Open Data (LV0030)

LATVIAN OPEN DATA PORTAL, bringing SOCIETY OPEN DATA
SETS SELECTION
DEADLINE:
2017 2nd half - 2019 1st half
WHAT ARE THE STATE AND THE PUBLIC INTEREST ISSUES WHICH HELPS MEETING THIS
COMMITMENT?
Public Administration under-publish open data
According to the 2015 "Latvian e-index" study 25 authorities of most of the information resources used for
internal purposes. Also not available for sharing solutions that would make it easy to publish a re-usable,
incl. see. open, the data providing metadata, search, visual display. Consequently, the access to such data
(if any) is currently fragmented and forward, which makes their use. Latvian open data on their own initiative,
publish a single authority (Enterprises, the Central Statistical Bureau, the State Regional Development
Agency, Riga City Council and other institutions).
Many valuable data is not available in the compilation and issue of a fee
For example, while the State Land Service, managed by the National Address Register current text data is
available to anyone on the Internet State Land Service's Web site, however, the information issuing from the
State Address Register is a paid service, because the data transfer for a fee financed their own data collection
and creation costs. These data can not be open without making financing model changes, such as the National
Address Register case, the data will be able to make open only if, from 2018, will be allocated an annual budget
grant of 53 368 EUR. A similar situation exists in other institutions that collect valuable information and where the
compilation of the necessary funds are raised from fees for the same data sales.
The principle of "open by default" is not standard practice in the Latvian public administration
In 2013 the European Union (hereinafter - EU) adopted the Directive 2013/37 / EU with a view to introducing a common practice
and rules in all Member States, public administration information re-use. Latvian in 2015 in accordance with the amendments were
incorporated in the Freedom of Information Act. According to the directive of the Latvian open data should be published in
"authority on its own initiative, if it is
25 See: http://www.eindekss.lv/lv/6-rezultati
3rd
COMMITMENT
LATVIAN OPEN MANAGEMENT THIRD NATIONAL ACTION PLAN 21
appropriate ", which means the voluntary nature of the data in the publication and does not contribute to a general" open by
default "principle.
WHAT IS COMMITMENT?
Create effective Latvian state and municipal institutions open data portal http://www.data.gov.lv
and to promote the opening of the data:
• to promote the opening of public administration data, develop and explain the release of the data formats,
standards, methodologies;
• to incorporate amendments to the legislation, setting the Latvian opens the data portal, subject to data
protection requirements and principles;
• identify demand for specific data sets, including:
• assess the benefits and opportunities by changing the funding model;
• together with partners to compile a priority list to open the data set, which opening is in the public
interest.
Results (achievable value three years after the end of the project):
• increase the amount of data Open data portal (the average contribution of the public sector information
re-use index (2015 - 0 points, three years after the end of the project - 100));
• summarizes the priority list published data sets and valuable data opening gains;
• It realized the need for monitoring, analyzing and constantly monitoring the situation in public administration;
• identifies the needs of society after data showed that the amount and satisfaction with the
available data. Outputs:
• published 120 data sets of open data portal;
• developed methodology for data publishing open data portal;
• created the need for monitoring.
HOW TO COMMITMENT will be introduced and the solution to these problems?
Commitment will be introduced gradually on national regulatory authorities existing data sets.
LATVIAN OPEN MANAGEMENT THIRD NATIONAL ACTION PLAN 22
Activities targeted at public administration, citizens and businesses, which guarantee access to information
free of charge. 26
• Members of the public. Making public administration data publicly available, people will not have to deal
with red tape to get data from the authorities. The data can be accessed remotely. Residents will be able to
assess the public administration, performance indicators. Residents will be able to express their views on
data sets which they want to be made public, through online voting.
• National regulatory authorities. Publishing more and more data sets, state and local authorities to improve
communication with citizens possible, thus improving the image of public administration public. Members of
the public have the opportunity to provide feedback and expertise in public administration on the basis of
available information and data processing and analysis. Thus, the government increases its efficiency,
making the external evaluation.
• Entrepreneurs. The more data sets will be available to the public, the greater the opportunities for its use, developing
or creating new services. In this way it contributes to economic growth.
