Resolution Implementation Reports (IL0024)

What is the public problem that the commitment will address?:
Making data about the implementation of government resolutions publicly accessible.; What is the commitment?
Publishing the data on the implementation of government resolutions that were passed as of the 34th government in a detailed manner, for every operative government resolution.
A summary report for 2016 about the detailed performance data of government resolutions in 2015 – 2016 is available in the following link:
http://www.pmo.gov.il/policyplanning/mimshal/Documents/mesakem210617.pdf commitment; How will the contribute to solve the public problem?:
Making the data on implementation of government resolutions publicly accessible enables the public to monitor the fulfillment of the commitments being made in government resolutions in a wide variety of policy spheres. Publicizing the data also helps to strengthen accountability and to inculcate norms of government reporting to the public.; Why is this commitment relevant to OGP values?:
Transparency, accountability; Milestone Activity with a verifiable deliverable: Publication of a summary report about the detailed performance data of government resolutions
6.2017
To be performed as of this year and thereafter. Consulting the civil society about the optimal format of data collection

2. Publicizing reports of implementation of government resolutions

Language of the commitment as it appears in the action plan: [7]

“Publishing the data on the implementation of government resolutions that were passed as of the 34^th government in a detailed manner, for every operative government resolution. A summary report for 2016 about the detailed performance data of government resolutions in 2015–2016 is available in the following link: http://www.pmo.gov.il/policyplanning/mimshal/Documents/mesakem210617.pdf”

Milestones

2.1 Publication of a summary report about the detailed performance data of government resolutions

2.2 Consulting the civil society about the optimal format of data collection

Start Date: June 2017

End Date: To be performed as of this year and thereafter.

Context and Objectives

This commitment aims to continue improving transparency regarding the implementation progress of government resolutions. More specifically, it plans to provide the public with a tool to assess government’s success in implementing government resolutions through the publication of a summary report and by consulting civil society in data collection. The government describes this commitment as responding to public demand. While this is not the first time such a report has been published, it has only recently been added to the government’s code of conduct. [8] For many citizens interested in learning about government practice, this is much more comfortable than is researching the implementation of each government resolution separately.

The publication of a report on the implementation status of government resolutions makes it easily verifiable. Regarding the potential impact, this commitment does not offer any new government action toward accountability, as such reports have been published in the past. If fully implemented, this commitment could have a moderate potential impact because it could incentivize government employees to implement decision by knowing they will be publicly accountable. It could also present new data to the public, which the public can then act upon (such as the news media) and could promote civic participation by engaging civil society on the optimal means to present said information.

Next steps

The IRM researchers recommend the continuation of the publication of reports on implementation of government resolutions. However, because such reports have already been published, this commitment should not be included in the action plan.

2. Publicizing reports of implementation of government resolutions

Language of the commitment as it appears in the action plan: [9]

“Publishing the data on the implementation of government resolutions that were passed as of the 34^th government in a detailed manner, for every operative government resolution. A summary report for 2016 about the detailed performance data of government resolutions in 2015–2016 is available in the following link: http://www.pmo.gov.il/policyplanning/mimshal/Documents/mesakem210617.pdf”

Milestones

2.1 Publication of a summary report about the detailed performance data of government resolutions

2.2 Consulting the civil society about the optimal format of data collection

Start Date: June 2017

End Date: To be performed as of this year and thereafter.

The commitment promised to publish an annual report on the implementation status of government resolutions. [10] It continued a pre-existing government activity, as such reports were prepared before the period of this action plan in 2015 [11] and 2016. [12] An additional report was published within the period of this action plan for the years 2016–2017. [13]

According to government sources, a report for the year 2018 was not published because of the political situation in Israel. [14] Regardless, the government sees this as outside of the action plan period, [15] which rests on the assumption that the report should not have been published before the end of the action plan period, which was June 2019. The officials in charge of this commitment expect that this report will be released soon too. The government also indicated that in the future, such information will be put online on a per-resolution basis, as the assessment is made for it, without waiting for annual reports.

This commitment resulted in the release of some new information to the public, specifically indicators on the implementation of government resolutions. Civil society was contacted regarding the method of data collection and reporting, mostly the Center for Citizen Empowerment in Israel, but the format did not change much in spite of the consultation. However, overall changes to reporting on the status of government resolutions has been marginal because the commitment did not offer any new practice of information disclosure, rather the continuation of a pre-existing practice.

[9] “Open Government Action Plan for 2018–2019”, Government OCT Authority, pp. 17–18, https://www.opengovpartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Israel_Action-Plan_2017-2019_EN.pdf.

[10] For a more detailed description of the commitment, see “Open Government Action Plan for 2018–2019”, Government OCT Authority, pg. 17, https://www.opengovpartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Israel_Action-Plan_2017-2019_EN.pdf.

[11] “Final Report 2015: Performance Reports on Government Decisions”, Department of Policy Planning, Prime Minister’s Office, December 2015, available [in Hebrew] at http://www.pmo.gov.il/policyplanning/Documents/dec2015.pdf.

[12] “Final Report 2016: Performance Reports on Government Decisions”, Department of Policy Planning, Prime Minister’s Office, available [in Hebrew] at http://www.pmo.gov.il/policyplanning/mimshal/Documents/dm20161607.pdf.

[13] “Final Report 2017: Performance Reports on Government Decisions”, Department of Policy Planning, Prime Minister’s Office, available [in Hebrew] at http://www.pmo.gov.il/policyplanning/mimshal/Documents/dm2017.pdf.

[14] “Final Report 2017: Performance Reports on Government Decisions”, Department of Policy Planning, Prime Minister’s Office, pg. 5, available [in Hebrew] at http://www.pmo.gov.il/policyplanning/mimshal/Documents/dm2017.pdf.

[15] Ro’ee Dror, Manager, Department of Home Affairs, Planning and Development Division, Prime Minister’s Office, phone interview by IRM researcher, 24 October 2019.