Support for Open Data Publishing (CZ0013)

Ministry of Interior has submitted a project request into the Challenge D9 of the Operational Programme Human Resources and Employment. In the framework of this project particularly the issue of creating methodology for publication of public administration open data will be dealt, putting into operation the catalogue of public administration open data in the framework of the Portal of Public Administration and, last but not least, providing the necessary methodological support for other relevant institutions for publication of their data.

Commitment 7. Support for open data publishing

Commitment Text:

Ministry of Interior has submitted a project request into the Challenge D9 of the Operational Programme Human Resources and Employment. In the framework of this project particularly the issue of creating methodology for publication of public administration open data will be dealt, putting into operation the catalogue of public administration open data in the framework of the Portal of Public Administration and, last but not least, providing the necessary methodological support for other relevant institutions for publication of their data.

Milestones:

7.1  Commencement of the project

7.2  Training course of the Institute for Public Administration

7.3  Creating a methodology for publication of open data of the public administration

7.4  Providing methodical support to the respective institutions for publication of their data

Responsible Institution: The Ministry of Interior

Supporting Institution(s): None

Start Date: Not specified                                                              End Date: 30 November 2014

Commitment Aim:

This commitment addresses open data challenges within public administration, such as insufficient public funding or limited technical skills for supporting data development at national, regional and local levels. As stated in the action plan, the public administration must publish its data to the “professional and general public in a manner that will enable repeated use of the data for various purposes and in a number of various software applications.”^{[Note 26: ]} If realized, the commitment could enhance information transparency. The commitment is intended to educate public officials, create a methodological support framework for publishing open data, and ensure necessary funding.

Status

Midterm: Substantial

The government began the project, referred to as the “Implementation of strategies in the field of public administration’s open data of the Czech Republic,” on time (Milestone 7.1) and has since completed the project.^{[Note 27: Ministry of the Interior, Open Data, [Czech] http://www.mvcr.cz/clanek/otevrena-data.aspx?q=Y2hudW09NA%3d%3d.]}

IRM researchers coded Milestone 7.2, initiating a training course by the Institute for Public Administration, as limited since the government did not complete the milestone by the midterm review.

Establishing an open data publication methodology (Milestone 7.3,) should  have been completed by 31 March 2015. The government did not meet this goal. However, IRM researchers coded the completion of this milestone as substantial since the methodology was already in the pre-final phase and was open for comments.

The official project website did not provide information on the amount or content of completed consultations regarding developing methodological support for data publication (Milestone 7.4).^{[Note 28: Open Data, Official project website, [Czech] http://opendata.gov.cz/edu:start.]} Interested officials may access detailed guides on the project website. This functionality therefore provides publically available instruction on how to make open data public. However, IRM researchers coded the completion of this milestone as limited since the Ministry of Interior’s ability to continue providing support, and the degree of methodological support offered was unverifiable.

End of term: Completed

The government completed two additional training courses from the Institute for Public Administration since the midterm (Milestone 7.2).

The final version of the open data publishing methodology was finished before 30 November 2015 (Milestone 7.3).^{[Note 29: Dušan Chlapek et al., Methodology for Publication of Open Data of the Public Administration, [Czech]}

http://opendata.vse.cz/tacr/mf/TD020277_Metodika_publikace_otevrenych_a_propojitelnych_dat.pdf.] Since then, the government has held negotiations concerning proposed methodological adjustments and the provision of additional open data support.^{[Note 30: Michal Tošovský (Otakar Motejl Fund), interview by IRM researchers, August 2016.]} The current methodology describes the entire process for publication and cataloguing of open data, including a detailed description of necessary steps for authorities to take. It also offers “sample publishing plans” for the different types of public authorities. To date, authorities have standardized 75 data sets.^{[Note 31: Government of the Czech Republic, End of term Self-Assessment OGP Action Plan Report of the Czech Republic 2014-2016 [Czech], https://www.korupce.cz/assets/dokumenty/tiskove-zpravy/Zaverecna-sebehodnotici-zprava-Akcniho-planu-Ceske-republiky-Partnerstvi-pro-otevrene-vladnuti-na-obdobi-let-2014-az-2016.pdf, 20.]}

Support for data publishing has been an ongoing process as the action plan lacks specific terms for completion (Milestone 7.4). In April 2016, the government established a new position within the Ministry of Interior: the National Coordinator of Open Data. The National Coordinator consults with public authorities individually. As cited in the government self-assessment report, the government has already trained 415 persons from 206 public administration institutions (10 ministries, 8 central institutions, 9 regional government bodies, 69 cities and 112 local municipalities) have been trained in publication and cataloguing of open data.

Since the activity proceeded until the end of the second action plan period, IRM researchers evaluate the milestone, and thus the commitment, as complete.

Did it open government?

Access to information: Marginal

The commitment aimed to give public authorities insight into the benefits of open data publishing and to ensure public finance for this area. If successfully implemented, the commitment could positively affect knowledge sharing among public officials to make government data more accessible and open. This commitment was formed in an environment in which open data publishing has been of growing importance to the Czech government. Although some progress has been made, its full extent has yet to be seen.

This commitment is timely given increasing interest in open data in the Czech Republic.

According to a government representative from the D9 programme, the government view of publishing open data is developing, but remains dependent on the personal interests of individual officials.^{[Note 32: Tomáš Kroupa, Martin Tajtl and David Hemala, interview by IRM researchers, August 2015.]} There have been some positive improvements where several public authorities (ministries, regional authorities or public institutions) started to open their data – directly on their websites or in an open data catalogue. In addition, the Association of Opened cities, a local government working group, was established to promote open data publishing and transparency in local decision-making. Government officials are beginning to recognize open data as a sign of progress in public administration.  

In April 2016, the Ministry of Interior established a new position: the National Coordinator of Open Data. For this position, the Czech government appointed Michal Kubán, the former open data expert of the NGO Otakar Motejl Fund.^{[Note 33: Tošovský, interview, August 2016.]}

The commitment focused on a preparatory phase of open data publishing, which is a necessary step for future releases of data. As written, this commitment did not have requirements for releasing new data or improving the quality of already available data. However, during implementation, public authorities opened access to previously unavailable data both through their websites and in open data catalogues. While it is unclear if this was a direct result of the commitment or part of a general trend toward opening data, this commitment plays an important role in facilitating access to information and as implemented had a marginal affect on improving administrative knowledge for open data publishing.

Carried forward?

The government did not carry forward this commitment. However, the new commitment Improving Access to Data and Information, and specifically its subtheme, Supporting the Development of the Public Administration of the Czech Republic’s Open Data Ecosystem, develop and follow the current commitment. Relevant milestones from this subtheme include:

• public administration employee training on publishing and cataloguing open data; and
• providing assistance to public administration authorities on opening data.