The legal and institutional enabling environment for open government in Costa Rica: Towards an open state

Robust institutional and legal frameworks are at the heart of the successful implementation of open government policies and initiatives. This chapter analyses the main legal and institutional underpinnings which constitute the basis for Costa Rica’s path towards an open state. The chapter recognises the important progress the country has made through the transfer of responsibility for open government from the Digital Government Technical Secretariat to the Deputy Ministry of the Presidency for Political Affairs and Citizen Dialogue and through the creation of the National Open Government Commission and underlines the solid legal basis for open government at the local level. In order to further strengthen the enabling environment for open government, the chapter recommends passing an Access to Information Law and drafting a Law on Citizen Participation.