Implementation of the Action Plan for the Implementation of the OGP Initiative in the Republic of Croatia in the period 2012-2013
At its session held on April 5th 2012 the Government of the Republic of Croatia adopted the Action Plan for the implementation of the OGP Initiative in Croatia for the period 2012-2013 . This document was made in accordance with a number of commitments that the Republic of Croatia had undertaken by joining this global initiative, as well as in line with the Program of the Croatian Government for transposing and implementing the EU acquis communautaire for the year 2012.
As a member of the global Open Government Partnership Initiative, the Republic of Croatia has shown its readiness to support the principles of transparency, fight against corruption, citizens’ empowerment and use of the new technology benefits, in order for the public administration bodies on all levels to become more efficient and responsible, and the preconditions to be made for more efficient and innovative public service provision and public resource management.
Having joined the OGP in September 2011, Croatia undertook the commitment to make a national action plan. For the purpose of information, consultation and encouragement of active participation of civil society and the interested public in drafting of the Action Plan, public discussions were organized in September 2011, January and March 2012, on which the main achievements were presented as well as the challenges in strengthening the openness of public administration bodies. At the end of January 2012 an on-line consultation was held on the key issues covered by the draft action plan. In addition, civil society organizations have been enabled to participate equally in all stages of the document making.
Such approach is in line with the Government goals to create space for a joint action by government, citizens and CSOs in creating, implementing and monitoring policies that are of direct interest to the citizens, thus initiating transparency and openness of public administration work, as well as including citizens and civil society in public policy making.
The measures and implementing activities suggested by the Action Plan are divided into four areas: fiscal transparency, access to information, IT use and engagement of citizens and civil society.
Certain implementing bodies and co-implementing partners have been determined for the implementation of each activity, and clear indicators have been defined, which will enable monitoring of the implementation of the measures and activities of the Action Plan.
The Action Plan implementation is monitored and coordinated by the Council for the Open Government Initiative and the Government Office for Cooperation with NGOs as a professional support to the Council's work.
In the period from August 2nd to September 4th 2013 a public consultation on the draft Report on the Implementation of the Action Plan for the OGP Initiative implementation in Croatia for the period 2012-2013 was held.
The Croatian Government accepted the Report on the Implementation of the Action Plan for the OGP Initiative for the period 2012-2013 at its session held on September 26th 2013.
The Report showed that, during the first year of the Initiative implementation, certain significant results had been achieved, especially in the area of the improved consultation with the interested public and the right to access information, although certain challenges remained to be solved in the upcoming period. This primarily referred to part of the activities regarding fiscal transparency, as well as the IT use, where the results defined by the Action Plan are yet to be seen. On the other hand, the Croatian Government, i.e. certain ministries and other state bodies have implemented a significant number of other activities contributing to the goals set by the Action Plan, by which the Croatian Government has proved its intention to implement the principles and standards committed by its accession to the OGP Initiative. Based on the self-assessment of the Action Plan implementation, as well as on the results of the Independent Report made by an independent expert elected at the Initiative international level, it can be seen that, despite the fact that significant results have been achieved, it is necessary to put additional effort in achieving transparency and openness as the guiding principles of good governance.
The Government of the Republic of Croatia is determined to continue with the OGP initiative implementation in the Republic of Croatia, having considered numerous benefits for the citizens generated by the implementation of open government standards, primarily by improving public service provision, larger accessibility of state administration bodies and bigger trust of the public as the key factors of sustainable economic and social development, as well as acknowledging the need for continuous exchange and mutual support among the countries participating in this global initiative. Therefore, at the end of 2013 the drafting of a new Action Plan for the OGP initiative implementation in the period 2014-2016 was started, having taken into account the previous experiences and lessons learnt, and the Action Plan was developed in cooperation with a wide circle of stakeholders from different sectors.
The Government Office for Cooperation with NGOs held two rounds of public consultation on the Action Plan for the OGP Initiative implementation in Croatia in the period 2014-2016.
The initial on-line consultation on the priorities of this Action Plan was organized in the period from October 28th to November 11th 2013.
Also, in the period from March 19th to April 18th 2014 an on-line consultation was held on the draft action plan. A number of operational meetings were held in the period from December 15th 2013 (when the first meeting was held) to the final draft of the Action Plan in June 2014, during which the comments received in both rounds of the public consultation were discussed and additional suggestions were made, which were then jointly discussed in order to define specific measures and activities of the new Action Plan. The representatives of the Council for the OGP Initiative, competent state administration bodies and CSOs participated at these meetings. The report on the conducted public consultation can be found here.
