gobierno abierto

Last October, Spain hosted the OGP 2025 Global Summit, an international benchmark event on open government. More than 2,000 representatives of governments, civil society organisations and public policy experts from around the world met in Vitoria-Gasteiz to discuss the importance of maintaining open, participatory and transparent governments as pillars of society.

The location chosen for this meeting was no coincidence: Spain has been building an open government model for more than a decade  that has positioned it as an international benchmark. In this article we are going to review some of the projects that have been launched in our country to transform its public administration and bring it closer to citizens.

The strategic framework: action plans and international commitments

Open government is a culture of governance that promotes the principles of transparency, integrity, accountability, and stakeholder participation in support of democracy and inclusive growth.

Spain's commitment to open government has a consolidated track record. Since Spain joined the Open Government Partnership in 2011, the country has developed five consecutive action plans that have been broadening and deepening government openness initiatives. Each plan has been an advance over the previous one, incorporating new commitments and responding to the emerging challenges of the digital society.

The V Open Government Plan (2024-2028) represents the evolution of this strategy. Its development process incorporated a co-creation methodology that involved multiple actors from civil society, public administrations at all levels and experts in the field. This participatory approach made it easier for the plan to respond to real needs and to have the support of all the sectors involved.

Justice 2030: the biggest transformation of the judicial system in decades

Under the slogan "The greatest transformation of Justice in decades", the Justice 2030 programme  is proposed as a roadmap to modernise the Spanish judicial system. Its objective is to build a more accessible, efficient, sustainable and people-centred justice system, through a co-governance model  that involves public administrations, legal operators and citizens.

The plan is structured around three strategic axes:

1. Accessibility and people-centred justice

This axis seeks to ensure that justice reaches all citizens, reducing territorial, social and digital gaps. Among the main measures are:

• Face-to-face and digital access and attention: promotion of more accessible judicial headquarters, both physically and technologically, with services adapted to vulnerable groups.

• Basic legal education: legal literacy initiatives for the general population, promoting understanding of the judicial system.

• Inclusive justice: mediation and restorative justice programmes, with special attention to victims and groups in vulnerable situations.

• New social realities: adaptation of the judicial system to contemporary challenges (digital violence, environmental crimes, digital rights, etc.).

2. Efficiency of the public justice service

The programme argues that technological and organisational transformation is key to a more agile and efficient justice. This second axis incorporates advances aimed at modern management and digitalization:

• Justice offices in the municipalities: creation of access points to justice in small towns, bringing judicial services closer to the territory.

• Procedural and organisational reform: updating the Criminal Procedure Law and the procedural framework to improve coordination between courts.

• Electronic judicial file: consolidation of the digital file and interoperable tools between institutions.

• Artificial intelligence and judicial data: responsible use of advanced technologies to improve file management and workload prediction.

3. Sustainable and territorially cohesive justice

The third axis seeks to ensure that judicial modernisation contributes to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and territorial cohesion.

The main lines are:

• Environmental and climate justice: promotion of legal mechanisms that favor environmental protection and the fight against climate change.

• Territorial cohesion: coordination with autonomous communities to guarantee equal access to justice throughout the country.

• Institutional collaboration: strengthening cooperation between public authorities, local entities and civil society.

The Transparency Portal: the heart of the right to know

If Justice 2030 represents the transformation of access to justice, the Transparency Portal is designed to guarantee the citizen's right to public information. This digital platform, operational since 2014, centralises information on administrative organisations and allows citizens to exercise their right of access to public information in a simple and direct way. Its main functions are:

• Proactive publication of information on government activities, budgets, contracts, grants, agreements and administrative decisions, without the need for citizens to request it.

• Information request system to access documentation that is not publicly available, with legally established deadlines for the administrative response.

• Participatory processes that allow citizens to actively participate in the design and evaluation of public policies.

• Transparency indicators that objectively measure compliance with the obligations of the different administrations, allowing comparisons and encouraging continuous improvement.

This portal is based on three fundamental rights:

1. Right to know: every citizen can access public information, either through direct consultation on the portal or by formally exercising their right of access when the information is not available.

2. Right to understand: information must be presented in a clear, understandable way and adapted to different audiences, avoiding unnecessary technicalities and facilitating interpretation.

3. Right to participate: citizens can intervene in the management of public affairs through the citizen participation mechanisms enabled on the platform.

The platform complies with Law 19/2013, of 9 December, on transparency, access to public information and good governance, a regulation that represented a paradigm shift, recognising access to information as a fundamental right of the citizen and not as a gracious concession of the administration.

Consensus for Open Government: National Open Government Strategy

Another project advocating for open government is the "Consensus for Open Administration." According to this reference document, it is not only a matter of opening data or creating transparency portals, but of radically transforming the way in which public policies are designed and implemented. This consensus replaces the traditional vertical model, where administrations decide unilaterally, with a permanent dialogue between administrations, legal operators and citizens. The document is structured in four strategic axes:

1. Administration Open to the capacities of the public sector

• Development of proactive, innovative and inclusive public employment.

• Responsible implementation of artificial intelligence systems.

• Creating secure and ethical shared data spaces.

2. Administration Open to evidence-informed public policies and participation:

• Development of interactive maps of public policies.

• Systematic evaluation based on data and evidence.

• Incorporation of the citizen voice in all phases of the public policy cycle.

3. Administration Open to citizens:

• Evolution of "My Citizen Folder" towards more personalized services.

• Implementation of digital tools such as SomosGob.

• Radical simplification of administrative procedures and procedures.

4. Administration Open to Transparency, Participation and Accountability:

• Complete renovation of the Transparency Portal.

• Improvement of the transparency mechanisms of the General State Administration.

• Strengthening accountability systems.

Figure 1: Consensus on open government a. Source: own elaboration

The Open Government Forum: a space for permanent dialogue

All these projects and commitments need an institutional space where they can be continuously discussed, evaluated and adjusted. That is precisely the function of the Open Government Forum,  which functions as a body for participation and dialogue made up of representatives of the central, regional and local administration. And it is made up of 32 members of civil society carefully selected to ensure diversity of perspectives.

This balanced composition ensures that all voices are heard in the design and implementation of open government policies. The Forum meets regularly to assess the progress of commitments, identify obstacles and propose new initiatives that respond to emerging challenges.

Its transparent and participatory operation, with public minutes and open consultation processes, makes it an international benchmark for good practices in collaborative governance. The Forum is not simply a consultative body, but a space of co-decision where consensus is built that is later translated into concrete public policies.

