Marc de Vries introduction to the PSI Directive revision

Introduction by Marc de Vries on the proposal to amend the PSI Directive on re-use of PSI the newly proposed revision for the PSI Directive

Plenary I : Introduction by Marc de Vries from ePSI platform on Vimeo.

UK 70, US 33, Sweden 25, and Spain 0 out of 100% is the score in the “The Closed World of Company Data” report

Spain, cathegorized in the report as one of the most important economies in the world, got 0 points in the general score, same punctuation as Tanzania, Brazil, Romania, or Greeze, among others. On the oposite side, first in the list was the UK with 70 points out of 100, followed by the Czech Republic with 50 points, and the Slovak Republic and Albania with 45 points each.
The 55 countries surveyed are all members of the Open Government Partnership, a new multilateral initiative to make governments better, and which aim is to secure concrete commitments from governments on topics of transparency, citizens empowerment, anitcorruption actions, and to encourage new technologies to strengthen governance.
According to the report private corporations around the world are benefitting from unjustified levels of secrecy around company registers which makes very difficult and hard to, for instance, how businesses are structured or who owns them. These practices are, according to Chris Taggart of London-based OpenCorporates, "likely to support unfair business practices and even corruption because there cannot be proper scrutiny from and accountability to shareholders or the general public.”

New Zealand is mentioned in the report because "all the information on the company register is open for everybody, without charge, without registration, and without significant restrictions. In addition, the entries on the register are much more detailed than on all the OGP countries we have examined, including directors, statutory filings and significant shareholders."

OpenCorporates’ report

Open Data actions in the 2012-2015 Irish eGovernment Plan

12 of April is the publishing date of the new Irish eGovernment Plan for 2012-2015. As the release says, the plan contains several commitments to data release and data sharing including a section on re-use of data. 

The Irish Government has adopted a "release by default" approach according to the source, meaning that PSBs will be required to release open Data and to make open formats of all types of documents available. At the same time, PSBs are required to produce exhaustive eGovernment plans outlining the implementation of these open Data measures, and will also be required to report on progress in implementing these plans.

The eGovernment Plan is aligned with the Public Service Reform Plan of last November 2011.

Report: PSI: Identification of Potential Exclusive Agreements – Spain / Final Report

Study on the potential existence of possible exclusive agreements between public sector bodies and third parties in Spain, in light of Article 11 of the Directive 2003/98/EC on the re-use of public sector information (the PSI Directive).

Call for proposals to OKFestival related to specific open knowledge and open data topics

OKFestival in Helsinki, 17-22 Sept 2012 

Open public data: meaning, value and stories

Open public data in the sphere of the European Digital Agenda, what it means and what is its value and some success usages.

Freedom of Information and Re-use in one information Policy

Post by Katleen Janssen in the Open Knowledge Foundation Blog where she analysis the links between freedom of information and right to access public information with the re-use rights of the PSI Directive. Some MS have seen the connection between both and have tried to incorporate in the same legislative text, but the author claims that for them to work, they should also be included into the information policy to avoid contradictions.

Tim Berners-Lee at TED 2009: The next web of open, linked data

For inspiration purposes on what to do with row data. Listen to Tim Berners-Lee at TED 2009 talking about The next web of open, linked data, and the things we can do just by linking. 

 

POPSIS Models of Supply and Charging for Public Sector Information (ABC)

POPSIS Pricing Of Public Sector Information Study - Models of Supply and Charging for Public Sector Information (ABC). The Deloitte report (October 2011). The study provides an insight into "Open data" Portals in Europe and offers some comparison with the US.
Final report
Summary report

Report: PSI in Sweden: from infringement to enforcement?

Report by Fredrik Sand, Stockholm Chamber of Commerce, on the PSI Swedish Act and future actions by the Government.
Report

OECD Recommendation on Public Sector Information (PSI) from 2008

Graham Vickery coordinated the OECD Working Party on the Information Economy analysis and policy principles for the development and use of public sector information (PSI), as well as the OECD Recommendation on public sector information which provides policy guidelines in order to improve access and promote the use of public sector information based on transparency, enhanced competition and more competitive pricing. This was adopted by the OECD Council on 30 April 2008.

Paper on the European Union Directive on the re-use of public sector information (2008)

Short analysis by Queensland University of Technology (QUT) of the PSI Directive
Analysis

Spain does not have right of access to information

According to NGO Access Info Europe, Spain is the only country with more than one million habitants that still does not have an Access to Information law.
They have analysed the current relevant legal provisions in Spain as well as the drafts law from the government and the opposition.
Documents

EU Commission took actions against Spain

By 1 July 2005 Member States should have had taken measures to put into practice the PSI Directive. Spain, among other 4 countries Portugal, Luxemburg, Austria and Belgium, did not do so and was taken to the European Court of Justice by the EU Commission. By doing this, the Commission aimed to achieve full implementation of the re-use norms across the EU landscape.
The EU is determained to make good use of the PSI due to the enormous economic potential. Back in 2005 it was estimated that the raw material for new added value services and products was worth from €10-48 billion in the EU. 
EU press release