Foreword

Open government cuts across a number of diverse domains and encompasses a wide range of principles and practices all aiming to make the relationship between governments and their constituencies more dynamic, mutually beneficial and based on reciprocal trust. Open government initiatives can help improving transparency, fostering public sector innovation, empowering people and making policy making processes more representative, inclusive and effective. Hence, open government can effectively contribute to increase the accountability of public institutions, their capacity to deliver services more in line with citizens’ and business’ demands, and to produce more economic and social benefits. As a result, open government is an important lever to maintain, or reinforce where needed, public trust.