Netherlands Design Report 2018-2020

The Netherlands third action planAction plans are at the core of a government’s participation in OGP. They are the product of a co-creation process in which government and civil society jointly develop commitments to open governmen... includes a diverse set of commitments, with a particular focus on local governance. Civil society provided significant input during the co-creation processCollaboration between government, civil society and other stakeholders (e.g., citizens, academics, private sector) is at the heart of the OGP process. Participating governments must ensure that a dive... through the multi-stakeholder forumRegular dialogue between government and civil society is a core element of OGP participation. It builds trust, promotes joint problem-solving, and empowers civil society to influence the design, imple..., as well as via direct consultations with relevant central or local authorities. Going forward, the OGP process in the Netherlands could benefit from more high-level political ownership and stronger synergies across commitments. The next action plan could address topics such as beneficial ownershipDisclosing beneficial owners — those who ultimately control or profit from a business — is essential for combating corruption, stemming illicit financial flows, and fighting tax evasion. Technical... More, lobbyingLobbying transparency allows the public to ensure that there is diversity of participation and contribution to public decision-making. Technical specifications: Policies and actions affecting lobbying... transparencyAccording to OGP’s Articles of Governance, transparency occurs when “government-held information (including on activities and decisions) is open, comprehensive, timely, freely available to the pub... More, and whistle-blower protection.

The Open Government PartnershipThe Open Government Partnership (OGP) is a multi-stakeholder initiative focused on improving government transparency, ensuring opportunities for citizen participation in public matters, and strengthen... More (OGP) is a global partnership that brings together government reformers and civil society leaders to create action plans that make governments more inclusive, responsive, and accountable. The Independent Reporting Mechanism (IRM)The Independent Reporting Mechanism (IRM) is OGP’s accountability arm and the main means of tracking progress in participating countries. The IRM provides independent, evidence-based, and objective ... monitors all action plans to ensure governments follow through on commitments. The Netherlands joined OGP in 2011. Since, the Netherlands has implemented two action plans. This report evaluates the design of the Netherland’s third action plan.

General overview of action plan

The Netherlands third action plan was co-created in a consultative process and started getting shape in the summer of 2017. Dozens of in-person meetings, as well as one online consultation, were organized with stakeholders and various sectors of society. Furthermore, the Netherlands established a multi-stakeholder forum that was involved with the development of the third plan and its subsequent monitoring and evaluation.

The action plan includes a diverse set of commitments, with a focus on open government at the local level. In addition, it explores emerging themes, such as the use of algorithms for the public good and using technology and innovation to improve government performance. The third action plan also includes one commitmentOGP commitments are promises for reform co-created by governments and civil society and submitted as part of an action plan. Commitments typically include a description of the problem, concrete action... undertaken by the Dutch parliament.

Notable commitments include work geared to improving access to information of local councils and improve the transparency around the financing of local politics. Other notable commitments include piloting digital democratic tools in a number of places and exploring if algorithms used by government can be made more open and understandable to society and piloting the Open ContractingA transparent procurement process, known as open contracting, increases competition, improves public service delivery, and ensures governments better value for their money. Technical specifications: C... More Data Standard (OCDS).

Table 2. Noteworthy commitments

Recommendations

The IRM recommendations aim to inform the development of the next action plan and guide implementation of the current action plan.

Table 3. Five KEY IRM Recommendations