Hazlab: innovation laboratory for citizen participation

Promoted by the General Directorate of Public Governance of the Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Function, HazLab is part of the Plan for the Improvement of Citizen Participation in Public Affairs, included in Commitment 3 of the IV Open Government Plan of Spain (2020-2024).

HazLab is a virtual space designed to promote collaboration between the Administration, citizens, academia, professionals and social groups. Its purpose is to promote a new way of building public policies based on innovation, dialogue and cooperation. Specifically, there are three areas of work:

• Virtual spaces for collaboration, which facilitate joint work between administrations, experts and citizens.

• Projects for the design and prototyping of public services, based on participatory and innovative methodologies.

• Resource Library, a repository with audiovisual materials, articles, reports and guides on open government, participation, integrity and transparency.

Registration in HazLab is free and allows you to participate in projects, events and communities of practice. In addition, the platform offers a user manual and a code of conduct to facilitate responsible participation.

In conclusion, the open government projects that Spain is promoting represent much more than isolated initiatives of administrative modernization or technological updates. They constitute a profound cultural change in the very conception of public service, where citizens cease to be mere passive recipients of services to become active co-creators of public policies.

On October 6, the V Open Government Plan was approved, an initiative that gives continuity to the commitment of public administrations to transparency, citizen participation and accountability. This new plan, which will be in force until 2029, includes 218 measures grouped into 10 commitments that affect the various levels of the Administration.

In this article we are going to review the key points of the Plan, focusing on those commitments related to data and access to public information.

A document resulting from collaboration

The process of preparing the V Open Government Plan has been developed in  a participatory and collaborative way, with the aim of collecting proposals from different social actors. To this end, a public consultation was opened in which citizens, civil society organizations and institutional representatives were able to contribute ideas and suggestions. A series of deliberative workshops were also held. In total, 620 contributions were received from civil society and more than 300 proposals from ministries, autonomous communities and cities, and representatives of local entities.

These contributions were analysed and integrated into the plan's commitments, which were subsequently validated by the Open Government Forum. The result is a document that reflects a shared vision on how to advance transparency, participation and accountability in the public administrations as a whole.

10 main lines of action with a prominent role for open data

As a result of this collaborative work, 10 lines of action have been established. The first nine commitments include initiatives from the General State Administration (AGE), while the tenth groups together the contributions of autonomous communities and local entities:

1. Participation and civic space.
2. Transparency and access to information.
3. Integrity and accountability.
4. Open administration.
5. Digital governance and artificial intelligence.
6. Fiscal openness: clear and open accounts.
7. Truthful information / information ecosystem.
8. Dissemination, training and promotion of open government.
9. Open Government Observatory.
10. Open state.

Figure 1. 10 lines of action of the V Open Government Plan. Source: Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration.

Data and public information are a key element in all of them. However, most of the measures related to this field are found within line of action 2, where there is a specific section on opening and reusing public information data. Among the measures envisaged, the following are contemplated:

• Data governance model: it is proposed to create a regulatory framework that facilitates the responsible and efficient use of public data in the AGE. It includes the regulation of collegiate bodies for the exchange of data, the application of European regulations and the creation of institutional spaces to design public policies based on data.
• Data strategy for a citizen-centred administration: it seeks to establish a strategic framework for the ethical and transparent use of data in the Administration.
• Publication of microdata from electoral surveys: the Electoral Law will be amended to include the obligation to publish anonymized microdata from electoral surveys. This improves the reliability of studies and facilitates open access to individual data for analysis.
• Support for local entities in the opening of data: a grant program has been launched to promote the opening of homogeneous and quality data in local entities through calls and/or collaboration agreements. In addition, its reuse will be promoted through awareness-raising actions, development of demonstrator solutions and inter-administrative collaboration to promote public innovation.
• Openness of data in the Administration of Justice: official data on justice will continue to be published on public portals, with the aim of making the Administration of Justice more transparent and accessible.
• Access and integration of high-value geospatial information: the aim is to facilitate the reuse of high-value spatial data in categories such as geospatial, environment and mobility. The measure includes the development of digital maps, topographic bases and an API to improve access to this information by citizens, administrations and companies.
• Open data of the BORME: work will be done to promote the publication of the content of the Official Gazette of the Mercantile Registry, especially the section on entrepreneurs, as open data in machine-readable formats and accessible through APIs.
• Databases of the Central Archive of the Treasury:  the public availability of the records of the Central Archive of the Ministry of Finance that do not contain personal data or are not subject to legal restrictions is promoted.
• Secure access to confidential public data for research and innovation: the aim is to establish a governance framework and controlled environments that allow researchers to securely and ethically access public data subject to confidentiality.
• Promotion of the secondary use of health data: work will continue on the National Health Data Space (ENDS), aligned with European regulations, to facilitate the use of health data for research, innovation and public policy purposes. The measure includes the promotion of technical infrastructures, regulatory frameworks and ethical guarantees to protect the privacy of citizens.
• Promotion of data ecosystems for social progress: it seeks to promote collaborative data spaces between public and private entities, under clear governance rules. These ecosystems will help develop innovative solutions that respond to social needs, fostering trust, transparency and the fair return of benefits to citizens.
• Enhancement of quality public data for citizens and companies: the generation of quality data will continue to be promoted in the different ministries and agencies, so that they can be integrated into the AGE's centralised catalogue of reusable information.
• Evolution of the datos.gob.es platform: work continues on the optimization of datos.gob.es. This measure is part of a continuous enrichment to address changing citizen needs and emerging trends.

In addition to this specific heading, measures related to open data are also included in other sections. For example, measure 3.5.5 proposes to transform the Public Sector Procurement Platform into an advanced tool that uses Big Data and Artificial Intelligence to strengthen transparency and prevent corruption. Open data plays a central role here, as it allows massive audits and statistical analyses to be carried out to detect irregular patterns in procurement processes. In addition, by facilitating citizen access to this information, social oversight and democratic control over the use of public funds are promoted.

Another example can be found in measure 4.1.1, where it is proposed to develop a digital tool for the General State Administration that incorporates the principles of transparency and open data from its design. The system would allow the traceability, conservation, access and reuse of public documents, integrating archival criteria, clear language and document standardization. In addition, it would be linked to the National Open Data Catalog to ensure that information is available in open and reusable formats.

The document not only highlights the possibilities of open data: it also highlights the opportunities offered by Artificial Intelligence both in improving access to public information and in the generation of open data useful for collective decision-making.

Promotion of open data in the Autonomous Communities and Cities

As mentioned above, the IV Open Government Plan also includes commitments made by regional bodies, which are detailed in line of action 10 on Open State, many of them focused on the availability of public data. 