The Croatian Government adopted the Action Plan for the OGP initiative for the period 2014-2016 at its session held on July 10th 2014. The new Action Plan predicts 16 measures and 46 implementing activities, which will be implemented by 20 state bodies by the year 2016, in the following four key areas:
As a member of the global Open Government Partnership Initiative, the Republic of Croatia has shown its readiness to support the principles of transparency, fight against corruption, citizens’ empowerment and use of the new technology benefits, in order for the public administration bodies on all levels to become more efficient and responsible, and the preconditions to be made for more efficient and innovative public service provision and public resource management.
Having joined the OGP in September 2011, Croatia undertook the commitment to make a national action plan. For the purpose of information, consultation and encouragement of active participation of civil society and the interested public in drafting of the Action Plan, public discussions were organized in September 2011, January and March 2012, on which the main achievements were presented as well as the challenges in strengthening the openness of public administration bodies. At the end of January 2012 an on-line consultation was held on the key issues covered by the draft action plan. In addition, civil society organizations have been enabled to participate equally in all stages of the document making.
Such approach is in line with the Government goals to create space for a joint action by government, citizens and CSOs in creating, implementing and monitoring policies that are of direct interest to the citizens, thus initiating transparency and openness of public administration work, as well as including citizens and civil society in public policy making.
The measures and implementing activities suggested by the Action Plan are divided into four areas: fiscal transparency, access to information, IT use and engagement of citizens and civil society.
Certain implementing bodies and co-implementing partners have been determined for the implementation of each activity, and clear indicators have been defined, which will enable monitoring of the implementation of the measures and activities of the Action Plan.
The Action Plan implementation is monitored and coordinated by the Council for the Open Government Initiative and the Government Office for Cooperation with NGOs as a professional support to the Council's work.
The Croatian Government accepted the Report on the Implementation of the Action Plan for the OGP Initiative for the period 2012-2013 at its session held on September 26th 2013.
The Report showed that, during the first year of the Initiative implementation, certain significant results had been achieved, especially in the area of the improved consultation with the interested public and the right to access information, although certain challenges remained to be solved in the upcoming period. This primarily referred to part of the activities regarding fiscal transparency, as well as the IT use, where the results defined by the Action Plan are yet to be seen. On the other hand, the Croatian Government, i.e. certain ministries and other state bodies have implemented a significant number of other activities contributing to the goals set by the Action Plan, by which the Croatian Government has proved its intention to implement the principles and standards committed by its accession to the OGP Initiative. Based on the self-assessment of the Action Plan implementation, as well as on the results of the Independent Report made by an independent expert elected at the Initiative international level, it can be seen that, despite the fact that significant results have been achieved, it is necessary to put additional effort in achieving transparency and openness as the guiding principles of good governance.
The Government of the Republic of Croatia is determined to continue with the OGP initiative implementation in the Republic of Croatia, having considered numerous benefits for the citizens generated by the implementation of open government standards, primarily by improving public service provision, larger accessibility of state administration bodies and bigger trust of the public as the key factors of sustainable economic and social development, as well as acknowledging the need for continuous exchange and mutual support among the countries participating in this global initiative. Therefore, at the end of 2013 the drafting of a new Action Plan for the OGP initiative implementation in the period 2014-2016 was started, having taken into account the previous experiences and lessons learnt, and the Action Plan was developed in cooperation with a wide circle of stakeholders from different sectors.
The Government Office for Cooperation with NGOs held two rounds of public consultation on the Action Plan for the OGP Initiative implementation in Croatia in the period 2014-2016.
The initial on-line consultation on the priorities of this Action Plan was organized in the period from October 28th to November 11th 2013.
Also, in the period from March 19th to April 18th 2014 an on-line consultation was held on the draft action plan. A number of operational meetings were held in the period from December 15th 2013 (when the first meeting was held) to the final draft of the Action Plan in June 2014, during which the comments received in both rounds of the public consultation were discussed and additional suggestions were made, which were then jointly discussed in order to define specific measures and activities of the new Action Plan. The representatives of the Council for the OGP Initiative, competent state administration bodies and CSOs participated at these meetings. The report on the conducted public consultation can be found here.
The Croatian Government adopted the Action Plan for the OGP initiative for the period 2014-2016 at its session held on July 10th 2014. The new Action Plan predicts 16 measures and 46 implementing activities, which will be implemented by 20 state bodies by the year 2016, in the following four key areas:
- improvement of legal framework for achieving the right to access information
- proactive announcement of information and open data
- transparency of public administration work, with the emphasis on fiscal transparency
- participation of the public in public-policy making and implementing