DataBlog

Joining Piemonte, Lombardia, Veneto and other Italian regions, Emilia Romagna is now also making its own data available  to the general public in an open format. Part of the Regional Information Plan 2011-2013, this step is aimed at «increasing the transparency of local governance and enhancing the information assets of Public Administration, in order to strengthen citizen access and participation.»

At the moment, only raw data can be downloaded, but soon a variety of linked data will also be available. Current datasets cover mostly mapping and demographic statistics. After agreeing to the terms of use, users can download them, post comments and suggest new ways for their usability. «These open data initiatives also include an agreement with the Piemonte Region  to share technical elements, information indexing and organizational structures related to both portals – thus pursuing a common evolution of these projects. The Emilia-Romagna Region is also actively involved in the CISIS Inter-regional project “Open Data Italia”, along with several Italian regions. Other activities aimed at further expansion of the public's right to data access, include a regional portal for geographical data (“Geo-portal”) – based on an open data format and fully integrated with current datasets.»

Are these first datasets easy to manipulate by citizens and media professionals? The initial impression is that much more work needs to be done to ensure such practices. However, this is another positive signal confirming the overall trend toward broader openness and transparency in Italy's Public Administration.

(Marco Trotta)