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Norway

Centre for Integrity in the Defence Sector (NO0031)

Overview

At-a-Glance

Action Plan: Norway Action Plan 2013-2015

Action Plan Cycle: 2013

Status: Inactive

Institutions

Lead Institution: Ministry of Defence

Support Institution(s): NA

Policy Areas

Security

IRM Review

IRM Report: Norway End-of-Term Report 2014-2015

Starred: No

Early Results: Did Not Change

Design i

Verifiable: No

Relevant to OGP Values: Public Accountability

Potential Impact:

Implementation i

Completion:

Description

The centre will operate as a resource for the Norwegian defence sector, and will also
work closely with our allies in NATO, NATO partner nations, and relevant national and
international organizations. As such, it will be an important Norwegian contribution to
further progress in this vital area; building integrity, increasing transparency and
reducing the risk of corruption.

IRM End of Term Status Summary

20. Centre for Integrity in the Defence Sector

Commitment Text:

As part of the Ministry’s strong emphasis on integrity, transparency and accountability, the Ministry of Defence has established the Centre for Integrity in the Defence Sector in Oslo.

The centre will be a knowledge and competence centre and will focus on the development of good governance by building integrity, especially in terms of institution building and preventive anti-corruption efforts.

COMMITMENT DESCRIPTION

The centre will operate as a resource for the Norwegian defence sector, and will also work closely with our allies in NATO, NATO partner nations, and relevant national and international organizations. As such, it will be an important Norwegian contribution to further progress in this vital area; building integrity, increasing transparency and reducing the risk of corruption.

Responsible institution: Ministry of Defence

Supporting institution(s): None

Start date: Ongoing           End date:  Ongoing

Policy Aim

This commitment aimed to “establish the Centre for Integrity in the Defence Sector (http://cids.no) as a resource nationally and internationally” for promoting anti-corruption and integrity in the defence sector. The IRM researcher has not been able to identify a more specific policy problem this commitment sought to address.

Status

Mid-term: Substantial
Given no specificity of the commitment language it is difficult to evaluate what specific activities were intended under this commitment. The centre has engaged in a number of activities including publications on good governance, an international conference, and the implementation of a NATO training course.

End-of-term: Substantial
In the second year of implementation, the centre conducted more activities that could be construed as promoting anti-corruption and integrity: it published an article on integrity in the defence sector[Note 109: Bård B. Knudsen, “Integritet i forsvarssektoren: mer enn gode hensikter,” Norsk Militært Tidsskrift (NMT) nr. 4 2015, accessed September 9, 2016, http://sifs.no/?page_id=4693. ] and held a risk seminar on integrity and corruption.[Note 110: “Integrity and corruption-risk seminar,” Senter for integritet i Forsvarssektoren, accessed September 9, 2016, http://sifs.no/?page_id=4693. ] Focal points for this commitment described broad international activities, especially trainings for military actors in NATO countries. However, despite repeated requests and communications, they were not able to provide additional information on the national activities referenced in this commitment (e.g., participants or agendas), nor any documentation of additional activities carried out in this action plan’s implementation period.

Did it open government?

Public accountability: Did not change

The vague wording of this commitment makes its status difficult to evaluate. Despite extended correspondence, the IRM researcher was unable to obtain from the centre a list of users of its services, who could have confirmed the value of those services. Speaking to users would have made it possible to assert whether the centre had achieved its objective of becoming a resource.

Activities under this commitment were primarily focused on international partners, however, and did not primarily engage with governance and openness in Norway. This commitment’s affirmation of the center’s mandate to act as a resource does not appear to have had any significant impact on the quality of open government in Norway, or public accountability more specifically. It is also worth noting that the Norwegian defense sector, and Ministry of Defense more specifically, have struggled to maintain a reputation for openness and accountability and have at times been criticized for a lack of transparency and unsatisfactory responses to FOIA requests.[Note 111: “Innsyn i dokumenter om Forsvarets salg av fartøy - spørsmål om taushetsplikt for opplysninger om lovbrudd,” Sivilombudsmannen (August 25, 2015), accessed September 8, 2016, https://www.sivilombudsmannen.no/uttalelser/innsyn-i-dokumenter-om-forsvarets-salg-av-fartoy-sporsmal-om-taushetsplikt-for-opplysninger-om-lovbrudd-article3962-114.html. ]

Carried forward?

This commitment has not been carried forward in the Norwegian government’s third national action plan, which is available on the OGP website.[Note 112: ”Norway’s third action plan Open Government Partnership (OGP),” Ministry of Local Government and Modernisation, accessed September 4, 2016, http://www.opengovpartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2001/01/Norway_2016-17_NAP.pdf.]

