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Netherlands

Implement plain language initiatives (NL0044)

Overview

At-a-Glance

Action Plan: Netherlands Action Plan 2020-2022

Action Plan Cycle: 2020

Status: Active

Institutions

Lead Institution: Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Netherlands (hereafter BZK) 18

Support Institution(s): Other Actors Involved State actors involved Several municipalities, provinces, regional water authorities, central government and implementing organizations. CSOs, private sector, multilate rals, working groups We work together with various partners such as the Dutch Language Union and social interest foundations such as ‘Lezen en Schrijven’ ('Reading and Writing').

Policy Areas

Capacity Building, E-Government, Public Participation

IRM Review

IRM Report: Pending IRM Review

Starred: Pending IRM Review

Early Results: Pending IRM Review

Design i

Verifiable: Pending IRM Review

Relevant to OGP Values: Pending IRM Review

Potential Impact: Pending IRM Review

Implementation i

Completion: Pending IRM Review

Description

What is the public problem that the commitment will address? Society is becoming increasingly complex, particularly due to digitization. Many people have trouble keeping up. The government has the responsibility to ensure that everyone can continue to participate. That starts with understanding the government. Too many people no longer understand the language of the government. As a result, they participate less in society, for example, they cannot make use of certain help to which they are entitled or do not know what the government expects from them. Because many people do not fully understand the government, (a lot of) extra money and effort is needed from government organizations to explain uncertainties or solve problems.

What is the commitment? As Plain Language Brigade we are focused on governments and therefore have an indirect social effect. We have three types of activities: 1. We ensure that the people who can (largely) solve the problem (civil servants) are aware of it. 2. When officials are aware of it and want to do something about it, we support them to do something about it. 3. We measure whether and what is happening to address and resolve the problem. Does what we do have an effect?

How will the commitment contribute to solving the public problem? The Plain Language Brigade makes government communication and services at all levels (municipalities, provinces, regional water authorities, central government and implementing organizations) more comprehensible for a larger part of the population.

Why is this commitment relevant to OGP values? It is abundantly clear that the basis of open government is that as many Dutch people as possible understand the government. This contributes to public participation and transparency.

Additional information The program is part of the Digital inclusion approach and the regulatory burden approach. The program is linked to the current cabinet (until 2021). We work together with various partners such as the Dutch Language Union and social interest foundations such as ‘Lezen en Schrijven’ ('Reading and Writing'). Milestone Activity with a verifiable deliverable Start Date: End Date: Implementing the 'Plain Language Brigade’ offer: a helpline, training, language application, citizen panels 02-11-2020 01-12-2021 Awarding three ‘Plain Language Awards’ for ambassador, civil servant and organization 02-11-2020 01-02-2021 Developing a database with reliable plain language text formats 01-02-2021 01-12-2021

Commitments

  1. Present legislation on campaign finance transparency

    NL0039, 2020, Anti-Corruption

  2. Create national portal for transparent election results

    NL0040, 2020, Anti-Corruption

  3. Develop and implement digital participation platform at local level

    NL0041, 2020, Automated Decision-Making

  4. Make FOIA information available through open data platform

    NL0042, 2020, Access to Information

  5. Encourage active disclosure of government information

    NL0043, 2020, Regulatory Governance

  6. Implement plain language initiatives

    NL0044, 2020, Capacity Building

  7. Determine balance between government confidentiality and citizens' right to information

    NL0045, 2020, Access to Information

  8. Training civil servants in active disclosure

    NL0046, 2020, Capacity Building

  9. Develop contract monitoring register

    NL0047, 2020, Anti-Corruption

  10. Pilot open data communities concept

    NL0048, 2020, Access to Information

  11. Increase availability of open source software

    NL0049, 2020, Automated Decision-Making

  12. Improve government purchase and use of algorithms

    NL0050, 2020, Automated Decision-Making

  13. Publish complaints about public services as open data

    NL0051, 2020, Access to Information

  14. Local Digital Democracy

    NL0028, 2018, E-Government

  15. Dilemma Logic

    NL0029, 2018, Capacity Building

  16. Join EITI

    NL0030, 2018, Access to Information

  17. Open Algorithms

    NL0031, 2018, Automated Decision-Making

  18. Open Local Decision-Making

    NL0032, 2018, Access to Information

  19. ‘Open by Design’ Pilots

    NL0033, 2018, Access to Information

  20. Open Contracting

    NL0034, 2018, Access to Information

  21. Open Parliament

    NL0035, 2018, Anti-Corruption

  22. Open Government Standard and Dashboard

    NL0036, 2018, Access to Information

  23. Pioneering Network for an Open Government for Municipalities

    NL0037, 2018, Capacity Building

  24. Transparent Political Party Finance

    NL0038, 2018, Anti-Corruption

  25. National Open Data Agenda

    NL0019, 2016, Access to Information

  26. Stuiveling Open Data Award

    NL0020, 2016, Access to Information

  27. Groningen Open Data Re-Use

    NL0021, 2016, Access to Information

  28. Releasing Ministerial Research Reports

    NL0022, 2016, Access to Information

  29. Detailed Open Spending Data

    NL0023, 2016, Access to Information

  30. Open Local Authority Decision-Making

    NL0024, 2016, Access to Information

  31. Training Civil Servants on Public Participation

    NL0025, 2016, Capacity Building

  32. Easier Freedom of Information Requests

    NL0026, 2016, Access to Information

  33. Open Government Expertise Centre (LEOO)

    NL0027, 2016, Access to Information

  34. Further Develop and Promote Disclosure and Use of Open Data

    NL0001, 2013, Access to Information

  35. Increase Financial Transparency Through Open Budget and Experiments with Open Spending and Budget Monitoring

    NL0002, 2013, Access to Information

  36. Open House of Representatives

    NL0003, 2013, E-Government

  37. Instruments for Integrity

    NL0004, 2013, Anti-Corruption

  38. Revamp the Legislative Calendar

    NL0005, 2013, Access to Information

  39. More Online Consultation

    NL0006, 2013, E-Government

  40. More Transparency in Decision-Making Through Volgdewet.Nl Legislation-Tracking Website

    NL0007, 2013, Access to Information

  41. Informal Approach to Freedom of Information Requests

    NL0008, 2013, Access to Information

  42. From Rules to Freedom

    NL0009, 2013, Public Participation

  43. Change Attitudes and Procedures Through Smarter Working and ‘Public Servant 2.0’

    NL0010, 2013, Capacity Building

  44. Water Coalition

    NL0011, 2013, Public Participation

  45. Develop and Implement Participation Policy at the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment

    NL0012, 2013, Public Participation

  46. Make Government Information Accessible and Easy to Find

    NL0013, 2013, Capacity Building

  47. Make Citizens Better Informed and More Empowered: Public Inspection and Correction of Information

    NL0014, 2013, E-Government

  48. Open Announcements and Notifications

    NL0015, 2013, E-Government

  49. Public Services and the User Perspective

    NL0016, 2013, E-Government

  50. Designate Categories of Government Information for Active Access

    NL0017, 2013, Access to Information

  51. Rethink Information Management and Active Access: Four ‘Open by Design’ Pilot Projects

    NL0018, 2013, Access to Information

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