For example, the Government of Catalonia reports its interest in optimising the resources available for the management of requests for access to public information, as well as in publishing disaggregated data on public budgets in areas related to children or climate change. For its part, the Junta de Andalucía wants to promote access to information on scientific personnel and scientific production, and develop a Data Observatory of Andalusian public universities, among other measures. Another example can be found in the Autonomous City of Melilla, which is working on an Open Data Portal.

With regard to the local administration, the commitments have been set through the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FEMP). The Network of Local Entities for Transparency and Citizen Participation of the FEMP proposes that local public administrations publish, at least, to choose from the following fields: street; budgets and budget execution; subsidies; public contracting and bidding; municipal register; vehicle census; waste and recycling containers; register of associations; cultural agenda; tourist accommodation; business areas and Industrial; Census of companies or economic agents.

All these measures highlight the interest in open data in Spanish institutions as a key tool to promote open government, promote services and products aligned with citizen needs and optimize decision-making.

A tracking system

The follow-up of the V Open Government Plan is based on a strengthened system of accountability and the strategic use of the HazLab digital platform, where five working groups are hosted, one of them focused on transparency and access to information.

Each initiative of the Plan also has a monitoring file with information on its execution, schedule and results, periodically updated by the responsible units and published on the Transparency Portal.

Conclusions

Overall, the V Open Government Plan seeks a more transparent, participatory Administration oriented to the responsible use of public data. Many of the measures included aim to strengthen the openness of information, improve document management and promote the reuse of data in key sectors such as health, justice or public procurement. This approach not only facilitates citizen access to information, but also promotes innovation, accountability, and a more open and collaborative culture of governance.

Spain has taken another step towards consolidating a public policy based on transparency and digital innovation. Through the General State Administration, the Government of Spain has signed its adhesion to the International Open Data Charter, within the framework of the IX Global Summit of the Open Government Partnership that is being held these days in Vitoria-Gasteiz.

With this adhesion, data is recognized as a strategic asset for the design of public policies and the improvement of services. In addition, the importance of its openness and reuse, together with the ethical use of artificial intelligence, as key drivers for digital transformation and the generation of social and economic value is underlined.

What is the International Open Data Charter?

The International Open Data Charter (ODC) is a global initiative that promotes the openness and reuse of public data as tools to improve transparency, citizen participation, innovation, and accountability. This initiative was launched in 2015 and is backed by governments, organizations and experts. Its objective is to guide public entities in the adoption of responsible, sustainable open data policies focused on social impact, respecting the fundamental rights of people and communities. To this end, it promotes six principles:

• Open data by default: data must be published proactively, unless there are legitimate reasons to restrict it (such as privacy or security).

• Timely and comprehensive data: data should be published in a complete, understandable and agile manner, as often as necessary to be useful. Its original format should also be respected whenever possible.

• Accessible and usable data: data should be available in open, machine-readable formats and without technical or legal barriers to reuse. They should also be easy to find.

• Comparable and interoperable data: institutions should work to ensure that data are accurate, relevant, and reliable, promoting common standards that facilitate interoperability and the joint use of different sources.

• Data for improved governance and citizen engagement: open data should strengthen transparency, accountability, and enable informed participation of civil society.

• Data for inclusive development and innovation: open access to data can drive innovative solutions, improve public services, and foster inclusive economic development.

The Open Data Charter also offers resources, guides and practical reports to support governments and organizations in applying its principles, adapting them to each context. Open data will thus be able to drive concrete reforms with a real impact. 

Spain: a consolidated open data policy that places us as a reference model

Adherence to the International Open Data Charter is not a starting point, but a step forward in a consolidated strategy that places data as a fundamental asset for the country's progress. For years, Spain has already had a solid framework of policies and strategies that have promoted the opening of data as a fundamental part of digital transformation:

• Regulatory framework: Spain has a legal basis that guarantees the openness of data as a general rule, including Law 37/2007 on the reuse of public sector information, Law 19/2013 on transparency and the application of Regulation (EU) 2022/868 on European data governance. This framework establishes clear obligations to facilitate the access, sharing and reuse of public data throughout the state.
• Institutional governance: the General Directorate of Data, under the Secretary of State for Digitalisation and Artificial Intelligence (SEDIA), has the mission of boosting the management, sharing and use of data in different productive sectors of the Spanish economy and society. Among other issues, he leads the coordination of open data policy in the General State Administration.
• Strategic initiatives and practical tools: the Aporta Initiative, promoted by the Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Service through the Public Business Entity Red.es, has been promoting the culture of open data and its social and economic reuse since 2009. To this end, the datos.gob.es platform centralises access to nearly 100,000 datasets and services made available to citizens by public bodies at all levels of administration. This platform also offers multiple resources (news, analysis, infographics, guides and reports, training materials, etc.) that help to promote data culture. 

To continue moving forward, work is underway on the V Open Government Plan (2025–2029), which integrates specific commitments on transparency, participation, and open data within a broader open government agenda.

All this contributes to Spain positioning, year after year, as a European benchmark in open data.

Next steps: advancing an ethical data-driven digital transformation

Compliance with the principles of the International Open Data Charter will be a transparent and measurable process. SEDIA, through the General Directorate of Data, will coordinate internal monitoring of progress. The Directorate-General for Data will act as a catalyst, promoting a culture of sharing, monitoring compliance with the principles of the Charter and promoting participatory processes to collect input from citizens and civil society.

In addition to the opening of public data, it should be noted that work will continue on the development of an ethical and people-centred digital transformation through actions such as:

• Creation of sectoral data spaces: the aim is to promote the sharing of public and private data that can be combined in a secure and sovereign way to generate high-impact use cases in strategic sectors such as health, tourism, agribusiness or mobility, boosting the competitiveness of the Spanish economy.

• Developing ethical and responsible AI: The national open data strategy is key to ensuring that algorithms are trained on high-quality, diverse and representative datasets, mitigating bias and ensuring transparency. This reinforces public trust and promotes a model of innovation that protects fundamental rights.

In short, Spain's adoption of the International Open Data Charter reinforces an already consolidated trajectory in open data, supported by a solid regulatory framework, strategic initiatives and practical tools that have placed the country as a benchmark in the field. In addition, this accession opens up new opportunities for international collaboration, access to expert knowledge and alignment with global standards. Spain is thus moving towards a more robust, inclusive data ecosystem that is geared towards social, economic and democratic impact.

For the first time in the history of the organization, Spain will host the Global Summit of the Open Government Partnership (OGP), an international institution of reference in open government and citizen participation. From 6 to 10 October 2025, Vitoria-Gasteiz will become the world capital of open government, welcoming more than 2,000 representatives of governments, civil society organisations and public policy experts from all over the world.

