The publication of open government data reinforces transparency, participation and innovation in all sectors of society. The Confederation's administrative units are implementing these principles sustainably and securely by gradually disseminating their data free of charge, in a timely manner, and in an open and machine-readable format. Drawn up by the Open Government Data Office, which is attached to the Federal Statistical Office (FSO), the 2024-2027 master plan for open government data (OGD master plan), pursues and supports this objective and sets out activities in the field of open government data up to 2027.
With the entry into force of the EMOTA, the open by default principle, which is part of the 2019‒2023 Open Government Data Strategy, is now enshrined in law. The federal administration must therefore by default publish its data in the form of OGD within three years. A plan of measures has thus been drawn up (2024‒2027 OGD Masterplan) to pursue the OGD Strategy and support the federal administration in implementing EMOTA article 10 on open government data.
The OGD Masterplan sets out the principles, goals and measures for open government data and defines implementation priorities for the federal administration. The publication and use of OGD give rise to new questions relating to areas including law, ethics and governance, as well as to new responsibilities. The measures in the OGD Masterplan will help to clarify these. The OGD Office is also strengthening its role as an information centre for open access government data. It supports the use and publication of open government data and automated tools for data processing. The OGD Masterplan is also an important reference document for the cantons, communes and parastate enterprises, which are encouraged to promote the open access publication of government data.
To support the administrative units in implementing EMOTA article 10, five principles have been defined, each with its corresponding measures. These guidelines are designed to familiarise people with core principles of OGD such as 'open by default' and 'open by design', and to promote collaboration, exchange and networking within the OGD community, so that the full potential of open government data can be exploited within the framework of legal, organisational, technical and semantic requirements. Emphasis has been placed on developing synergies with research and data science. The implementation of this act is also intended to ensure that Switzerland remains both compatible and competitive in the field of OGD at international level.
