Open Data Strategy by the German Federal Government

In July 2021 the German Federal Government adopted an Open Data Strategy.((Press Release by the Federal Government, Kabinett beschließt Open-Data-Strategie der Bundesregierung, 7^th July 2021, http://www.bmi.bund.de/SharedDocs/pressemitteilungen/DE/2021/07/open-data-strategie-der-bundesregierung.html;jsessionid=56DBD8A0FF428852D0A9D0F3842BF8FD.2_cid295?nn=9390260.)) The “Open-Data-Strategie der Bundesregierung” is available only in German as .pdf file via the publication service of the Federal Government. Initially, this document has no direct implications for the Max Planck Society. Nevertheless, it is worth taking a closer look at the paper, as it provides a good insight into current developments in governmental open data.

Prehistory of the Strategy Paper

The strategy is, among others, in the context of the European Directive 2019/1024 (PE/28/2019/REV/1) on open data and the re-use of public sector information (PSI Directive). An open data strategy was also part of the German coalition agreement of the governing coalition from 2018 till 2021.((Federal Government, Koalitionsvertrag zwischen CDU, CSU und SPD, 2018, p. 46, https://www.bundesregierung.de/resource/blob/974430/847984/5b8bc23590d4cb2892b31c987ad672b7/2018-03-14-koalitionsvertrag-data.pdf?download=1.)) The draft bill for an 2^nd Open Data Act was discussed in December 2020.((Entwurf eines Gesetzes zur Änderung des E-Government-Gesetzes und zur Einführung des Gesetzes für die Nutzung von Daten des öffentlichen Sektors, 17^th December 2020, https://www.bmwi.de/Redaktion/DE/Downloads/Gesetz/referentenentwurf-zweites-open-data-gesetz-und-datennutzungsgesetz.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=8.))

With the strategy that has now been published, the federal government is creating a framework for action for the federal administration to develop an open data ecosystem for the federal government.((Press Release by the Federal Government, Kabinett beschließt Open-Data-Strategie der Bundesregierung, 7^th July 2021, http://www.bmi.bund.de/SharedDocs/pressemitteilungen/DE/2021/07/open-data-strategie-der-bundesregierung.html;jsessionid=56DBD8A0FF428852D0A9D0F3842BF8FD.2_cid295?nn=9390260.))

Structure of the Strategy

The Federal Government’s Open Data Strategy is scheduled to run for five years.((Press Release by the Federal Government, Kabinett beschließt Open-Data-Strategie der Bundesregierung, 7^th July 2021, http://www.bmi.bund.de/SharedDocs/pressemitteilungen/DE/2021/07/open-data-strategie-der-bundesregierung.html;jsessionid=56DBD8A0FF428852D0A9D0F3842BF8FD.2_cid295?nn=9390260.)) The strategy paper consists of four parts. The first part deals with goals and motivation. The second part deals with added value and opportunity. The third part analyses the current (legal) status. And the fourth part shows two different fields of action of the paper. The strategy paper has a total of 30 pages and is only available in German and as a .pdf file.

Interesting Aspects for RDM in the Strategy Paper

The strategy paper focuses on Open Government Data. Nevertheless, it contains interesting points for research data and research data management.

For example, the Federal Government likes for see that research data by the Federal Administration will also be covered by the obligation to provide.((Bundesregierung, Open Data Strategie, 2021, p. 15, https://www.bmi.bund.de/SharedDocs/downloads/DE/publikationen/themen/moderne-verwaltung/open-data-strategie-der-bundesregierung.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=3.)) For clarification, this does not concern the Max Planck Society, as it is not part of the direct federal administration. This concerns the research institutions of the indirect federal administration (Ressortforschung), such as the Robert Koch Institute, the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt or the Federal Statistical Office.((Bundesregierung, Open Data Strategie, 2021, pp. 20, https://www.bmi.bund.de/SharedDocs/downloads/DE/publikationen/themen/moderne-verwaltung/open-data-strategie-der-bundesregierung.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=3.)) It is also worth noting that the FAIR principles, for example, are specifically mentioned in the paper.((Bundesregierung, Open Data Strategie, 2021, p. 8, https://www.bmi.bund.de/SharedDocs/downloads/DE/publikationen/themen/moderne-verwaltung/open-data-strategie-der-bundesregierung.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=3.))

Open Government Data

When is data “Open Government Data” in the sense of this strategy? ((Bundesregierung, Open Data Strategie, 2021, p. 6, https://www.bmi.bund.de/SharedDocs/downloads/DE/publikationen/themen/moderne-verwaltung/open-data-strategie-der-bundesregierung.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=3.))

Public authorities have collected the data themselves or had it collected by third parties,
freely accessible via public networks,
machine-readable,
not personalised,
freely usable,
no security-relevant information.

The Kompetenzzentrum Open Data (CCOD)

A strategy paper is one thing, the concrete implementation is another. The CCOD, located in the Federal Office of Administration, is the central contact point for the federal administration and the Open Data offices of the Länder. The CCOD offers concrete assistance in order to build up the necessary acceptance and competencies for the provision of Open Data in the public authorities, especially in the context of § 12a EGovG.((Bundesregierung, Open Data Strategie, 2021, p. 16, https://www.bmi.bund.de/SharedDocs/downloads/DE/publikationen/themen/moderne-verwaltung/open-data-strategie-der-bundesregierung.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=3.)) The metadata are posted on the national metadata portal GovData so that they can be found by anyone.

The CCOD will present its work on 22^nd September in the Max Planck Digital Library’s “Open Science in Practice” series. This is a good opportunity for MPG members to get in touch with the staff there and find out about Open Data.

Prehistory of the Strategy Paper

Structure of the Strategy

Interesting Aspects for RDM in the Strategy Paper

Open Government Data

The Kompetenzzentrum Open Data (CCOD)

Further Reading