Although registration for the Summit is now closed due to high demand, citizens will be able to follow some of the plenary sessions through online broadcasts and participate in the debates through social networks. In addition, the results and commitments arising from the Summit will be available on the OGP and Government of Spain digital platforms.

In this post, we review the objective, program of activities and more information of interest.

Program of activities of a global event

The OGP Global Summit 2025 will take place at the Europa Conference Centre in Vitoria-Gasteiz, where an ambitious agenda will be developed aligned with the Co-Presidency Programme of the Government of Spain and the Philippine organisation Bankay Kita, Cielo Magno. This agenda is structured around three fundamental thematic axes:

• People: Activities that address the protection of civic space, the strengthening of democracy, and balancing the contributions of government, civil society, and the private sector. This axis seeks to ensure that all social actors have a voice in democratic processes.

• Institutions: This block will address the participation of all branches of government to improve transparency, accountability, and citizen participation at all levels of government.

• Technology and data: It will explore digital rights, social media governance, and internet freedom, as well as promoting digital civic space and freedom of expression in the digital age.

The OGP Summit's programming includes high-level plenary sessions, specialized workshops, side events, and networking spaces  that will facilitate knowledge sharing and alliance building. You can check the full program here, among the highlights are:

• Artificial intelligence and open government: the participatory governance of AI and how to ensure that technological development respects democratic principles and human rights will be discussed.

• Algorithmic transparency: the need to make algorithmic systems used in public decision-making visible and understandable will be discussed.

• Open Justice: It will explore how to strengthen the rule of law through more transparent and accessible judicial systems for citizens.

• Inclusive participation: experiences will be shared on how to ensure that populations in vulnerable situations can effectively participate in democratic processes.

• Open public procurement: best practices will be presented to make public spending more transparent and efficient through open procurement processes.

Among the most relevant sessions for the open data ecosystem, the one organized by Red.es "When AI meets open data" stands out, which will be held on the 8th at 9 a.m. Through a round table,  it will be shown how artificial intelligence and open data enhance each other. On the one hand, AI helps to get more out of open data, and on the other hand, this data is essential for training and improving AI systems.

In addition, at the same time, on Thursday 9, the presentation "From data to impact through public-private partnerships and sharing ecosystems" will be held, organized by the General Directorate of Data of the Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Function. This session will address how public-private sector collaborations can maximize the value of data to make a real impact on society, exploring innovative models of data sharing that respect privacy and foster innovation.

A legacy of democratic transformation

The Vitoria-Gasteiz Summit adds to the tradition of the eight previous summits held in Canada, Georgia, Estonia, France, Korea, Mexico, the United Kingdom and Brazil. Each of these summits has contributed to strengthening the global open government movement, generating concrete commitments that have transformed the relationship between governments and citizens.

In this edition, the most promising and impactful reforms will be recognized through the Open Gov Awards, celebrating innovation and progress in open government globally. These awards highlight initiatives that have demonstrated a real impact on the lives of citizens and that can serve as an inspiration for other countries and territories.

Multi-stakeholder engagement and collaboration

A distinctive feature of OGP is its multi-stakeholder approach, which ensures that both governments and civil society organizations have a say in defining open government agendas. This Summit will be no exception, and will be attended by representatives of citizen organizations, academics, businessmen and activists working for a more participatory and transparent democracy.

At the same time, other events will be held that will complement the official agenda. These activities will address specific topics such as the protection of whistleblowers, youth participation or the integration of the gender perspective in public policies.

This year, the OGP Global Summit 2025 in Vitoria-Gasteiz aims to generate concrete commitments that strengthen democracy in the digital age. As determined by the Open Government Partnership, the participating countries would make new commitments in their national action plans, especially in areas such as the governance of artificial intelligence, the protection of digital civic space and the fight against disinformation.

In summary, the OGP 2025 Global Summit in Vitoria-Gasteiz marks a pivotal moment for the future of democracy. In a context of growing challenges for democratic institutions, this meeting reaffirms the importance of maintaining open, transparent and participatory governments as fundamental pillars of free and prosperous societies.

The international open government community is preparing for the 9th Global Summit of the Open Government Partnership (OGP), which will take place in Vitoria-Gasteiz next October.. For three days, government representatives, civil society leaders and policy makers from around the world will exchange experiences, best practices and progress on open government initiatives. The choice of Vitoria-Gasteiz as host city, a medium-sized city but a symbol of sustainability and good urban management, also reflects the commitment of the outgoing presidency of the Spanish Government in the OGP to the integration of open government at all levels of administration, from the municipal and regional to the state level.

A crucial meeting for the open government ecosystem

The OGP 2025 Global Summit comes at a time of a complex global context. Democracy today faces several relevant threats,from disinformation to increasing authoritarianism. This is why the Vitoria-Gasteiz Summit is emerging as a potential global catalyst to revitalise the momentum of open government as a response to these challenges. It is an opportunity to bring the international community together and demonstrate once again that transparency, participation and collaboration remain effective tools for strengthening democracies.

Since its founding in 2011, the OGP has grown rapidly and established itself as a wide-ranging international alliance. It currently brings together some 75 countries and 150 local jurisdictions (representing more than 2 billion people), along with hundreds of civil society organisations, and accumulated more than 4,500 reform commitments embodied in some 300 national action plans during its first decade.

A global summit bringing together so many actors offers an unparalleled forum for sharing learnings, assessing advances and announcing new commitments.

OGP in context: 14 years of open government

After nearly 15 years of existence, the OGP can boast some significant achievements. Since its creation, many countries have adopted access to information laws, open data portals and transparency policies that did not exist before. Innovative initiatives such as citizen participation platforms and collaborative accountability mechanisms have also been implemented. Moreover, the Alliance incorporates an additional accountability component through the independent review mechanism (IRM) that publicly assesses the implementation of these commitments.

However, it is not all victories, as several civil society actors have also been pointing out some limitations and inconsistencies in the current OGP. Thus, according to OGP's own data and its IRM, there is an implementation gap in the commitments made, with multiple projects never getting off the ground, either due to lack of resources or political will. Another important warning sign comes from the deterioration of the democratic environment in some countries, with some regression on critical issues such as the protection of civic space. This also highlights a broader problem: high-level political commitment to open government is not always sustained, and without active leadership, OGP loses relevance.

The balance of the Spanish Presidency of the OGP

Spain holds the OGP co-presidency from October 2024 until the end of September 2025, shared with civil society and academic representative Cielo Magno (from the Philippines). This leadership position is also a unique opportunity to influence the Alliance's priorities and messages at this key moment. From the outset, the Spanish government identified three strategic areas for its co-presidency:

• Putting the citizen at the centre of decision-making.
• Strengthen democracies to make them more resilient.
• Protecting citizens' rights in the digital transformation.

