs. We also quote the analysis by Tony Bunyan of Statewatch and by the European Citizens Action Service ECAS.

EU: Draft new wob met with harsh criticism

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 20:06:07 +0100

BRUSSELS - April 30th 2008 - When the European Commission today published it's draft for the reform of the EU-wob, it was met with harsh criticism by experts and civil society groups.

Malta: Preparing to introduce Freedom of Information Act

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 09:47:48 +0100

BRUSSELS - 25th of April 2008 - Malta is preparing a freedom of Information Act, and thus one of the last countries in the EU without any wob is preparing to join the club of wob-countries.

Germany: Unused potential

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 13:12:54 +0100

BRUSSELS - 21 April 2008 - The first overall evaluation in Germany shows, that very few are using the legislation, that came into force in 2006. In Britian, where the wob came into force in 2005, journalists proudly show off story after story obtained through wobbing.

EU: From beer to principles

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 19:12:40 +0100

BRUSSELS – April 17th 2008 – It started with the import of Bavarian beer to England, now it’s developping to one of the most principal cases about access to information in the EU. Two new intervenors, one on in favour, one against transparency.

EU: Updated list of cases online

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 09:16:50 +0100

BRUSSELS - 16th of April 2008 - As a service Wobbing.eu provides a list over wob-cases on EU-level. The new list is online with interesting cases. Explanation for the tool here.

Portsmouth News: Crumbs! County council is a big biscuit spender

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 17:25:52 +0100

LONDON - 14 April 2008 - Hampshire County Council has snubbed custard creams in favour of shortbread, oat and ginger biscuits. Documents released under Freedom of Information laws show the superior types of biscuit makes Hampshire the biggest spender on biscuits compared to every other council in our area. >>

Britain: Information Commissioner gets tough

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 08:27:46 +0100

The British Information Commissioner, who is overviewing the appropriate use of the British wob, is getting tough on those authorities, who do not grant access properly, according to the Open Secrets blog by Martin Rosenbaum at the BBC.

Netherlands: AOb puts financial data of schools online

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 15:18:18 +0100

AMSTERDAM - 7 April 2008 - Ninety per cent of all primary schools is very prosperous. The poverty feeling that frequently lives on primary schools among parents, teachers and sometimes even Executive Boards, seems tào be out of place. Nearly all school governing boards have strong reserves. That results from an analysis of the financial data of 1200 school governing boards in the Netherlands. Have a look a the data per governing board at www.hoerijkismijnschoolbestuur.nl (Source: AOb - Algemene Onderwijsbond) >>

EU: Names of lobbyists are not secret �" for the time being

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 22:22:12 +0100

BRUSSELS – 31 March 2008 - The European Commission has promised to obey by the new transparent case-law and to disguise the names of lobbyists, eventhough it has appealed the case to the European Court of Justice.

EU: Ombudsman investigates databases

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 17:03:11 +0100

BRUSSELS – 25 March 2008 - The European Ombudsman has started an investigation into wobbing databases all over Europe. Based upon a case raised by farmsubsidy editor in 2005 he now addresses all European Ombudspersons.

Germany: Henri-Nannen jury recognises wob-story

Sat, 22 Mar 2008 16:50:00 +0100

BRUSSELS - 22/3/08 - When one of the most prestigious German journalism-awards, the Henri-Nannen-Award, published this years nominees this week, a wob-story was mentioned among the ones close to nomination. German journalists are not used to wobbing, and the data behind the story constitute a breakthrough. The story is another one in the European series about farmsubsidy-recipients. See all the documents on the wobsite.

Britain: Government ordered to release minutes on Iraq war

Mon, 03 Mar 2008 09:49:56 +0100

BRUSSELS – 3. March 2008 - For the first time the British Information Commissioner has ordered the publication of cabinet minutes under the Freedom of Information Act. Traditionally they are kept closed by special rules under the act, but disclosure was required due to the "gravity and controversial nature" of the subject according to the Guardian.

Britain: New wobsite on the way

Mon, 03 Mar 2008 10:23:40 +0100

BRUSSELS – 3. March 2008 - British wob-activists and journalists are working on a new website to help everybody with wobbing. Read the comment by Heather Brookes, wobbing.eu contributor and blogger at the Britisch Your Right To Know blog.

