Access to Government Information
Content
ACCESS TO GOVERNMENT
INFORMATION
by AIKATERINI YIANNOUKAKOU
MSc in Information Science
PhD cand. on E-Government
What is Government
Information?
The aggregate of the public produced
information
is
called
government
information
NOTE:
docs
on
citizens
baring
personal data as an answer to request
–i.e.
birth
certificate–
are
not
considered
as
government
information
2 types of government information
Administrative
Non administrative
Adminstrative Information
Every-day
operation
Government
and
Administration itself
Examples:
Legislation
Jurisprudence
Regulations
Census
data
Financial information
Trade statistics
of
the
Public
Non Adminstrative Information
Information collected by government
organisations concerning the outside
world and its not strictly related to
the statutory functions of the
government
Examples:
Geospatial
data
Enterprise registries
Administrative documents
Is government information
important? (1)
The answer to this question is DEFINITELY
YES
WHY
Forms the basis for the execution of
government’s operations
Incloses an inherent economic value
Serves as the means to the communication
between government and citizens
Increases accountability and transparency of
public officials and government as a whole
Strengthens democracy by forming better
informed and active citizens
Is government information
important? (2)
WHY
It offers authentic and reliable documentation of the
administrative acts of any organization promoting at the same
time the transparency to and the accountability of public sector
It enables the decision making process, as it is the “written
memory” for all administrative acts of organizations and public
services
It assists citizens to their communication with the public sector
It contributes to the economic development, as none
entrepreneurial activity can be accomplished without accurate
information on specific subjects and fields
It institutes a unique education system because citizens can be
taught the history and the general context of public
administration issues from objective and reliable resources.
Access to government
information
It is a democratic right of every citizen to be
able to access information regarding the
records kept by the government for the
citizen as well as to information concerning
the activities of public officials
When the next municipality council’s
meeting is scheduled and which are the
issues on the agenda?
How much money did a Ministry spent on a
specific occasion?
Which are the requirements for
participating to a given public tender?
Barriers to access government
information
National security, defense or public
security
Copyright & patents issues
Legislation
Inherent nature of bureaucracies to be
secretive
Information dispersed in different levels
of government
Lack of resources for equal
dissemination
Government information & egovernment
The use of ICTs in public administration
has radically changed the way
government information is being
produced, transmitted, stored and made
accessible
Tendency for more open and transparent
governments that guarantees increased
access to government information
Web use to access government
information
Government information
access in Greece
Law 2690/1999 – Article 5
right to access the administrative documents of
any public service
access to personal documents of an entity held in
any public service is granted ONLY to the
individual with legitimate right
Law 3448/2006
Defines the framework for the “re-use of public
sector information”
Specific reference for using electronic means for
dissemination
Harmonises greek legislation with the EU
Directive 2003/98/EC
INFORMATION
by AIKATERINI YIANNOUKAKOU
MSc in Information Science
PhD cand. on E-Government
What is Government
Information?
The aggregate of the public produced
information
is
called
government
information
NOTE:
docs
on
citizens
baring
personal data as an answer to request
–i.e.
birth
certificate–
are
not
considered
as
government
information
2 types of government information
Administrative
Non administrative
Adminstrative Information
Every-day
operation
Government
and
Administration itself
Examples:
Legislation
Jurisprudence
Regulations
Census
data
Financial information
Trade statistics
of
the
Public
Non Adminstrative Information
Information collected by government
organisations concerning the outside
world and its not strictly related to
the statutory functions of the
government
Examples:
Geospatial
data
Enterprise registries
Administrative documents
Is government information
important? (1)
The answer to this question is DEFINITELY
YES
WHY
Forms the basis for the execution of
government’s operations
Incloses an inherent economic value
Serves as the means to the communication
between government and citizens
Increases accountability and transparency of
public officials and government as a whole
Strengthens democracy by forming better
informed and active citizens
Is government information
important? (2)
WHY
It offers authentic and reliable documentation of the
administrative acts of any organization promoting at the same
time the transparency to and the accountability of public sector
It enables the decision making process, as it is the “written
memory” for all administrative acts of organizations and public
services
It assists citizens to their communication with the public sector
It contributes to the economic development, as none
entrepreneurial activity can be accomplished without accurate
information on specific subjects and fields
It institutes a unique education system because citizens can be
taught the history and the general context of public
administration issues from objective and reliable resources.
Access to government
information
It is a democratic right of every citizen to be
able to access information regarding the
records kept by the government for the
citizen as well as to information concerning
the activities of public officials
When the next municipality council’s
meeting is scheduled and which are the
issues on the agenda?
How much money did a Ministry spent on a
specific occasion?
Which are the requirements for
participating to a given public tender?
Barriers to access government
information
National security, defense or public
security
Copyright & patents issues
Legislation
Inherent nature of bureaucracies to be
secretive
Information dispersed in different levels
of government
Lack of resources for equal
dissemination
Government information & egovernment
The use of ICTs in public administration
has radically changed the way
government information is being
produced, transmitted, stored and made
accessible
Tendency for more open and transparent
governments that guarantees increased
access to government information
Web use to access government
information
Government information
access in Greece
Law 2690/1999 – Article 5
right to access the administrative documents of
any public service
access to personal documents of an entity held in
any public service is granted ONLY to the
individual with legitimate right
Law 3448/2006
Defines the framework for the “re-use of public
sector information”
Specific reference for using electronic means for
dissemination
Harmonises greek legislation with the EU
Directive 2003/98/EC