HOW TO MEET COMMITMENT OGP VALUES?
Commitment to fully comply with the OGP values, as it will enhance public confidence in the government to
increase public administration transparency, increase data atkalizmantojamība and open data portal
attendance and use will be able to conclude a dataset used by the company.
Providing greater access to information and better information, open data portal will be published on more and
more data sets. Increase the population's access metadata. The company will be able to engage in publishing
data sets by vote the same site. The data will be published in a convenient, one-size fashion.
The public will be given the opportunity to express their desire for open data sets for public use. Any individual will
be able to open the data set at an appropriate manner. It will increase public confidence in state power, which is
based on transparency, public participation in public administration processes and a modern, high-quality public
administration task implementation.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Open data portal and data sets opening costs and resources required
Open data portal is implemented within the framework of the project, with a total planned volume of
funding is 4.5 million euros, of which 3.825 million euro from the ERDF. Open data portal is part of the
project No. 2.2.1.1/16/I/001 "Public Administration ICT architecture management system", which aims to
ensure the ERDF
More than 26 citizens and businesses the benefits, such as the European data portal study:
https://www.europeandataportal.eu/lv/using-data/benefits-of-open-data
LATVIAN OPEN MANAGEMENT THIRD NATIONAL ACTION PLAN 23
2014 to 2020 co-funded ICT projects of mutual coherence of the major centralized platform for the design
and implementation as well as to promote public interest in and ability to effectively use ICT solutions
generated. Project "Public Administration ICT architecture management system" description is approved
by the Cabinet
2017 10 February Order No. 136th 27
The total cost will actually occur, to establish and maintain open data portal and to the publication of a variety of
data sets or their descriptions are not identified. As already stated, be opened dataset is still identify and separate
data sets opening costs yet to be analyzed. 28
It is important in each case to assess the most effective set of data publication paths (possibly with small resources,
achieving the greatest benefits). In some cases, datasets will be possible within the existing budget, others may need
additional financial resources. Datasets publishing costs may vary depending on various factors. Essential that the
data are publicly available - placed in the open data portal or portal placed in the description - a completed metadata
describes the shape, which is about 10 fields (example: https://data.gov.lv/dati/ en / dataset / visr ) that does not
require significant resources.
Compliance with the law, planning and international instruments
• Declaration on Mara Kučinska led Cabinet planned activities of paragraph 35: "[..] Provision of
public investment in ICT and e-services focus on new product and service development and
commercialization. Introduction of e-government public institutions' activities and services. "
• Information Society Development Guidelines for 2014- 2020th year (3.3. Basic principles of
e-government planning: a. public administration data for economic growth);
• European Parliament and Council Directive 2013/37 / EU (26 June 2013), amending Directive
2003/98 / EC on public sector information;
• Freedom of Information Act;
• ICT mērķarhitektūras road map;
• OGP values and principles.
27 The project is being implemented in the EU Structural Funds and the Cohesion Fund for the period 2014 to 2020th the programming
the period of the operational program "Growth and Jobs" 2.2.1. specific support target "To ensure the re-use of public data growth and the efficient public
administration and private sector interaction"
2.2.1.1. measure "Centralized public administration ICT platform for the establishment of public administration process optimization and development"
program.
28 For example, with respect to geospatial data is being prepared informative report on geospatial
basic opening economic feasibility and financial impact, after which there will be certain approximate estimates of the financial resources necessary for the
Latvian Geospatial Information Agency to publish geospatial data open data portal.
LATVIAN OPEN MANAGEMENT THIRD NATIONAL ACTION PLAN 24
INTERMEDIATE OBJECTIVES
1. Open Data portal publication
01.07.2017. - 06.31.2019.
2. Data set publishing open data portal
01.07.2017. - 06.31.2019.
3. The methodology for data publication
01.07.2017. - 06.31.2019.
4. Data disclosure of costs and impact on the state budget evaluation (provision of
information to the Cabinet)
01.07.2017. - 06.31.2019.
RESPONSIBLE PUBLIC AUTHORITIES
Environmental Protection and Regional Development
OTHER MEASURES IN IMPLEMENTATION OF NATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
INVOLVED
Ministries and institutions, which will provide open data sets to the Open Data Portal