Frisian police keeps silence concerning weapon list

Mon, 03 Mar 2008 09:56:17 +0100

LEEUWARDEN – 29. February 2008 – There exists a full list of addresses of Frisians who have firearms. However, the Frisian police does only want to give the list without the names to freelance journalist Jeroen Maarten Hanenbergh. >>

EU-Commission to draft new wob this spring

Mon, 04 Feb 2008 12:27:52 +0100

BRUSSELS – 4. February 2008 - The European Commission intends to draft an amendment to the EU-wob in the first quarter of this year. Among the core questions are, who should decide on access to large requests, privacy of professionals and whether the Commission can introduce a “practice” on which access is granted to databases.

Belgium: Sensitive Flemish weapendeal blurred in report to the parliament

Mon, 04 Feb 2008 11:39:12 +0100

BRUSSELS – 31. January 2008 - Patricia Ceysens (open VLD), Flemish minister of economy, innovation and foreign trade got heavy criticism on Thursday 30 January 2008. The main reason was its decision to grant an export license for armoured conveyors to Great Britain, with end destination Saudi Arabia. This deal was apparently blurred in the report to the Flemish parliament. The Flemish peace institute, het Vredesinstituut, rings to the alarm bell. (Source: Flemish peace institute)

België: Eén jaar na het Scholenrapport

Tue, 29 Jan 2008 19:02:35 +0100

BRUSSEL - 22 januari 2008 - Precies een jaar geleden publiceerde De Standaard de rapporten van de middelbare scholen in het 'Scholenrapport'. Daarin staan de officiële verslagen van alle secundaire scholen die door de onderwijsinspectie doorgelicht werden. Omdat de doorlichtingsverslagen openbaar zijn, mag iedereen deze opvragen bij het departement onderwijs en kunnen de media deze publiceren.(Bron: De Standaard, Auteur: Pieter Lesaffer)

België: Het Groot Rusthuizenrapport

Tue, 29 Jan 2008 18:42:08 +0100

BRUSSEL - november 2007 - Hoe journalistiek het beleid kan aankaarten door informatie openbaar te maken, toont de recente Nieuwsblad case aan. Onder coördinatie van Joost Loncin zijn alle Vlaamse rusthuizen in kaart gebracht (Het Nieuwsblad, 20/11/2007, ‘Het Groot Rusthuizenrapport’). Daags na verschijning, kwam het tot een debat in het Vlaamse parlement. Drie volksvertegenwoordigers vuurden hun vragen af op minister van Welzijn Steven Vanackere (CD&V) over de thema's die de Rusthuizenreeks behandelt. De minister beloofde een speciaal rusthuisdebat.

Spain: Coalition acting to improve access in Spain

Mon, 21 Jan 2008 09:19:37 +0100

MADRID - 22. January 2008 - A new coalition to improve wobbing in Spain held a meeting Tuesday January 22nd 2008 in Madrid. The Coalition Pro Access is composed by a large number of NGOs, journalist and transparency organisations.

Spain: Coalition pro Access

Mon, 21 Jan 2008 09:23:06 +0100

MADRID - 1. February 2008 - Founded in the autumn of 2006, Spanish Coalition Pro Access is uniting a large group of organisations and individuals in the common goal of improving access to information in Spain.

Britain: One in five wob-requests rejected

Mon, 14 Jan 2008 16:07:12 +0100

LONDON - 13. December 2007 - According to the newest figures about wobbing in Britain, one in five requests have been rejected, writes the Guardian.

Britain: Wob-findings may cause strike

Mon, 14 Jan 2008 15:22:25 +0100

LONDON - 6. January 2008 - British daily newspaper discovered business-class lifestyle of BBC-chief by wobbing the BBC. Staff members are expected to be furious, as the news come at a time, when 1800 jobs are threatened by cut-backs. Union considers strike on January 23rd.

EU: Member states can not generally block access anymore

Wed, 02 Jan 2008 01:26:35 +0100

BRUSSELS - 2. January 2008 - A recent judgement by the European Court of Justice states, that member states should not be able to block EU institutions from granting access to documents originating from the member state but held by the instiutions, if access should be granted according to the EU wob.

