Remotely Accessing Government Services (IL0033)

What is the public problem that the commitment will address?
Limited access to government services, which depends on the availability of face-to-face and telephone services and the geographic dispersion of the services. As a result, the availability and efficiency of the services to citizens is deficient. What is the commitment?
Within the scope of this commitment, a safe integrated identification system will be developed that will enable remote access to government services through smart identification and at various authentication levels. The system will enable citizens to consume services through online applications that will be centralized in a personal zone on the integrated government website and on government websites. As part of implementing this policy, the use of the beta system will continue and be expanded, which has been operating since December 2016, to the implementation of an online change of address. Additionally, a pilot will be launched during 2018 in conjunction with the Courts Administration, which will enable citizens and attorneys to remotely access the court.net system, easily and at no cost (currently, the system is only accessible with a smart card with a level 4 authentication level, and payment is required in order to access it. The smart card is purchased from an external supplier – the new identity card will enable this kind of identification without payment for the card). How will the commitment contribute to solve the public problem?
The establishment of the “safe identification” system for remote identification will enable increased access to government information and services, more efficient provision of services to all citizens, and increased access by populations with limited access or those suffering from an inadequate dispersion of services, such as handicapped persons, the elderly and populations residing in remote peripheries. Additionally, the provision of access to online services will enable more public requests and access when providing face-to-face services to populations needing this. Why is this commitment relevant to OGP values?
Promoting online services by remote identification is consistent with the value of Open Government by harnessing technology in order to improve government service to citizens and increasing the access to services. Additionally, launching the pilot for making courts more accessible will promote the value of access to justice, and enables the exercise of rights and the reaching of better decisions by citizens. Additional information
Project stages:
- Launch of the pilot with the Courts Administration
- Tender and engagement for the establishment of a safe identification system to connect to various services
- Establishment of a technological system enabling remote access to government services
Milestone Activity with a verifiable deliverable:
Engagement with the winning supplier
February 2017
January 2018
System establishment – Phase 1
February 2017
October 2018
System establishment – Phase 2
November 2018
December 2019

11. Promoting services identified with the objective of remotely accessing government services

Language of the commitment as it appears in the action plan: [33]

Within the scope of this commitment, a safe integrated identification system will be developed that will enable remote access to government services through smart identification and at various authentication levels. The system will enable citizens to consume services through online applications that will be centralized in a personal zone on the integrated government website and on government websites. As part of implementing this policy, the use of the beta system will continue and be expanded, which has been operating since December 2016, to the implementation of an online change of address. Additionally, a pilot will be launched during 2018 in conjunction with the Courts Administration, which will enable citizens and attorneys to remotely access the court.net system, easily and at no cost (currently, the system is only accessible with a smart card with a level 4 authentication level, and payment is required in order to access it. The smart card is purchased from an external supplier – the new identity card will enable this kind of identification without payment for the card)

Milestones

11.1 Engagement with the winner supplier

11.2 System establishment Phase 1

11.3 System establishment Phase 2

Start Date: February 2018

End date: December 2019

Context and Objectives

This commitment is largely a continuation of Commitment 8 of Israel’s first OGP action plan (2012–2013). The commitment in the first action plan stated that the identification system would allow citizens to remotely access government services and documents that require in-person visits to government offices, such as obtaining court files and filing official documents.  This current commitment seeks to continue this policy area by identifying individuals wishing to access government services remotely. However, this goal is not related to open government. More specifically, it calls for developing an integrated identification system that will enable remote access to government services through smart identification.

The first milestone, “engaging with the winning supplier,” is easy to verify. Later stages, less so. The next two milestones are only stated as “System establishment – Phase 1” and “Phase 2.” In regard to the description of the commitment, the stages of implementation are better defined, as they add a pilot activity with the courts’ administration and the establishment of the required technological system.

As stated, this commitment is not directly relevant to OGP values. While the commitment might be a worthwhile effort by the government to improve the level of service to citizens, it does not present new information to them or allow them to engage in any way in the democratic process or promote accountability or transparency. Furthermore, though this commitment may be related to important privacy concerns when providing government services to individuals, the notion of open government refers first and foremost to information that should be available to all, regardless of anyone’s identity.

Next steps

The IRM researchers do not recommend carrying this commitment forward to future action plans.

11. Promoting services identified with the objective of remotely accessing government services

Language of the commitment as it appears in the action plan: [51]

Within the scope of this commitment, a safe integrated identification system will be developed that will enable remote access to government services through smart identification and at various authentication levels. The system will enable citizens to consume services through online applications that will be centralized in a personal zone on the integrated government website and on government websites. As part of implementing this policy, the use of the beta system will continue and be expanded, which has been operating since December 2016, to the implementation of an online change of address. Additionally, a pilot will be launched during 2018 in conjunction with the Courts Administration, which will enable citizens and attorneys to remotely access the court.net system, easily and at no cost (currently, the system is only accessible with a smart card with a level 4 authentication level, and payment is required in order to access it. The smart card is purchased from an external supplier – the new identity card will enable this kind of identification without payment for the card)

Milestones

11.1 Engagement with the winner supplier

11.2 System establishment Phase 1

11.3 System establishment Phase 2

Start Date: February 2018

End date: December 2019

This commitment sought to develop an integrated identification system that would enable remote access to government services through smart identification. [52] This would enable the obtaining of such services without having to go in person to the offices of the relevant public agencies. However, the IRM Design Report found this commitment was not directly relevant to OGP values, despite its potential contribution to other worthwhile goals.

Two of the commitment’s three milestones were completed. A service provider has been chosen through tender, and phase I of the project—focused on providing services to individuals—has been launched [53] and now allows identification for 30 different government services. Such services include access to open court files, change of address, a portal for new immigrants, a credit score portal, and a customized “My Government” personal page. Phase II focused on corporations and businesses, which was originally expected to be completed in April 2019, and has been delayed to the first quarter of 2020.

[51] “Open Government Action Plan for 2018–2019”, Government OCT Authority, pp. 43–45, https://www.opengovpartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Israel_Action-Plan_2017-2019_EN.pdf.

[52] “Open Government Action Plan for 2018–2019”, Government OCT Authority, pg. 35, https://www.opengovpartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Israel_Action-Plan_2017-2019_EN.pdf.

[53] Ms. Rachel Ran, government OGP point of contact, interview with IRM researcher, October 2019.