Country Commitments

Uruguay

20 September 2011
Commitments Delivered
Download the Action Plan

Action plan Uruguay 2012

The implementation of an Open Government following the democratic principles of rule of law requires the renewal of the social contract between governments and their citizens in order to include transparency, participation and collaboration as pillars of a fair social development.

In this context it appears that, although the wide access to technology and information and a better offer of electronic services to citizens reflect good governance goals, it’s time to integrate the community point of view. This requires cultural adjustments not only at government level but also to the citizens, setting new ways of relationship between them and developing strategies and processes that promote transparency, accountability and participation.

Uruguay has achieved significant progress in the Electronic Government and the Society of Information. The E-Government is seen as an opportunity to transform the State from an innovative corner, having an intensive use of technology in order to build a State focused on the citizen. The strategy to promote the E-Government development in Uruguay is based on following values: equity; transparency; accessibility; efficiency and effectiveness; cooperation and integrity; confidence and security; values which are set out in Decree 450/009.

Through the Digital Agenda, third version for the period 2011-2015, Uruguay declares a commitment to increase the development of the information society and promotes social appropriation. Priorities are established for this period, among them equity and social inclusion, citizen participation and the transformation of the State are highlighted.

The National Action Plan for Open Government is a complement to the strategy set out on the Digital Agenda, it has initiatives which should give impulse to the installation of an Open Government in Uruguay and it also says who are responsible for them and the committed objectives. This Plan has been driven by the President of Uruguay Jose Mujica and developed by a working group where participated representatives from the Planning and Budgeting Office (OPP), the Ministry of Economic and Financial Affairs (MEF), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MRREE), the National Statistics Bureau (INE), the Public Information Access Unit (UAIP) and the Agency for the Development of an E- Government and an Information Society and Knowledge (AGESIC).

According to the strategy guidelines for an Open Government Uruguay has faced up to big challenges to push for an Information and Knowledge Society. The following are major efforts to Date:

Balance between transparency and personal data protection

  1. Access to public information Act. This act was unanimously passed by Parliament in 2008 (Act  18.381). Public Information Access Unit is created (UAIP).
  2. Personal Data Protection and “Habeas Data” Action Act. This act was passed by Parliament in 2008 (Act 18.331). The Unit for the Regulation and Control of Personal Data is created (URCDP).
  3. Abuse of public power. Act 17.060 rules and creates the norms against corruption related to misuse of public power. The National Transparency Board is created and establishes the obligation to file affidavits of assets and liabilities to all public servants.

Strategy for the Information Society development
4.    Digital Agenda Uruguay 2011-2015. Following strategy guidelines were established: equity and social inclusion, citizen participation, transformation of the State, promote education, innovation and knowledge generation, territorial integration. The citizenship was asked her opinion about the final paper on an on-line public consultation. It was approved by a Presidential Decree, November 23rd. 2011.

5.    Plan Ceibal. A plan has been implemented which aims at the democratization of access to Information Society and Knowledge. The Plan Ceibal gave a portable PC to every child attending Primary School and to the whole teaching staff of the Primary Education Council all over the country. Training courses for teachers were also developed showing them how to use ITC in the classroom.

Information and services improvement through electronic media
6.    State Portal. A Government Portal which offers a complete organized guide to procedures and information about the Uruguayan State. It works as a Gateway to every piece of information or procedure that can be found on the web pages of government offices and agencies, taking it directly from those sites without any duplication, and classifying it according to profiles and themes of interest. Since its launching in March 2011 the amount of visits has steadily increased and nowadays has an average of 4000 visits a day.

7.    Available public data. The site datos.gub.uy was created, a space that contains all data made public by every Government agency, making them accessible to everyone.

8.    Uruguay Competes. Only one Gateway was set out to become a public servant, democratizing the access through the web-site www.uruguayconcursa.gub.uy, where everyone can get all the available information about contests of the Central Administration.

9.    Consulting my payments. Web query that allows any worker to obtain his/her statements, personal contributions, retirement plan, health provider and the distribution his/her contributions to the AFAP (if it applies, depending on the plan), and also download his/her Employment History based on his/her monthly contributions(http: www.bps.gub.uy/ServiciosEnLinea/ConsultaMisAportes.aspx)

10.    Ordinary Passport Processing System at the Uruguayan Consular Offices. This project is in its first stage of implementation (there’s a pilot ongoing in Buenos Aires, Miami, New York and Washington DC) and it has been designed to optimize the service to the Uruguayan community abroad, not only solving efficiently different situations to fellow citizens living abroad but also taking into account the international standards about travel documentation and security through electronic printing.

11.    Electronic Fiscal Receipts. The Tax Office (DGI) launched the project Electronic Fiscal Receipts in November 2011; it includes the implementation of an e-Invoice for transactions between taxpayers and an e-Ticket for those between taxpayers and the final consumer. Since November all information is available for the taxpayer at www.efactura.dgi.gub.uy.

12.    Return and Welcome Office. Its tasks: gather, systematize and spread all relevant information for the return of Uruguayans living abroad and foreign citizens wishing to settle down in our country. It also carries an ongoing coordination with other state agencies, promoting connections inter- and intra-institutional kind, in order to raise awareness of migration issues while straightening ties with civil society entities that are related to the topic.

Management of Public Resources
13.    Uruguayan State Procurement Portal. It´s mandatory to publish on this site all intended State purchases and those already made (www.comprasestatales.gub.uy).

14.    Public Investment System. The installation of the National Public Investment System (SNIP) is being carried to accomplish an improvement on the quality of public investments. The implementation of this system is framed within the Reform of the State process, tends to enhance its value while it allows identifying the most profitable options from the economic point of view (incorporating social and environmental aspects).

Social Representatives
15.    Social Representatives at the Government Agencies. Representatives from a related social sector join the Directors Boards as to contribute to transparency of management. These representatives are elected through a citizens’ vote (secret and obligatory) and it implies another instance of democratic participation. Some of them are: the Banco de Previsión Social (Social Security & Pension Fund System), the Administración Nacional de Educación Pública (Education System) and the Administración de los Servicios de Salud del Estado (Public Health Provider).

Towards an Open Government
16.    Open Government Program. AGESIC created this Program to coordinate, articulate and track the actions to take among the various participants that contribute to the Open Government. According to Resolution of 22 November 2011 the President of the Republic, José Mujica, AGESIC is  responsible of creating a working group whose aim is the coordination, management and monitoring of a National Action Plan for Open Government.