EU watchdog criticises Commission and comments on access to databases

Sun, 30 Dec 2007 20:19:24 +0100

BRUSSELS - 30. December 2007 - Wobsite-editor gets support by EU-Ombudsman, who criticises the European Commission for maladministration. The Commission failed to give a thorough explanation, after having denied access to documents about farmsubsidy recipients. Also he comments on the principal question of access to databases.

EU: Lobbyists names are not secret

Mon, 07 Jan 2008 15:28:54 +0100

BRUSSELS - November 2007 - Lobbying the EU is not a private matter. That was the conclusion in a recent court case about access to names of persons participating in the EU decision making procedure.

Germany: Breakthrough in access to farmsubsidy-data

Mon, 26 Nov 2007 15:32:23 +0100

BRUSSELS - 26. January 2007 - A breakthrough in access to data was achieved in Germanny in late August, when the province of Nordrhein-Westfalen agreed upon opening up the figures of companies and non-private recipients of EU-farmsubsidies.

Britain, EU: British government in close contact with large tele-companies

Sun, 28 Oct 2007 11:44:35 +0100

BRUSSELS - 28. October 2007 - The European Union tried to support consumers by capping the maximum roaming costs for using mobile phones. However the British government had a close contact with large tele-companies. The information was revealed through wob-requests and published in articles by journalist Dominic Kennedy at The Times.

Britain: Government’s FOI charging plans scrapped

Fri, 26 Oct 2007 09:45:48 +0100

LONDON- 26. of October - The British government wishes to extend the scope of the British Freedom of Information Act, it states in a press release. This includes scrapping planned FOI charges.

EU vs Sweden: European Commission questions Swedish transparency

Wed, 10 Oct 2007 16:40:41 +0100

BRUSSELS - 10. of October - Does the public have a right to know about genetically modified feedstuff? Yes, ruled the Swedish authorities on highest level, after lower instances had rejected the wob-application. But the European Commission is not amused and threatens Sweden with a court case for too much transparency.

Kick-off Wobbing Europe in Résidence Palace in Brussels

Thu, 04 Oct 2007 17:08:21 +0100

BRUSSELS - 4th of October 2007 - Thanks to all who came to the pressconference this morning for the kick-off of Wobbing Europe. For more information about the kick-off, check the pressfolder (pdf, 1.57 MB).

EU: New data out about fishsubsidies

Wed, 03 Oct 2007 15:47:59 +0100

BRUSSELS - 4th of October 2007 - New data about fishsubsidies have been released to an NGO. This gives precedence so others - among them journalists - can get access to these data aswell. Previously similar data were released to a journalist - see examples here.

EU: Norwegian transparency useful in Brussels according to forthcoming book

Wed, 03 Oct 2007 16:23:34 +0100

BRUSSELS - 4th of October 2007 - Norway has taken some of it's traditional transparency to Brussels. Officials at the Norwegian Representation with the EU on the internet publish daily lists about it's incoming and outgoing documents, according to an upcoming Norwegian book about access to information for journalists.

EU: Long expected report shows few journalist applications

Tue, 02 Oct 2007 18:37:19 +0100

BRUSSELS - 2. October 2007 - Only 1.07 percent of applicants for access to documents in the Commission in 2005 stated, they were journalists. This may be due to the fact, that there is no obligation to state a reason for applying, and journalists may be behind the 30+ percent of applications without a stated profession. Interest organisations are prominent among users of the law. Long expected report by the Commission gives new statistics on use of wob.

Denmark: Trenchcoat reporter vs bureaucrat - new research on wob-attitudes

Tue, 02 Oct 2007 15:57:48 +0100

BRUSSELS - 2. October 2007 - Danish journalist and academic Katrine Birkedal Christensen last year finished a thesis on communication between journalists and officials when dealing with freedom of information requests. She drafts a number of archetypes on either side of the table - some of them can work things out, others find it rather difficult.

Europe: Urgent Action, Council of Europe Treaty on Access to Docs

Wed, 19 Sep 2007 14:09:17 +0100

BRUSSELS - 18. September 2007 - The Representative on Freedom of the Media of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (RFOM OSCE) has expressed concerns that the current draft of the Convention on Access to Documents contains "serious deficiencies" and has underlined the need to protect the right of access to information. A copy of the letter and a sign-up link can be found on the home page of Access Info.

