Open government builds the trust displayed by citizens, enhances their safety and security, and encourages their faith in the future. Open government means that the measures taken by public administration must be transparent, ethical and accountable, and that information and services must be accessible. It also means enabling citizens to participate in the preparation of decisions and in the planning and implementation of services. Open government means that public administration is open to new ideas, demands and needs. An open government approach is a tool to improve the quality of democracy so that it better meets the needs of the people. The Ministry of Finance promotes open government with other parties such as government agencies, NGOs and municipalities. Work related to open government is carried out under the Open Government project based on an open government strategy and a national action plan.
Open government work areas include:
Access to information: Access to information principle mean the right to obtain information about the activity of authorities.
Easy to understand: Government texts, services and reforms are clear and understandable.
Trust: Trust is a central goal for open government. Its is also an area where the aim is to increase the knowledge base on how trust can be strengthened and assessed.
Communication: Communication is two-directional and a key part of all work in the areas of open government.
Participation: All those interested have a possibility to participate in the preparatory work and development. Government is responsive to new ideas, requirements and needs.
Open procedures: Government develops its procedures into more open in all of its areas.
Government as enabler: Government supports civil society's possibilities and tears down barriers to its activities.
Open data: Data can be used in open and machine-readable format.
The Ministry of Finance commissioned the OECD to carry out a survey of public trust in government in Finland. The aim of the survey was to gain insights into the current state of trust, and also particularly to identify opportunities for improving trust in Finland. Finland is a country in which the level of trust is high. Finland does well in international comparisons of trust when measuring the trust citizens have in government. However, trust in public institutions varies, and according to the OECD’s survey, is lower outside the Helsinki capital region, for example. Trust is also higher in social groups that are more highly educated and have better prospects for the future. Trust must be fostered to improve Finland’s prospects of coping well with the major challenges that lie ahead, such as climate change and the transformation of work.
