On 30 March 2017, the Congress adopted a report on open data for better public services. Presented by Manuela Bora (Italy, SOC), the report highlights the growing tendency to release and re-use public data to facilitate transparency, enhance public participation and stimulate economic growth. Open data is information which can be freely re-used by anybody, without legal or technical restrictions. The report shows how open data can be a strong engine for improving local governance, with the power to transform cities into more democratic spaces. The topic is also related to the Congress’ 'Roadmap of activities for preventing corruption at local and regional levels'. Open data, by increasing transparency, constitutes a preventing tool in the fight against corruption. 'Publishing this data makes it easier for civil society to scrutinize public spending and detect corruption,' added Manuela Bora The Congress calls upon local and regional authorities to develop strategies to make local authority information datasets open to the entire population and to ensure that data protection and privacy laws are strictly adhered. At national level, the Congress stresses the need to introduce licensing standards and to provide guidelines, as well as to address the risk of a digital gap in open data participation. 

Report CG32(2017)15
Presentation by Manuela Bora
Video
File: 32nd Session of the Congress