3. Open Data portal

Language of the commitment as it appears in the action plan:

Editorial Note: The Latvian government did not submit an official English translation of its 2017−2019 to OGP. Therefore, the original Latvian version as it appears in the action plan can be viewed below. For the full text of this commitment, please see the Latvia 2017−2019 action plan here: https://www.mk.gov.lv/sites/default/files/editor/atvertas-parvaldibas-plans2017.pdf.

Izveidot efektīvu Latvijas valsts un pašvaldību iestāžu Atvērto datu portālu http://www.data.gov.lv un veicināt datu atvēršanu:

• lai veicinātu publiskās pārvaldes datu atvēršanu, izstrādāt un izskaidrot datu publicēšanas formātus, standartus, metodiku;
• iestrādāt grozījumus normatīvajos aktos, nosakot Latvijas Atvēro datu portāla darbību, ievērojot personas datu aizsardzības prasības un principus;
• identificēt pieprasījumu pēc konkrētām datu kopām, tajā skaitā:
• izvērtēt ieguvumus un iespējas, mainot datu finansēšanas modeli;
• kopā ar sadarbības partneriem apkopot prioritāri atveramo datu kopu sarakstu, kuru atvēršana ir sabiedrības interesēs.

Rezultāta rādītāji (sasniedzamā vērtība trīs gadus pēc projekta beigām):

• palielinās datu apjoms Atvērto datu portālā (ieguldījums publiskā sektora vidējā informācijas atkalizmantošanas indeksā (2015.g. – 0 punkti, trīs gadus pēc projekta beigām – 100));
• apkopots prioritāri publicējamo datu kopu saraksts un vērtīgu datu atvēršanas ieguvumi;
• īstenots vajadzību monitorings, pastāvīgi analizējot un uzraugot situāciju valsts pārvaldes iestādēs;
• apzinātas sabiedrības vajadzības pēc datiem, noskaidrots to izmantošanas apjoms un apmierinātība ar pieejamajiem datiem.

Iznākuma rādītāji:

• publicētas 120 datu kopas Atvērto datu portālā;
• izstrādāta metodika datu publicēšanai Atvērto datu portālā;
• veikts vajadzību monitorings.

Milestones:

3.1. Atvērto datu portāla publicēšana

3.2. Datu kopu publicēšana Atvērto datu portālā

3.3: Datu publicēšanas metodikas izstrāde

3.4: Datu publiskošanas izmaksu un ietekmes uz valsts budžetu izvērtējums (informācijas sniegšana Ministru kabinetam)”

Start Date: 1 Jul. 2017

End Date: 30 Jun. 2019

Context and Objectives

This commitment continues from Latvia’s first (2013−2014) [15] and second (2015−2017) action plans. [16] By the end of the second action plan, the government had provided the legal basis and technical support for government institutions to publish data in open data format. In addition to new open data guidelines and legal definitions of data terms, the beta version of the open data portal, which is already available online, contained 32 datasets from 12 institutions. The datasets were free for reuse and had a Creative Commons license. The law also stipulated that in cases where datasets are not free, their price must not exceed that of their collection. Compared to a baseline devoid of open data and open data guidelines, [17] this commitment led to a major improvement in access to information. However, the 2015−2017 IRM end-of-term report noted that several public administrations who collect data, such as the State Land Service, were still partially financed from selling data. For example, geospatial data is mostly only available for a fee. [18] Even government institutions and local governments occasionally must pay for data. [19]

In the current action plan, the government committed to establish a system to prioritize datasets for release in open data formats (free of charge), and to promote activities about data available in these formats. The government also committed to increase the number of datasets on the open data portal and expand the circle of institutions that release data. This commitment is relevant to the OGP value of access of information. Additionally, the action plan states that the data prioritized for release will be decided in consultation with stakeholders, making the commitment relevant to civic participation as well.

The commitment does not spell out which datasets will be published, nor which institutions will publish data in open data format as a default policy. However, this commitment is a positive next step after having established the data portal and publishing the first set of government-held data. Developing methodology for publishing open data and carrying out cost analyses is an important step for ensuring publication of open data by default as it can serve as the foundation for a policy document. Therefore, the potential impact is moderate.

Next steps

After implementing the current action plan, additional steps must still be taken to ensure that public institutions publish data by default and that it’s publicly available for free. The government could also conduct activities encouraging the use of data already available.

In the short-term, there are several steps the government could take to enhance availability and use of open data. For example, Delna compared Latvia, Sweden, and Finland, and suggests: [20]

• The Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (CPCB) could define a national infrastructure of data necessary for its work and create a timeline on opening data; and
• The government could consult NGOs to identify what data would be most useful for anti-corruption activities;

Based on these suggestions, the IRM researcher recommends a commitment in the next action plan to ensure open data for identifying and preventing corruption. For example, Latvia could provide, in open data format, CPCB datasets of financing for political parties, parliament voting protocols, and the register for beneficial owners. This data is currently not available in open data format, however, the CPCB clarified that the register on the financing for political parties will be publicly available in 2019 in open data format when the draft “Cabinet regulation on Political Organisations (Parties) information on joining fees and membership fees, donations (gifts), declaration of income and expenses of elections and annual reporting rules” (VSS-494) is adopted and enters into force. [21] In addition to the political financing database, the government, together with the SRS and the CPCB should also consider making public officials’ interest and asset declarations available as open data or improve their accessibility.

