Open Immigration Data (GR0067)

• What’s in the 2019 Action PlansOpen Immigration Data (August 1, 2020)

Commitment 3: Open access to data of the Ministry of Immigration Policy

Current situation
The information is now covered by Law 4305/2014 on the «Open access and re-use of documents,
information and public sector data, amendment of Law 3448/2006 (Α΄ 57), adaptation of national
legislation to the provisions of Directive 2013/37/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council,
further strengthening of the transparency, regulation of issues regarding the recruitment competition
of the National School of Public Administration and Local Government and other provisions» (Official
Gazette Α’ 237/31.10.2014), with the differentiations provided for under the Directive regarding
libraries, museums and archives, and a specific provisions regarding the protection of cultural
heritage.

Description of Commitment
A wealth of data falling within the scope of Law 4305/2014 is available to the Ministry of Immigration
Policy and its supervised entities and will be made available for re-use in order to contribute to the
development and participation of citizens.

OGP Principles
Access to public information

Implementation entities, stakeholders

Implementation: Ministry of Immigration Policy
Cooperation with supervised entities.

Contact details: Ministry of Immigration Policy, Directorate for Administrative Organisation and
Supervision of Legal Entities

Objective
1) Integration of new datasets
2) Open data release decisions

Key milestones - Timetable
Milestone Completion
1) Integration of new datasets
2) Open data release decisions

3. Open access to data of the Ministry of Immigration Policy

Main Objective

The published NAP mentions (p.18) the main objective for this commitment as follows:

"Description of Commitment: A wealth of data falling within the scope of Law 4305/2014 is available to the Ministry of Immigration Policy and its supervised entities and will be made available for re-use in order to contribute to the development and participation of citizens."

"Objectives: 1) Integration of new datasets

2) Open data release decisions."

Milestones

The published NAP mentions (p.18) the milestones for this commitment as follows:

"1) Integration of new datasets

2) Open data release decisions."

Editorial Note: For the complete text of this commitment, please see Greece's action plan at https://www.opengovpartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Greece_Action-Plan_2019-2021_EN.pdf, p.18-19.

Commitment analysis

Following the change in government after the 2019 general election (two months after the action plan was adopted), the Ministry of Immigration Policy (MIP) was dissolved and subsequently re-established as the Ministry of Immigration and Asylum (MIA).

Greece continues to feel the impacts of the migration and humanitarian crisis of 2015 which overwhelmed the capacity of public institutions to process and look after migrants and refugees while Greece was still adapting to the effects of the ongoing economic crisis. While Greece received over a million refugees and migrants in 2015 and 2016, the numbers have stabilised, and UNHCR estimates some 43,000 refugees and migrants are in Greece. The UNHCR identified that key priorities continue to be accommodation and support for refugees and migrants, particularly at-risk groups like women and children. Also, it identified the needs for a comprehensive strategy on integration of refugees and migrants and enabling them access to mainstream public services. [25]

This commitment aims to publish data the ministry holds, including memoranda of understanding with other entities such as international organisations, legislation, and communications and press releases.

The commitment is verifiable but lacks specific or clear information about what criteria or datasets will be published other than the three types of data identified (memoranda of understanding, national legislation, press releases). It is unclear whether it will address any of the above issues outlined by UNHCR or other actor working in the sector or if it will open or improve decision-making. The commitment has sufficient relevance to the Access to Information OGP value because, if implemented fully, it will lead the government (milestones 1, 2) [26] to disclose documents such as memoranda of understanding between Greece and third countries concerning refugee and immigrants' reception and identification issues. Disclosure of this information is already required by Greek law on open public data by default, [27] to the extent that personal data are not exposed and national security is not compromised.

Though no datasets from MIP or MIA are available on open data portals, [28] [29] MIA currently publishes monthly statistical data on legal migration and asylum seekers in accommodation. [30] The official websites of MIP [31] and MIA [32] have not been found to contain published reports on open data policy and practice.

The measures do not constitute any step forward beyond what is already mandatory to achieve according to legislation, even though it will lead to some limited-value information being made newly available to the public. It is unclear how implementing this commitment will help meet the objective of satisfying citizens' needs for development and participation or how it will address current challenges in Greece.

According to the above, and in the absence of feedback from the lead ministry, the potential impact of the commitment as a whole is coded as minor. [33]

There are suggestions from non-governmental actors about what information could be published to improve implementation of this commitment to meet the objective 'to contribute to the development and participation of citizens. Non-governmental stakeholder interviews [34] mentioned that statistical data provided from all services under the Ministry (Appeals Authority, Asylum Service, General Secretariat of Migration and Asylum) would be of particularly high value. Other civil society representatives [35] stated that all migration data are of high value to stakeholders and mentioned priorities for data related to social exclusion and ensuring equal treatment of all citizens. Yet another civil society stakeholder [36] stressed the need for transparency in all information relevant to the handling of refugee and migrant flows. At the same time, further desktop research [37] revealed a number of topical issues for this ministry's domain of responsibility, for which publishing open data would have a value and could help to improve policies and processes such as audit information on EU funding, information on the management of temporary refugee settlements, and refugee and immigrant living conditions.

Commitment 3. Open access to data of the Ministry of Immigration Policy

● Verifiable: Yes

● Relevance: Yes, access to information

● Potential impact: Minor

• Completion: Limited

● Did it open government? No evidence of early results yet

This commitment sought to publish “datasets” including Memoranda of Understanding, national legislation, and communications and press releases. Near the end of the implementation period, on the old open data portal, implementers added a single PDF metadata document with links to the items targeted by the commitment in addition to presidential and ministerial decrees and other similar information. [9] Some of the links in the PDF do not work, while others lead to legislation or decrees in the Official Gazette or previously published articles. There is no evidence that this PDF opened government as it merely collates already published information. There is no evidence of completion of the milestone to adopt three data release decisions.