These axes align with some of the current global concerns cited above: the crisis of confidence in institutions, the threat of authoritarianism and the new risks to rights in the digital environment. Spain also declared its intention to promote innovative ideas, taking advantage of technologies such as open data and artificial intelligence as tools to successfully carry out the double transition, green and digital.

Internally, Spain has launched the process called "Consensus for an Open Administration", which brings together civil servants, experts and citizens in 18 working groups to rethink the functioning of government through innovative methodologies and citizen participation. This effort, which is being developed in the Laboratory for Public Innovation (LIP) of the National Institute of Public Administration (INAP), as well as in the HAZLAB laboratory for innovation in citizen participation, seeks to present concrete proposals to improve trust in institutions through openness and collaboration.

The government is also preparing its V Open Government Action Plan (2025-2029), whose public consultation phase received more than 400 proposals from citizens and organisations, multiplying participation by 2.5 times compared to the previous Plan.

The challenge of open government: reforms, scope and obstacles

In response to the above challenges, the OGP has recently launched the Open government challenge. It is an initiative that seeks to channel reforming energies into ten priority areas, seeking common and significant progress in the following areas over the next five years:

• Access to information (transparency and right to know).
• Anti-corruption (public integrity and anti-corruption).
• Civic space (protection of freedoms of association, expression, assembly).
• Climate and environment (transparent and participatory climate governance).
• Digital governance (ethical and open use of data and technologies).
• Fiscal openness (open budgets, transparent procurement and spending).
• Gender and inclusion (gender equality, inclusion of vulnerable groups).
• Justice (open justice, access to justice and transparent judicial systems).
• Freedom of media (protection of independent journalism and truthful reporting).
• Public participation (effective mechanisms for citizen participation in decisions).

Each thematic area is accompanied by a guide with examples of reforms, inspiring use cases and ideas for specific commitments that countries can adopt. The ambition is for these ten areas to concentrate global efforts, encouraging collaboration and avoiding dispersion. The OGP will regularly highlight the most ambitious reforms in each field in order to serve as an example and inspiration for others. In fact, it will also be in Vitoria-Gasteiz where the most promising and impactful reforms submitted by countries to the challenge will be initially recognised through the Open Gov Challenge Awards, which will reward environment, innovation, sustainability and participation in each of the above-mentioned areas.

Digital rights, open data and ethics

One of the most innovative strategic dimensions of the OGP agenda, and one on which the Spanish presidency has also placed special emphasis, is the intersection between open government and digital transformation. In the midst of 2025, it is clear that government openness is no longer limited to transparency portals, but encompasses issues such as ethics in the use of algorithms, protection of Internet rights, responsible data management and citizen participation supported by new technologies. Digital ethics thus ceases to be a niche issue and becomes part of the mainstream open government agenda.

On the one hand, the expansion of artificial intelligence and automated decision-making in the public sector generates both promise and concern. Promises, because used well these tools can improve the efficiency and personalisation of public services. Concern, because they introduce risks of opacity, discriminatory risks and threats to privacy. This is where open government can add value through proactive measures to ensure digital inclusion and prevent algorithmic discrimination. Some of the suggested model reforms in this area include:

• Registers of algorithms so that citizens know what automated systems their government is using and with what data).
• Human rights impact assessments before deploying AI in the administration.
• Creation of specific complaints mechanisms when an automated decision causes harm.
• Establishment of independent AI oversight bodies.

On the other hand, digital citizens' rights have become increasingly important. Spain, for example, enacted a Charter of Digital Rights that recognises principles such as digital identity, personal data protection, net neutrality and online safety for vulnerable groups. This charter shows the way in which governments can commit to extending classic human rights to the digital realm, and it is to be hoped that other countries will also make commitments along the same lines.

Other critical issues with the increasing digitisation of governments are privacy and data protection. This is where the notion of data governance comes in, which implies clear rules on what data a government opens up, how it anonymises it, how it allows its re-use and how it protects individuals. The opening of data also remains a core component of the agenda, but is now viewed through a more mature lens. After years of open data portals, it is recognised that it is not enough to publish new datasets, but also to ensure their quality, relevance and effective use.

In short, digital rights, data and AI governance, digital ethics and open data constitute a new transversal axis that is gaining increasing prominence in the OGP, partly also thanks to the impulse given by the Spanish presidency. They represent the adaptation of open government to the challenges of the 21st century. Without addressing this digital dimension, the open government ecosystem would risk falling behind technological developments and the other pillars of open government could be undermined by algorithmic "black boxes".

Conclusions: a look towards Vitoria-Gasteiz 2025

The upcoming OGP Global Summit in Vitoria-Gasteiz is therefore seen as a new turning point for the open government movement. Its global relevance lies in the need to reaffirm values and concrete actions of open government in a context where democracy faces serious challenges. We have seen that the OGP comes to this new milestone with several strengths, but also with unfinished business and some uncomfortable questions:

Should tenure criteria be tightened for governments that fail to meet their commitments? How to finance the implementation of commitments in low-capacity countries? Is the real impact on people's daily lives being adequately measured?

The Spanish presidency, for its part, has brought enthusiasm and fresh ideas, with a particular emphasis on citizenship and digitalisation, but also with the ultimate challenge of ensuring that these new principles are translated into concrete actions and results at the global level. The presence of 2,000 international delegates will provide an opportunity to build new coalitions to enable such change. If governments and civil society can agree on ambitious new goals in the digital sphere, OGP will once again have proven its worth as a democratic innovation driver.

The best governments are those that open their doors, their data and their processes to citizens. If this meeting serves to strengthen this conviction and translate it into concrete reforms, it will undoubtedly be the best possible outcome.

Content prepared by Carlos Iglesias, Open data Researcher and consultant, World Wide Web Foundation. The contents and views reflected in this publication are the sole responsibility of the author.

Once again, Spain joins the celebration of Open Government Week (Open Gov Week), an international initiative promoted by the Open Government Partnership (OGP) that promotes the fundamental principles of amodern, citizen-friendlyadministration.

This edition, which will take place from 19 to 25 May 2025, brings together public administrations from around the world with the aim of promoting the values of open government: transparency, accountability, citizen participation and institutional integrity.  To achieve these objectives, open data is a key element, as access to and re-use of public information is the foundation of open government..

Since Spain joined this alliance in 2011, it has demonstrated a firm commitment to the principles of open governance: it has been recognised on multiple occasions for its active role in the organisation of activities, being one of the States that promotes the most events during this week at an international level.  In addition, this year our country holds the co-presidency of the Steering Committee and on 7, 8 and 9 October the IX Open Government Partnership Global Summitwill be held in Vitoria-Gasteiz.