Denmark: Life FOI-application for European data held by the US

Tue, 18 Sep 2007 00:00:00 +0100

BRUSSELS - 16. September 2007 - Following the yearlong quarrels between EU, the US and not least data-protectors and civil liberties activists about European flight-passenger data, a Danish newspaper-blog now runs a life application for European PNR-data with the US authorities.

EU: Brussels-journalists against 'routine secrecy'

Sun, 16 Sep 2007 00:00:00 +0100

BRUSSELS - 16. September 2007 - The International Press Association in Brussels, API, half lost half won a case about access to EU-Commission documents at the Court of First Instance. API criticises "routine secrecy".

Britain: Interactive WOBsite in the making

Sun, 16 Sep 2007 00:00:00 +0100

BRUSSELS - 16. September 2007 - Creative British internet developpers at MySociety.Org are working on an interactive WOBsite for Britain. The aim is to gather experience and give advise on good strategies for access to information.

Denmark: Freedom of information under pressure, upcoming conference

Sun, 19 Aug 2007 16:26:15 +0100

BRUSSELS - 19th of August 2007 - Danish journalists experience more and more difficulties when applying for documents in Denmark. With a reform of the Danish wob on the way, experienced journalists and experts gather for a conference on September 28th in Copenhagen.

EU-ombudsman: Disclose names of industry lobbyists

Tue, 24 Jul 2007 07:22:03 +0100

BRUSSELS - 24. July 2007 - In a recent decision, the EU-ombudsman further defined the exception of privacy. He stated that the Commission had failed to do it’s duty and give access to documents including the names of industry lobbyists. A Dutch NGO had only received partly access to some documents, the names of industry lobbyists were blanked.

EU: Pro-transparency opinion in important court case

Thu, 19 Jul 2007 00:00:00 +0100

BRUSSELS - 19. July 2007 - How will EU-transparency develop? The rather young legislation is currently tried in several court cases at the European Court of Justice. This week the Advocate General published his opinion, which suggests transparency to win. In 80 percent of the cases the court follows the opinion of the Advocate General.

EU: Investigative journalists unite to defend EU transparency

Thu, 05 Jul 2007 00:00:00 +0100

BRUSSELS - 5. July 2007 - Investigative journalists from all over Europe unite to stop EU-Commission from rolling back access to documents. Under the headline "Save transparency" they today submit their comment on the EU greenpaper on a reform of the existing EU wob, Regulation on Access to Documents.

Belgium: Government condemned for violating the Freedom of Information legislation

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 10:50:53 +0100

BRUSSELS - 25. June 2007 - A peace movement organisation cannot be denied access to information on weapon deliveries. On the second of Mai 2007, the Brussels Court of Appeal judged that the federal Ministers for Foreign Affairs, Agriculture and
Economy wrongfully rejected an application to obtain a copy of official documents concerning weapon supplies. The judgment clarifies that beside the Council of State an ordinary judge can also pronounce in case of a negative decision upon an examination or duplicate of government documents. The calling upon exception grounds must be dealt more carefully. The arrest of the Brussels Court of Appeal placed the lack of enforcement of the FOI (WOB) on the federal level in the forefront.

EU: Stronger wob for the environment in force now

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 00:00:00 +0100

BRUSSELS - 25. June 2007 - A new, stronger tool on wobbing documents on environmental issues held by the EU institutions comes into force June 27th 2007. The Aarhus Convention, that has been in force in several EU member states for years, now also is implemented by the European Union.

EU-wob threatened

Fri, 25 May 2007 00:00:00 +0100

BRUSSELS - 25. May 2007 - The EU-wob is under threat of being rolled back, if core points of a green paper published by the European Commission are carried out, experts claim. The green paper is in a hearing period until mid-July.

Europe: Struggle for better wobs all over Europe

Mon, 04 Jun 2007 00:00:00 +0100

BRUSSELS - 4. June 2007 - According to a recent OSCE study, the struggle for better wobs and better application of wobs is going on all over Europe.