Dialogue with Civil Society (SE0020)
Overview
At-a-Glance
Action Plan: Sweden Action Plan 2019-2021
Action Plan Cycle: 2019
Status: Active
Institutions
Lead Institution: Government Offices of Sweden (Ministry of Infrastructure)
Support Institution(s): NA
Policy Areas
Access to Information, Open Data, Public ParticipationDescription
One particular aspect of OGP is precisely the promotion of open and transparent dialogue
with civil society and citizens. In a specific communication, the Government has asserted that
Swedish civil society is fundamentally stable and that Swedish policy has helped to improve
the conditions in which civil society organisations operate, but that Sweden also has
challenges that must be taken seriously, including a lack of public sector awareness of civil
society and its conditions. Conducting an open dialogue between the Government Offices
of Sweden and civil society representatives thus strengthens our OGP commitments and
demonstrates the Government’s desire for collaboration on this issue. It is also necessary to
conduct a dialogue with civil society in order to incorporate a citizen and user-centred
perspective in work going forwards. It is naturally important that input and opinions have
been received ahead of drawing up the OGP Action Plan, but it is at least as urgent, if not
more so, to engage in an ongoing dialogue with civil society in order to pick up on its needs
in practical work in the future.
The Government has developed and implemented a specific method for different forms of
dialogue with civil society known as sakråd, i.e. a focussed discussion seeking to improve the
Government’s underlying decision-making data and improve coordination between ministries
in dialogue with civil society. The Government has also worked with civil society
organisations to reach agreement on dialogue and consultation between the Government and
civil society organisations at national level. The agreement operates under the name Nationellt
organ för dialog och samråd mellan regeringen och det civila samhället (National body for dialogue and
consultation between the Government and civil society) (NOD). NOD aims to solve
problems together and supplement existing dialogue structures, including a formalised
dialogue format with civil society called Partsgemensamt forum (Joint-party forum) (PGF). In
PGF the dialogue itself is key. The intention is for the discussions to help to develop political
work to improve conditions for civil society organisations so that they can give people a
voice, provide services to their members and provide welfare services.
Twice per calendar year, the State is to invite participants to a relevant dialogue in such
formalised focussed discussions to obtain civil society input on the opportunities and
challenges of digitisation, especially linked to open data, innovation and collaboration. The
dialogue meetings must be documented. A final report with results, a summary and lessons
learned from the dialogues must be drawn up by the Ministry of Infrastructure.
• Responsible actor: Government Offices of Sweden (Ministry of Infrastructure).
• Other actors: Ministry of Culture, DIGG and other government agencies and
organisations affected.
• Report to be submitted by: December 15th, 2021.
• Contributes towards OGP principles: Transparency, Technology and Innovation,
Participation.
Commitments
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Open Data Plan
SE0017, 2019, Access to Information
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Make Open Data Accessible
SE0018, 2019, Access to Information
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Capacity-Building in Digital Sector
SE0019, 2019, Access to Information
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Dialogue with Civil Society
SE0020, 2019, Access to Information
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Citizen-Centered e-Government
SE0013, 2016, Access to Information
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Re-Use of Public Administration Documents and Open Data
SE0014, 2016, Access to Information
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Transparency in Aid Management
SE0015, 2016, Aid
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Developing a New Format for Dialogue with CSOs
SE0016, 2016, Public Participation
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Putting Citizens at the Centre (Egovernment) of Government Administration Reforms
SE0008, 2014, Access to Information
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A Step Further on the Re-Use of Public Administration Documents
SE0009, 2014, Capacity Building
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Increased Access to Swedish Aid Information
SE0010, 2014, Access to Information
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Improved Opportunities for Dialogue and Transparency in Aid Management and Implementation
SE0011, 2014, Aid
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Increased Aid Transparency at Global Level
SE0012, 2014, Aid
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Continuing the Development of the Openaid.Se Platform
SE0001, 2012, Aid
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Ensuring Full Implementation of the IATI Standard by 2015
SE0002, 2012, Access to Information
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Implementing the Commitments in the Busan Partnership Document
SE0003, 2012, Access to Information
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Playing a Leading Role in the Building Block on Transparency
SE0004, 2012, Capacity Building
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Contributing to Further Define the Work Towards an EU Transparency Guarantee
SE0005, 2012, Capacity Building
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Engaging in the Open Aid Partnership and Promoting ICT4D
SE0006, 2012, Aid
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Broadening Open Government Commitments
SE0007, 2012,
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