Platform to Support Open Government (EE0064)

Activity 1.2. Increasing the role of the Open Government Committee on Development in promoting open governance

ARVAK will become a cooperation platform for supporting the achievement of the OGP's goals, participating in the preparation, implementation and monitoring of action plans. The committee will also function as an innovation and testing platform that is used to test and spread innovative solutions in the public sector.

Problem definition
The Open Government Committee on Development (ARVAK) has become a significant forum for supporting the preparation and implementation of the Open Government Partnership Action Plan. The changing times and expectations of society towards the public sector require new ways of working and broader inclusiveness. The current functioning model of the committee does not foster maximising the use of the knowledge and experiences of the participants.

Causes of the problem
The committee's work so far has been focused on the coordination and reporting of the action plan, with testing innovative ideas being a low priority. The membership does not yet reflect the contributions of enough different societal groups - civil society, researchers, entrepreneurs and journalists - which is necessary for implementing the principles of open governing. There is no systematic approach to testing new solutions and the inclusion of new members has not been consistent enough. The visibility of the committee in public discourse has been limited, which has decreased its impact and importance.

What has been done to solve the problem
ARVAK was created in its current form by a directive of the Secretary of the State in 2019, when the committee for the 2014-2020 structural funds measure on management capacity was joined with the group coordinating the OGP action plan. In the spring of 2024, ARVAK was given the task of making proposals to the Secretary of the State on the inclusion and co-creation activities implemented with the 2021-2027 European Union structural fund's technical assistance and evaluating their reports. A consistent cooperation format for promoting open governance, incl. inclusion and co-creation, is important to the Government Office as the lead and coordinator of the committee. This responsibility is also based on the OGP's minimum standards, which envision regular meetings of the cooperation group of government institutions and partner organisations (multi-stakeholder forum). Civil society organisations also see increasing the role of ARVAK as important.

Solution
The aim of the reform is to increase the committee's influence in developing and implementing open governance. ARVAK will become an inclusive and innovative cooperation platform under the guidance of the Government Office. The committee will involve civil society, research, business sector, journalism and government representatives, ensuring a balanced and relevant discussion, while also keeping the membership of the committee optimal for productive discourse. Broader presentation of results will also be in focus, in order to strengthen the implementation of open governance principles in Estonia. The proposed solution accounts for OGP's Independent Reporting Mechanism's recommendation to include new interest groups in promoting open governance and to give representatives of civil society a greater role in leading such cooperation formats. We are also considering offering co-leadership positions to non-governmental partners.

Desired results
- ARVAK will become a substantial and broad-based cooperation group that supports the implementation of OGP goals, participating in the preparation, implementation and monitoring of action plans. The committee will function as an innovation and testing platform, where innovative public sector solutions can be tested and spread.
- As a supporter of innovation and inclusivity, ARVAK facilitates the testing of new participation mechanisms and cooperation models that strengthen the dialogue between the state and civil society.

How will the commitment promote transparency
The reshaping of ARVAK will result in increased transparency, as the committee will more actively present its activities and results, bringing innovative ideas and solutions to the public and enabling citizens to observe the impact of discussions and experiments on policymaking.

How will the commitment promote citizen participation and co-creation
The new membership of the committee including civil society, research, entrepreneurship and journalism representatives supports balanced and relevant inclusivity and creates a cooperation platform where different participants can develop and test new public sector solutions together.

How will the commitment promote accountability
Giving ARVAK a stronger role as an innovation and testing platform along with a clearer goal creates mechanisms through which the contributions of the committee and its members to achieving the goals of open governance can be evaluated, thereby strengthening its institutional accountability.

Milestones | Expected outputs | Expected completion date | Lead | Supporting stakeholders
---|---|---|---|---
Updated ARVAK membership and work organisation | Changes to the Secretary of the State's directive | 02.2026 | Government Office | Government: Ministries CSOS: Journalists Others: Universities
The functioning of ARVAK under the new membership | At least one meeting taking place | 06.2026 | Government Office | Government: Ministries
| ARVAK meeting at least twice a year | 12.2029 | | CSOS: Journalists Others: Universities
The new membership of ARVAK taking part in renewing the OGP action plan | Renewal of the national action plan in accordance with the OGP co-creation standards | 09.2027 | Government Office | Government: Ministries CSOS: Journalists Others: Universities

Annex 2. Summary of action plan activities
Activity 1.2. Increasing the role of the Open Government Committee on Development in promoting open governance
- Updated ARVAK membership and work organisation | Government Office | ARVAK becoming a substantial and broad-based cooperation network | 02.2026
- The functioning of ARVAK under the new membership | Government Office | ARVAK becoming a substantial and broad-based cooperation network | 06.2026
- The new membership of ARVAK taking part in renewing the OGP action plan | Government Office | ARVAK becoming a substantial and broad-based cooperation network | 09.2027