According to the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development, the Ministry has continued to promote the use of open data among other ministries and subordinate institutions by hosting seminars in 2018 and in early 2019, and by developing an open data strategy for Latvia, including a three-year action plan. [22]

[15] Government of Latvia, Open Government Partnership Action Plan of Latvia (OGP, 2012), https://www.mk.gov.lv/sites/default/files/editor/latvijas_pirmais_nacionalais_ricibas_plans_ogp_2012.g._eng.pdf.

[16] Government of Latvia: Cabinet of Ministers, Second National Action Plan of Latvia (OGP, 23 Dec. 2014), https://www.mk.gov.lv/sites/default/files/editor/ogp_2_plans_aktualizets_05.12.2016_eng_clean.pdf.

[17] Datu Skola,“Latvia on its way to open data” (29 Aug. 2016), http://www.datuskola.lv/2016/08/29/latvia-on-its-way-to-open-data/.

[18] Latvian Association of Open Technologies, http://lata.org.lv/seminars-diskusija-par-latvijas-geotelpisko-datu-atversana/.

[19] Cabinet of Ministers, “Informācijas sabiedrības padomes protokols” (Jul. 2017), http://www.mk.gov.lv/sites/default/files/editor/isp_13_07_2017_protokols_0.pdf.

[20] Delna, “A New Study: Using Open Data in the Fight Against Corruption” (22 Nov. 2018) https://delna.lv/lv/2018/11/22/jauna-publikacija-dati-un-korupcijas-mazinasana-latvija-zviedrija-un-somija/.

[21] The IRM received this information from the Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau during the pre-publication period for this report. For more information on the VSS-494 see: http://tap.mk.gov.lv/lv/mk/tap/?pid=40473621.

[22] The IRM received this information from the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development of the Republic of Latvia during the pre-publication period for this report.

3. Open Data Portal

Language of the commitment as it appears in the action plan:

Editorial Note: The Latvian government did not submit an official English translation of its 2017−2019 to OGP. Therefore, the original Latvian version as it appears in the action plan can be viewed below. For the full text of this commitment, please see the Latvia 2017−2019 action plan here: https://www.mk.gov.lv/sites/default/files/editor/atvertas-parvaldibas-plans2017.pdf.

Izveidot efektīvu Latvijas valsts un pašvaldību iestāžu Atvērto datu portālu http://www.data.gov.lv un veicināt datu atvēršanu:

• lai veicinātu publiskās pārvaldes datu atvēršanu, izstrādāt un izskaidrot datu publicēšanas formātus, standartus, metodiku;
• iestrādāt grozījumus normatīvajos aktos, nosakot Latvijas Atvēro datu portāla darbību, ievērojot personas datu aizsardzības prasības un principus;
• identificēt pieprasījumu pēc konkrētām datu kopām, tajā skaitā:
• izvērtēt ieguvumus un iespējas, mainot datu finansēšanas modeli;
• kopā ar sadarbības partneriem apkopot prioritāri atveramo datu kopu sarakstu, kuru atvēršana ir sabiedrības interesē

Rezultāta rādītāji (sasniedzamā vērtība trīs gadus pēc projekta beigām):

• palielinās datu apjoms Atvērto datu portālā (ieguldījums publiskā sektora vidējā informācijas atkalizmantošanas indeksā (2015.g. – 0 punkti, trīs gadus pēc projekta beigām – 100));
• apkopots prioritāri publicējamo datu kopu saraksts un vērtīgu datu atvēršanas ieguvumi;
• īstenots vajadzību monitorings, pastāvīgi analizējot un uzraugot situāciju valsts pārvaldes iestādēs;
• apzinātas sabiedrības vajadzības pēc datiem, noskaidrots to izmantošanas apjoms un apmierinātība ar pieejamajiem datiem.

Iznākuma rādītāji:

• publicētas 120 datu kopas Atvērto datu portālā;
• izstrādāta metodika datu publicēšanai Atvērto datu portālā;
• veikts vajadzību monitorings.

Milestones:

3.1. Atvērto datu portāla publicēšana

3.2. Datu kopu publicēšana Atvērto datu portālā

3.3. Datu publicēšanas metodikas izstrāde

3.4. Datu publiskošanas izmaksu un ietekmes uz valsts budžetu izvērtējums (informācijas sniegšana Ministru kabinetam)”

Start Date: 1 Jul. 2017

End Date: 30 Jun. 2019

Latvia’s second action plan (2015−2017) led to the creation of an open data portal as well as new open data guidelines. Under this current commitment, the government aimed to prioritize new datasets for release on the portal and expand the circle of institutions that release data. It also planned to promote the available data to end users.