Commitments

  1. Archiving Documents

    NO0054, 2019, Capacity Building

  2. Making Energy Statistics Available

    NO0055, 2019, E-Government

  3. e-Access and Expansion

    NO0056, 2019, Civic Space

  4. Open Cultural Data

    NO0057, 2019, E-Government

  5. Digital Spatial Planning

    NO0058, 2019, E-Government

  6. Streamline Public Procurement

    NO0059, 2019, E-Government

  7. Preventing Corruption

    NO0060, 2019, Anti-Corruption Institutions

  8. Beneficial Ownership Registry

    NO0061, 2019, Beneficial Ownership

  9. User Orientation

    NO0045, 2016, Capacity Building

  10. Electronic Public Records (OEP)

    NO0046, 2016, E-Government

  11. Transparency Regarding Environmental Information

    NO0047, 2016, E-Government

  12. Starred commitment Disclosure of Financial Data

    NO0048, 2016, E-Government

  13. Transparency Regarding Rainforest Funds

    NO0049, 2016, E-Government

  14. State Employees’ Ownership of Shares

    NO0050, 2016, Anti-Corruption Institutions

  15. Promote Freedom of Expression and Independent Media

    NO0051, 2016, Civic Space

  16. Country-By-Country Reporting

    NO0052, 2016, Extractive Industries

  17. Register for Ultimate Beneficial Ownership

    NO0053, 2016, Anti-Corruption Institutions

  18. Public Review and Public Consultation

    NO0020, 2013, Capacity Building

  19. Registering and Preserving Digital Documentation Produced by Public Bodies

    NO0021, 2013, E-Government

  20. The Norwegian Citizen Survey (Innbyggerundersøkelsen)

    NO0022, 2013, Public Participation

  21. Whistleblowing

    NO0023, 2013, Whistleblower Protections

  22. Strengthened Information Exchange for More Efficient Crime Prevention and Combating

    NO0024, 2013, Justice

  23. Strengthening the Transparency of Public Authorities and Administration

    NO0025, 2013, Capacity Building

  24. Egovernment with an End-User Focus

    NO0026, 2013, E-Government

  25. Plain Legal Language

    NO0027, 2013, Capacity Building

  26. Norwegian Grants Portal (MFA)

    NO0028, 2013, Aid

  27. An International Convention or Agreement on Financial Transparency

    NO0029, 2013, Private Sector

  28. Reducing Conflicts of Interests – Post-Employment Regulations

    NO0030, 2013, Conflicts of Interest

  29. Centre for Integrity in the Defence Sector

    NO0031, 2013, Security

  30. A Better Overview of Committees, Boards and Councils – More Public Access to Information and Better Opportunities for Further Use

    NO0032, 2013, E-Government

  31. Modernizing Public Governance

    NO0033, 2013, Capacity Building

  32. Transparency in the Management of Oil and Gas Revenues

    NO0034, 2013, Extractive Industries

  33. Transparency in the Management of the Government Pension Fund (GPF)

    NO0035, 2013, E-Government

  34. Transparency and Anti-Corruption Efforts

    NO0036, 2013, Anti-Corruption Institutions

  35. The Municipal Sector

    NO0037, 2013, Education

  36. “Simplify” (“Enkelt Og Greit”)

    NO0038, 2013, E-Government

  37. Electronic Public Records (OEP) – (Offentlig Elektronisk Postjournal)

    NO0039, 2013, E-Government

  38. Re-Use of Public Sector Information (PSI)

    NO0040, 2013, Capacity Building

  39. Access to Health Data

    NO0041, 2013, E-Government

  40. Renewal of the Government’S Website (Regjeringen.No – Government.No)

    NO0042, 2013, E-Government

  41. Declaration of Principles for Interaction and Dialogue with NGOs

    NO0043, 2013, Capacity Building

  42. Simplification and Digital Administration of Arrangements for NGOs

    NO0044, 2013, Capacity Building

  43. An Open Public Sector and Inclusive Government

    NO0001, 2011, Capacity Building

  44. Measures to Promote Gender Equality and Women’S Full Participation in Civic Life, the Private Sector, the Public Administration and Political Processes.

    NO0002, 2011, Gender

  45. Gender Equality – Participation in the Private Sector

    NO0003, 2011, Gender

  46. Increase Women's Representation in Local Government

    NO0004, 2011, Gender

  47. Gender Equality Program

    NO0005, 2011, Gender

  48. Gender Equality – Inclusion of Immigrant Women

    NO0006, 2011, Gender

  49. Gender Equality – Combat Gender Stereotypes

    NO0007, 2011, Gender

  50. Gender Equality – Youth Initiatives

    NO0008, 2011, Gender

  51. Gender Equality – Combat Domestic Violence

    NO0009, 2011, Gender

  52. Transparency in the Management of Oil and Gas Revenues / Financial Transparency

    NO0010, 2011, Aid

  53. Transparency in the Management of Oil and Gas Revenues / Financial Transparency – Government Global Pension Fund

    NO0011, 2011, Fiscal Transparency

  54. Transparency in the Management of Oil and Gas Revenues / Financial Transparency – Combat Tax Evasion

    NO0012, 2011, Fiscal Transparency

  55. Transparency in the Management of Oil and Gas Revenues / Financial Transparency – Multi-National Companies

    NO0013, 2011, Fiscal Transparency

  56. An Open Public Sector and Inclusive Government – Create Central Communication Policy

    NO0014, 2011, Fiscal Transparency

  57. An Open Public Sector and Inclusive Government

    NO0015, 2011, E-Government

  58. An Open Public Sector and Inclusive Government – Public Data Use

    NO0016, 2011, Public Participation

  59. An Open Public Sector and Inclusive Government – National Statistic Publication

    NO0017, 2011, Open Data

  60. An Open Public Sector and Inclusive Government – National Public Opinion Survey

    NO0018, 2011, Records Management

  61. An Open Public Sector and Inclusive Government

    NO0019, 2011, Public Participation