In this post, we look at the agenda of events organised in Spain as part of Open Government Week. Among the hundreds of activities that will be held, we have focused on those related to access to information, open data and technological innovation.

What is Open Government Week?

Through workshops, information days, guided tours, talks and presentations, this action seeks to bring the workings of the institutions closer to society as a whole, foster understanding of public services and promote direct citizen participation.

 The programming will include a diverse range of events, including:

• Institutional advertising campaign.
• Hackathon and innovation competitions.
• Debates and round tables.
• OPEN DAYS
• Launch of virtual content.
• Seminars and workshops.
• Participatory processes and citizen consultations.

Featured events in the 2025 edition

During this edition, numerous activities have been scheduled throughout the territory, focusing on the presentation of key projects and initiatives of the Administration. Below are some representative examples of the spirit of the Week, arranged by organising bodies:

• Ministry of Finance:
  
  • Online presentation of the Central Treasury Archive content search portal (Monday 19 at 12.00h): through an online conference, access to the portal, the search modalities and the open accessible content it offers will be explained.. Some of the most outstanding online documents from the archive's collection will also be presented. Finally, other actions of the Archive relating to the Ministry's Document Management Policy will be disseminated for your information.
• Ministry of Culture:
  
  • Spain is Culture (always available):  The Ministry of Culture provides the public with a large amount of useful information accessible from the Spain is Culture portal. On the occasion of Open Government Week, they wanted to highlight this.

• National Institute of Public Administration:
  
  • Stories of public innovation" conference (Tuesday 20 May): a day to discover how innovation is transforming the Administration. It will be possible to learn about the work of INAP's Public Innovation Laboratory (LIP) and HazLab, a citizen participation laboratory, together with other projects that promote change from different administrations to build a more open, collaborative and closer Administration. Sign up here.

• Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID):
  
  • Workshop "Cooperation: a team effort" (Tuesday 20, 11:30 a.m.):  through a cloud challenge, participants are invited to reflect on leadership, cooperation and teamwork, fundamental values in the development projects led by AECID. There are 20 places available, register here.

• Government of Navarre:

• Café with data (Monday 19):  Training session on data quality and the benefits of metadata for publication in portals.

• Diputació de Barcelona:
  
  • Workshop online "Where is the border between transparency and data protection?" (Monday 19 at 09.30h): the webinar will be given by Carles San José, consultant and trainer for the public sector in matters of transparency, data protection and administrative procedure in general. Entry:
    • Public employee.
    • General registration.
  • Webinar "I can't make a living! Be transparent or die trying" (Monday 19 at 11.30h): aimed at public staff, this is a virtual workshop on the importance of opening up data in administrations.
    • Public employee.
    • General registration.
  • Workshop on data spaces: what they are and how to make the most of them (Thursday 22nd at 10.00h):
    • Public employee.
    • General registration.
  • Webinar "Open data and mobility: take advantage of the use of Big data" (Thursday 22nd at 12.00h): how to take advantage of the mobility data that the Ministry of Transport makes available to the public for the analysis of road flows throughout the country.
    • Public employee.
    • General registration.

• Online workshop "Master AI: become a prompts specialist" (Friday 23rd at 09.30h): this webinar is aimed at discovering how to communicate with generative AI tools to obtain more accurate results.
  • Public employee.
  • General registration.
• Webinar "Public open source models of AI" (Friday 23 at 11.30h): this online seminar will present ALIA and its precedent AINA, as well as their uses.. Sign up!
  • Public employee.
  • General registration.

• Madrid City Council: It organises a series of activities that highlight the use of open data in different sectors such as mobility or urban safety.
  • Madrid Calle 30 (Tuesday 20, 09:30h): visit to the M-30 tunnels and its control centre. Attendees will learn about the datasets published on the M-30, how the information is managed and updated, and how citizens and the private sector can access, reuse and add value to this data.
  • Air quality and meteorological data (Tuesday 20, 13:00h): visit to an air measurement station and explanation of how environmental data are collected to help make urban policy decisions.
  • Municipal Police (Thursday 22nd, 09:30h): visit to the control centre, where incidents, operational coordination and public safety actions are managed.
  • Urban installations: lighting, tunnels and ornamental fountains (Friday 23rd): a sample of how the operation of essential urban services is managed in real time through the municipal control centre.
  • Game with data on social networks: Madrid City Council will share games and challenges on social networks related to the open data on its portal throughout Open Government Week.

An agenda with more than 400 events all over the country

These are just some of the events planned, but there are many more.  We encourage you to consult the full calendar of activities available during the Week on the Open Government portal and to share your experiences and proposals.

Open Government Week is not just an institutional showcase, but a meeting place where the Administration listens, explains and learns from citizens. The diversity of scheduled events - ranging from education to security, social inclusion to victim care - reflects the public sector's commitment to getting closer to the day-to-day realities of society.

Thanks to these initiatives, the bond of trust between public authorities and citizens is strengthened, favouring a more collaborative, fair and efficient public administration

The National Open Data Meeting (ENDA, in its Spanish acronym) is an initiative born in 2022 from the joint effort of the Diputación de Barcelona, the Government of Aragón and the Diputación de Castellón. Its objective is to be a space for the exchange of ideas and reflections of the administrations to identify and elaborate concrete proposals in order to promote the reuse of quality  open data that can bring concrete value in improving the living conditions of citizens.

An important peculiarity of the Encounters initiative is that it fosters an annual cycle of collaborative work, where challenges are posed and solutions are worked out together. These challenges, proposed by the organisers, are developed throughout the year by volunteers linked to the field of data, most of them belonging to the academic world and the public administration.

Three challenges have been worked on so far. The conclusions of the challenges worked on are presented during each annual event and the documentation generated is made public.

CHALLENGE 1.- Generate data exchanges and facilitate their opening up

At the first ENDA (held in Barcelona, November 2022) a vote was taken on which data should be prioritised for openness. Based on the results of this vote, the Challenge 1 working group made an effort to collect standards, regulations, data sources and data controllers, as well as cases of publication and re-use.

The objective of this challenge was to foster inter-administrative collaboration to generate data exchanges and facilitate their openness, identifying datasets to work on in order to boost their quality, the use of standards and their reusability.

• Material from Challenge 1: Encourage inter-administrative collaboration to generate data exchanges and facilitate their openness presented at the second ENDA (Zaragoza, September 2023)

CHALLENGE 2.- Increase capacities for data openness

Challenge 2 aimed to ensure that public sector workers develop the knowledge and skills needed to drive the dissemination of open data. The ultimate goal was to improve public policies by involving citizens and businesses in the whole process of opening up. 

