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Norway

A better overview of committees, boards and councils – more public access to information and better opportunities for further use (NO0032)

Overview

At-a-Glance

Action Plan: Norway Action Plan 2013-2015

Action Plan Cycle: 2013

Status: Inactive

Institutions

Lead Institution: The Ministry of Government Administration, Reform and Church Affairs.

Support Institution(s): NA

Policy Areas

E-Government, Records Management

IRM Review

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

Starred: No

Early Results: Did Not Change Did Not Change

Design i

Verifiable: No

Relevant to OGP Values: Access to Information

Potential Impact:

Implementation i

Completion:

Description

The Ministry of Government Administration, Reform and Church Affairs has
responsibility for keeping a record of central government committees, boards and
councils. The record is available in a database that can be accessed from the Norwegian
Government website, Regjeringen.no. The database contains information provided by
the various ministries, and has no facilities for advanced searching.
Make the record of committees, boards and councils easier to use for the general
public, public administration and research institutions.

IRM End of Term Status Summary

2. A better overview of committees, boards, and councils—more public access to information and better opportunities for further use

Commitment Text:

The Ministry of Government Administration, Reform and Church Affairs has responsibility for keeping a record of central government committees, boards and councils. The record is available in a database that can be accessed from the Norwegian Government website, Regjeringen.no. The database contains information provided by the various ministries, and has no facilities for advanced searching.

Commitment Description
Make the record of committees, boards and councils easier to use for the general public, public administration and research institutions.

KEY IMPACT BENCHMARK
Make the information available in the form of searchable files

ACTIVITIES
In cooperation with the Ministry of Government Administration, Reform and Church Affairs (Government Administration Services), the Norwegian Social Science Data Services (NSD) and the Agency for Public Management and eGovernment (Difi) will prepare principles for technical solutions.

Responsible institution: Ministry of Government Administration, Reform and Church Affairs

Supporting institution(s): None

Start date: Unclear               End date: 1 July, 2014

Policy Aim

There currently exists no centralized source of information on who participates on municipal government boards and committees. The commitment aims to improve the functionality of a website (regjeringen.no, as referenced in the commitment text), maintained by the Agency for Public Management and eGovernment (Difi), to make information on board and official committee membership in municipal governments easier to access. A prototype website has been developed based on recommendations from an independent consultant, though it is not clear whether any formal “principles” have played a role in this process.

Status

Mid-term: Unable to tell from government and civil society responses
The Ministry of Local Government and Modernisation (KMD) reports that work on this commitment began with a preparatory phase. It is not clear what activities this included, and the IRM researcher was not able to gather any additional information or to secure an interview with the contact point for this commitment.

End-of-term: Limited
The consultancy firm, Northern Beat, was contracted to produce a work plan for improving the functionality of the website and a website prototype, which was delivered in 2015. The work plan is on file with the IRM researcher, but not publically available. According to the IRM researcher’s examination of the work plan, it is clearly informed by the needs of journalists and researchers to access relevant information. According to the KMD focal points interviewed, this initiative was motivated by internal government dissatisfaction among government employees with their ability to access information local boards and councils. Desire for a better overview was voiced within KMD, and was not demanded or requested by any civil society or business groups.[Note 11: Tom Arne Nygaard and Terie Drystad, interview by Christopher Wilson, in-person interview, Offices of the Ministry of Local Government and Modernisation, September 31, 2016.  ]

KMD’s focal point further stated that this report was welcomed by the Government Administration Services (DSS), who commissioned it and is responsible for implementing the changes to the website. The contract for that implementation is now under tender, according to the focal points in KMD.[Note 12: Ibid.] The IRM researcher understands the work plan to include “principles” referenced in the activity description of this commitment, but since the information is not yet publically available, the researcher assessed progress on the commitment to be limited.

Did it open government?

Access to information: Did not change

Improving access to information regarding individuals' participation on government committees, boards, and councils is a positive step in improving transparency. However, the website has not been built yet, and the IRM researcher cannot yet make a determination on whether or how it will change government practice. Some civil society actors have noted the potential value of this register for tracking political influence and financial relationships in Norwegian local governance.[Note 13: Information meeting on the second national action plan (June 13, 2013), interviews with Transparency International Norway (March 18, 2015) and Norwegian Press Association (September 1, 2016), notes on file with researcher. ] In addition, the Norwegian Press Association noted that while this initiative gathers existing information into a central electronic archive for public access, it does not compel the provision of such information, and registration of participation in many municipal boards and committees is still voluntary.[Note 14: Nils Øy (Special Adviser, Norwegian Press Association), interview by Christopher Wilson, in-person meeting, Offices of the Norwegian Association of the Press, September 1, 2016. ]

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 15: ”Norway’s third action plan Open Government Partnership (OGP),” Ministry of Local Government and Modernisation, accessed September 4, 2016, http://www.opengovpartnership.org/sites/default/files/Norway_2016-17_NAP.pdf.]

Norway's 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