Open Data resource pack: version 2

3. Scotland's Open Data in an International Context

The Open Government Partnership

The Open Government Partnership ( OGP) was launched in 2011 to provide an international platform for those committed to making governments more open, accountable and responsive to citizens. The UK was a founding member of the OGP. It now includes 69 participating countries, and works to develop and implement open government reforms which ensure people can see, understand, participate in and influence the workings of government. It brings together governments, civil society and business to tackle significant societal reforms, through transparency, accountability and increased citizen participation.

In April 2016, Scotland was selected to join the Open Government Partnership's Pioneer Programme. This programme includes devolved administrations, regional and local governments, municipalities and major cities. Under the Programme, each Pioneer will work together and directly with the Partnership to develop a national action plan by December 2016, which will then be implemented and independently reported on in 2017. Scotland is one of fifteen governments selected to join the Programme. The national action plan themes are Open Data; access to information; technology and innovation; civic participation; public accountability; and anti-corruption.

Pioneer status provides an opportunity for Scotland to work and share learning with other Pioneer governments around the world, and to showcase open data reforms at the Open Government international summit in Paris in December of this year.

Since 2015, Scotland has also been working as part of the intergovernmental working group developing the 2016-18 Open Government national action plan for the UK. The plan has been developed by the four governments in the UK, working with civil society. A draft plan with 30 commitments under the national action plan themes has now been developed. The national action plan 2016-18 is available to view here.

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development ( OECD) Ministerial Declaration on the Digital Economy

In June 2016, the OECD invited Ministers from member and partner countries - including the UK - to attend a high-level meeting under the heading The Digital Economy: Innovation, Growth and Social Prosperity. The meeting was arranged to discuss and develop new approaches to digital economy policy.

An outcome of this meeting was a declaration which commits OECD members and partners to stimulate digital innovation and creativity through policies that "encourage availability and use of data, including open public sector data". While this declaration is not legally binding, it does provide an indication of the growing socio-economic relevance of open data and OECD members' commitment to it.