Therefore, the working group defined profiles and roles needed for data opening, collecting information on their functions and the skills and knowledge required.

In addition, a list of free training courses on open data and data analytics was compiled, linking these with the profiles for which they could be targeted.

• Document of the Challenge 2: Capabilities for opening data

CHALLENGE 3.- Measuring the impact of open data

Challenge 3 sought to address the need to understand the impact of open data. Therefore, throughout the year, work was carried out on a methodological proposal for a systematic mapping of initiatives that seek to measure the impact of open data.

At the third ENDA (Peñíscola, May 2024), a self-test for local authorities to measure the impact of the publication of open data was presented as a result of the working group.

• Document of the Challenge 3: Methodological proposal for a systematic mapping of initiatives that seek to measure the impact of open data

The answers to these challenges have been made possible through collaboration and joint work, resulting in concrete documents and tools that will be of great help to other public bodies that want to advance their open data strategy. In the coming years, work will continue on new challenges, with the aim of further boosting the openness of quality data and its re-use for the benefit of society as a whole.

 Law 37/2007 on the re-use of public sector information makesto have their own data catalogue compulsory for public administrations which, in turn, would contribute to the national catalogue(datos.gob.es). Some regional portals, in addition to hosting datasets, offer content, organise events and sign partnerships to spread the data culture. We analyse the case of Catalonia with its open data portal and its commitment over the last few years.

Open data in Catalonia: history of the last few years

Since the creation of its first open data portal in 2010, the Generalitat de Catalunya has published almost 1,200 open datasets.

It aims to promote the openness and accessibility of the data it holds, collaborating with various sectors of society, including academia, the private sector and civil society, to maximise the value of open data and encourage its use in decision-making and the development of solutions to current societal challenges.

Along these lines, the Generalitat de Catalunya reached a government agreement on open data strategy. This milestone places the openness and reuse of public information at the heart of the relationship between citizens and the Catalan public administration. Among the objectives of this approach, the document highlights the use of collective intelligence and the creation of public policies taking into account the needs of citizens. Since then, the Government of Catalonia has been committed to promoting its open data portal and encouraging its use, always respecting the principles of data governance.

In this sense, in 2022 the Open Data area became part of the Directorate General for Digital Administration, which conceives data as a strategic asset and lever of change for digital administration, with the ultimate aim of improving the public services offered by this administration. It is at this point that the Open Data area is reinforced by the strategic role of data in the framework of this public administration: open data becomes part of the data lifecycle, as an integral and essential element. Data Governance in the Generalitat de Catalunya is carried out through the Data Governance Model, which establishes the guidelines throughout the organisation, promotes the impulse of the data culture and involves all the key agents that must participate in this transformation process.

The document also includes the commitment of the Generalitat de Catalunya to adhere to the principles of the International Open Data Charter promoted by the Open Data Charter (ODC) network, in which more than 170 governments around the world currently participate, and which aims to integrate the culture and practice of open data in governments. Taking into account what ODC states in its International Charter, the data should be:

• Open by default
• Updated
• Accessible and reusable
• Comparable and interoperable
• To improve governance and citizen participation
• For inclusive development and innovation

The Government of Catalonia's commitment to opening up public sector data and promoting reuse was also evident in 2020 when it joined the Open Government Partnership. This organisation, which is committed to transparent, participatory, inclusive and accountable governance, is a global benchmark in terms of highlighting the use of open data for the betterment of society.

The same year in which Open Data Catalunya joins ODC, they also launched the first session of Cafè amb Dades: a series of informative talks in person and online in which a topic related to open data in the Generalitat de Catalunya is addressed.

Cafè amb Dades: a space to spread information about open data

These events organised by the Catalan open data portal are a space designed to share experiences and knowledge about open data and related topics. The lectures last two hours, are held in person and virtually, and the topics addressed depend on the topicality and/or interest of the audience, who can propose their ideas through a contact mailbox. The Àrea de Dades Obertes de la Direcció General d'Administració Digital organises these events based on the following values:

• Pedagogy: to raise awareness of the Catalan Government's open data strategy and its impact in different areas.
• Dynamism: offer short presentations with content that can be understood by everyone.
• Online work: organise participatory, open sessions that invite dialogue to create community.
• Application: to encourage attendees to incorporate the use of open data in their daily lives.

All sessions are recorded and available to the public. The last ones that have been held dealt with such relevant issues as water management using open data or data with a gender perspective.

Facilitating understanding of the data

The Generalitat de Catalunya recognises the importance of publishing data and facilitating searches, as well as promoting understanding of the data. With the aim of facilitating the search for data by Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Government of Catalonia has classified the datasets on the portal by each of the SDGs , which can be accessed from a data viewer.

This classification also provides information on how departmental activity is being aligned around the SDGs and facilitates the search and re-use of SDG-related datasets.

Commitment to the dissemination of data culture

The portal of the autonomous community of Catalonia, in addition to hosting more than a thousand open datasets and disseminating face-to-face and virtual events on the application of its datasets in different areas, offers:

• Content that disseminates the data culture:
  
  • Web sessions, with all the digital news of the administration explained in 30-minute videos presented on the first Thursday of each month.
  • Interviews with experts on open data issues.
  • Specialised publications on eGovernment and Open Government.
  • News, which includes the latest news from the sector.
• Participation and representation in activities such as:
  
  • Open Government Week
  •  Open Data Day events
• Awareness-raising projects and collaboration with civil society
• Interaction with the reuser community
  
  • Contact via a request form
  • Information and resources for developers

The Generalitat de Catalunya's inventory of datasets

On the other hand, the Generalitat de Catalunya, in the process of opening up public data, has carried out an inventory of data, the first phase of which ended in 2022. This inventory, conceived as a single, ordered and descriptive register of datasets, aim to coordinate the data opening processes of this administration.

In this first phase, the inventory provided a tool for easy consultation of all available datasets and their descriptive information, as well as a cross-sectional view of the available information and a single language throughout the organisation.

Work is currently underway on a second phase of the project, which involves updating and maintaining the information collected in the inventory, as well as extending it to public sector entities.

If you don't want to miss anything, you can follow the Catalan open data portal on Twitter.

In summary, the Generalitat de Catalunya has a government agreement on open data strategy, a data governance model in place and a presence in international organisations such as the Open Data Charter or the Open Government Partnership. Its commitment to access and reuse of open data makes it one of the leading public administrations in Spain.

At datos.gob.es we echo the good practices in open data and related technologies that exist throughout Spain. If you would like us to discuss your initiative, please write to us at dinamizacion@datos.gob.es.

