Transparency (IT0058)

Background and objectives
Although significant progress was made to enhance the ability of administrations to become transparent, many obstacles remain in launching virtuous processes. Many of those are due to operational choices and limits to the management of data and information by administrations that, on the one hand, affect the accessibility, quality and timeliness of information and, on the other, imply costs that administration can hardly bear, especially the smaller ones.

It appears from many sources, including public administration and civil society representatives, that there is a need to take simplification measures in managing information obligations as established by Legislative Decree 33/2013. This is required to facilitate citizens and stakeholders’ access to the information published in the Transparent Administration section of the institutional websites and their reuse for monitoring and comparing public actions and, at the same time, optimizing the commitment of public administration which is often required to comply with the same information obligation repeatedly and according to different modalities.

Moreover, two years after the adoption of the FOIA, the need emerged to further encourage the use of generalized civic access developing mechanisms to facilitate its use by citizens and help administrations manage requests more effectively and efficiently.

Commitments
This action is aimed at further encouraging the ability of administrations to become transparent vis- à-vis citizens by pursuing the following macro-objectives:
- drafting a proposal to simplify information obligations under Legislative Decree 33/2013 to improve accessibility, quality and timeliness of data and information made available by administrations to citizens and businesses, reducing burdens for administrations themselves. This activity will include the identification and analysis of ways and conditions for complying with the publication obligation for specific information domains through the inclusion of data in already existing, being created or purposefully adapted centralized databases;
- developing and promoting evolved web services to facilitate the use of the FOIA and other forms of citizen access (i.e. access to environmental information) and, at the same time, support administrations in effectively managing civic access. Making key information on the nature of requests submitted and how they are processed available in a single point – i.e. those acquired through the Register of FOIA accesses – will help guide citizens in the search and acquisition of information on the activities carried out by public administration and, at the same time, will allow administrations to handle requests more quickly, efficiently and evenly;
- simplifying the way users can access information on key issues such as the environment and public spending.

Lead Administration
Department for Public Administration (PCM – DFP) – Elio Gullo

Other administrations involved
• CONSIP, INAIL, Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA)
• Regions and Autonomous Provinces
• City of Milan, City of Rome

Monitoring contact persons for the Open Government Forum
Cittadinanza Attiva – Isabella Mori Fondazione Etica – Paola Caporossi

2. Transparency

2. Transparency

Completion: Substantial

Milestones 2.1–2.4 (PCM-DFP): According to the self-assessment, the government did not finish developing an online ‘wizard’ to aid freedom of information (FOI) requesters, and the FOI monitoring system was not completed due to the slow uptake of a voluntary standardized register by institutions. [31] Monitoring is currently conducted through an annual survey of institutions. [32] According to the self-assessment, the government adapted the activities of Milestones 2.3 and 2.4 (simplifying proactive transparency measures on government websites) into the work of a commission looking to streamline the administrative burdens of anticorruption and transparency legislation. There was a public consultation to inform the work of the commission [33] and legislative reforms were included in the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. [34] The reforms have yet to be implemented.

Milestones 2.5 and 2.6 (CONSIP): Milestone 2.5 was complete before the action plan started. [35] The self-assessment states that the map on supplier performance, available via the CONSIP website, [36] was launched in May 2020 and is updated quarterly.

Milestone 2.7 (INAIL): An online, searchable access register is available on the INAIL website. [37] The data can be filtered by location, document type, date range, and can be downloaded as an html file.

Milestones 2.8–2.11 (ISPRA): The National System for Environmental Protection (SNPA) website contains a section explaining Italy’s different access to information regimes. [38] It is possible to make a request through any regime for any of the SNPA entities using a single online form. [39] Registers for individual entities can be accessed and downloaded in XLS format but summary tables of all entities are only available as an image on the SNPA website. [40]

Milestones 2.12–2.17 (City of Milan, City of Rome): The City of Milan integrated its update of transparency and participation regulations into the three-year plan for the prevention of corruption and transparency. [41] The self-assessment states that Milan completed internal testing of the draft access register and development of advanced solutions for consulting the Official Noticeboard; however, these are not yet public. [42] The functions of the proposed Milan@Work app are due to be integrated into the pre-existing Citizen’s File app. [43] The City of Rome has updated its website in accordance with its 2019 legislation on the single regulation of accesses. [44] The City of Rome publishes its access register as a downloadable PDF file of the last six months of requests. [45]