This commitment was fully implemented. By the end of the action plan, the open data portal included 250 new datasets from 50 institutions. [7] The Cabinet of Ministers accepted amendments on privacy protection to the “Rules of publishing data on Internet by public institutions.” [8]

The Ministry of Environment Protection and Regional Development (MEPRD) developed a methodology for data publishing. [9] MEPRD consulted two professional IT associations, the Latvian Information and Communications Technology Association (LIKTA) and the Latvian Open Technologies Association (LATA), on which priority datasets should be opened. It also surveyed other stakeholders. [10] Based on the results, MEPRD submitted to the government a list of priority datasets, including: [11]

• information from the State Treasury on government spending,
• statistics from the Ministry of Interior on criminal cases (cases, demography of victims and persons needing legal defense in court),
• data from the Rural Support Service on land use and government subsidies,
• data from MEPRD on waste and planned waste disposal,
• data from the Central Election Committee on election results,
• data on car traffic on public transportation,
• data from the Center of Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology on air and water quality. [12]

MEPRD included in its report the costs and benefits of opening this data for free in cases where institutions previously charged fees. MEPRD also submitted to the government an Open Data Strategy for Latvia which encompasses the principle of “open by default.” To enhance usability of the portal, data enthusiasts developed innovative visualizations, such as data on parliamentarians’ votes [13] and income and state expenditures. [14] Experts are developing data visualizations for roads, road accidents, waste, area codes, and meteorological data. ^[15]

Overall, this commitment has led to a major increase in the availability and usability of data. The number of datasets on the open data portal increased from 32 datasets to 250 and the number of public institutions that have published datasets increased from 12 to 50. The commitment also saw constructive collaboration between the government and open data users in determining which datasets to open. As a next step, MEPRD has prepared an analysis to restructure the financing system for data that is still not available for free. [16]

[7] Open data portal of the Republic of Latvia: https://data.gov.lv/lv.

[8] Cabinet of Ministers, “Kārtība, kādā iestādes ievieto informāciju internet” [Procedures for Institutions to Post Information on the Internet], Rule 611 (Latvijas Vēstnesis, 25 Sept. 2018), 28, https://likumi.lv/ta/id/301865#p28.

[9] Latvian Open Data Portal, “Vadlīnijas, standarti un rīki” [Guidelines, standards and tools] (State Regional Development Agency, Aug. 2019), https://data.gov.lv/lv/publicetajiem.

[10] Latvian Open Data Portal, “Iesaki datu kopu” [Recommend a dataset] (State Regional Development Agency, accessed May 2020), https://data.gov.lv/lv/iesaki-datu-kopu.

[11] Ministry of Environment Protection and Regional Development, “The Latvian Open Data Portal will be supplemented with 21 new data sets” (17 Jul. 2018), http://www.varam.gov.lv/lat/aktual/preses_relizes/?doc=26251.

[12] Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development, “Tiesību aktu projekti: Informatīvais ziņojums "Par prioritāri atveramajām datu kopām, kas ir valsts iestāžu rīcībā" [Draft legislation: Information report "On priority data sets held by public authorities”] (Cabinet of Ministers, 17 Jul. 2018), http://tap.mk.gov.lv/lv/mk/tap/?dateFrom=2018-01-01&dateTo=2018-12-10&text=Par+priorit%C4%81ri+atveramaj%C4%81m+datu+kop%C4%81m%2C+kas+ir+valsts+iest%C4%81%C5%BEu+r%C4%ABc%C4%ABb%C4%81&org=0&area=0&type=0.

[13] Aivis Brutāns, “Balsošanas statistika: 13. Saeimas deputātu balsojumu dati līdz 2019. gada 7. Novembrim” [Voting statistics: Voting data of the 13th Saeima deputies until November 7, 2019], (Infogram, 2019), https://infogram.com/saeima_13th_votes3-1h7j4d3jxv7v2nr?fbclid=IwAR2cAS63NOUwrju0JA17bDoIIaD_BSyJwn5R6cWgmi-J7JG_UOPQW1PSgEw.

[14] “2019.gada valsts budžeta ieņēmumu un izdevumu sadalījums” [Distribution of state budget revenues and expenditures in 2019] (accessed May 2020), https://aivisb.shinyapps.io/Budget_shiny/?fbclid=IwAR0eYe5eZnaU0ihrny69GvIsT3Sjsl5Tx6WJgv4auIVeHaUZL7sVN-rpq00.

[15] Responses to an inquiry by IRM researcher on an internet forum for data enthusiasts of Latvia on Facebook @datuskolasforums, 10 January 2020.

[16] Ministry of Environment Protection and Regional Development (MEPRD), email exchange with IRM researcher, 9 Oct. 2019.