The following is a definition of various terms regarding data and related technologies.

1. Glossary of terms related to open data.

The Open Government Guide for Public Employees is a manual to guide the staff of public administrations at all levels (local, regional and state) on the concept and conditions necessary to achieve an "inclusive open government in a digital environment". Specifically, the document seeks for the administration to assume open government as a cross-cutting element of society, fostering its connection with the Sustainable Development Goals. 

 It is a comprehensive, practical and well-structured guide that facilitates the understanding and implementation of the principles of open government, providing examples and best practices that foster the development of the necessary skills to facilitate the long-term sustainability of open government.

What is open government?

The guide adopts the most widely accepted definition of open government, based on three axes: 

• Transparency and access to information (vision axis): Refers to open access to public information to facilitate greater accountability.
• Citizen participation (voice axis): It offers the possibility for citizens to be heard and intervene to improve decision-making and co-creation processes in public policies.
• Collaboration (value axis): Focuses on cooperation within the administration or externally, with citizens or civil society organizations, through innovation to generate greater co-production in the design and implementation of public services.

This manual defines these axes and breaks them down into their most relevant elements for better understanding and application. According to the guide, the basic elements of open administration are:

• An integrity that cuts across all public action.
• Data are "the raw material of governments and public administrations" and, for this reason, must be made available to "any actor", respecting the limits established by law.  The use of information and communication technologies (digital) is conceived as a "space for the expansion of public action", without neglecting the digital divide.
• The citizenry is placed at the center of open administration, because it is not only the object of public action, but also "must enjoy a leading role in all the dynamics of transparency, participation and collaboration".
• Sustainability of government initiatives.

Adapted from a visual of the Open Government Guide for Public Employees. Source: https://funcionpublica.hacienda.gob.es/Secretaria-de-Estado-de-Funcion-Publica/Actualidad/ultimas-noticias/Noticias/2023/04/2023_04_11.html

Benefits of Open Government

With all this, a number of benefits are achieved:

• Increased institutional quality and legitimacy

• Increased trust in institutions

• More targeted policies to serve citizens

• More equitable access to policy formulation

How can I use the guide?

The guide is very useful because, in order to explain some concepts, it poses challenges so that civil servants themselves can reflect on them and even put them into practice. The authors also propose cases that provide an overview of open government in the world and its evolution, both in terms of the concepts related to it and the laws, regulations, relevant plans and areas of application (including Law 19/2023 on transparency, the Digital Spain 2025 agenda, the Digital Rights Charter and the General Data Protection Regulation, known as RGPD). As an example, the cases he mentions include the Elkar-EKIN Social Inclusion Plan of the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa and Frena La Curva, an initiative launched by members of the Directorate General of Citizen Participation and the LAAAB of the Government of Aragon during COVID-19.

The guide also includes a self-diagnostic test on accountability, fostering collaboration, bibliographical references and proposals for improvement.

 In addition, it offers diagrams and summaries to explain and schematize each concept, as well as specific guidelines to put them into practice. For example, it includes the question "Where are the limits on access to public information? To answer this question, the guide cites the cases in which access can be given to information that refers to a person's ideology, beliefs, religious or union affiliation (p. 26). With adaptation to specific contexts, the manual could very well serve as a basis for organizing training workshops for civil servants because of the number of relevant issues it addresses and its organization.

The authors are right to also include warnings and constructive criticisms of the situation of open government in institutions. Although they do not point out directly, they talk about:

• Black boxes: they are criticized for being closed systems. It is stated that black boxes should be opened and made transparent and that "the representation of sectors traditionally excluded from public decisions should be increased".
• Administrative language: This is a challenge for real transparency, since, according to a study mentioned in the guide, out of 760 official texts, 78% of them were not clear. Among the most difficult to understand are applications for scholarships, grants and subsidies, and employment-related procedures.
• The existence of a lack of transparency in some municipalities, according to another study mentioned in the guide. The global open government index, elaborated by the World Justice Project, places Spain in 24th place, behind countries such as Estonia (14th), Chile (18th), Costa Rica (19th) or Uruguay (21st) and ahead of Italy (28th), Greece (36th) or Romania (51st), among 102 countries. Open Knowledge Foundation has stopped updating its Global Open Data Index, specifically on open data.

In short, public administration is conceived as a step towards an open state, with the incorporation of the values of openness in all branches of government, including the legislative and judicial branches, in addition to government.

Additional issues to consider

For those who want to follow the path to open government, there are a number of issues to consider: 

• The guide can be adapted to different spheres and scales of public. But public administration is not homogeneous, nor do the people in it have the same responsibilities, motivations, knowledge or attitudes to open government. A review of citizen use of open data in the Basque administration concluded that one obstacle to transparency is the lack of acceptance or collaboration in some sectors of the administration itself. A step forward, therefore, could be to conduct internal campaigns to disseminate the advantages for the administration of integrating citizen perspectives and to generate those spaces to integrate their contributions.

• Although the black box model is disappearing from the public administration, which is subject to great scrutiny, it has returned in the form of closed and opaque algorithmic systems applied to public administration. There are many studies in the scientific literature -for example, this one- that warn that erroneous opaque box systems may be operating in public administration without anyone noticing until harmful results are generated. This is an issue that needs to be reviewed.
•  In order to adapt it to specific contexts, it should be possible to define more concretely what participation, collaboration and co-creation are. As the guide indicates, they imply not only transparency, but also the implementation of collaborative or innovative initiatives. But it is also necessary to ask a series of additional questions: what is a collaborative or innovation initiative, what methodologies exist, how is it organized and how is its success measured?
• The guide highlights the need to include citizens in open government. When talking about inclusion and participation, organized civil society and academia are mentioned above all, for example, in the Open Government Forum. But there is room for improvement to encourage individual participation and collaboration, especially for people with little access to technology. The guide mentions gender, territorial, age and disability digital divides, but does not explore them. However, when access to many public services, aid and assistance has been platformized (especially after the COVID-19 pandemic), such digital divides affect many people, especially the elderly, low-income and women. Since a generalist guide cannot address all relevant issues in detail, this would merit a separate guide.

Public institutions are increasingly turning to algorithmic decision-making for effective, fast and inclusive decision making. Therefore, it is also increasingly relevant to train the administration itself in open government in a digitized, digitized and platformized environment. This guide is a great first step for those who want to approach the subject.

Content prepared by Miren Gutiérrez, PhD and researcher at the University of Deusto, expert in data activism, data justice, data literacy and gender disinformation. The contents and views reflected in this publication are the sole responsibility of the author.