This is envisaged by the draft Law on Open Data and Reuse of Public Sector Information adopted by the Parliament in the first reading. The document transposes into Moldovan law the provisions of the relevant EU Directive and provides for measures to ensure widespread reuse of public sector information and reduce barriers to this process.
The legislative initiative was drafted by the Ministry of Economic Development and Digitalization and is aimed at promoting transparency, innovation and efficient use of information resources. The bill regulates the procedure for submitting and processing requests for the reuse of public data for purposes other than those for which they were collected. It also establishes the procedure for appealing against refusals to disclose information.
The obligation of information holders to publish data in an open and accessible format will be regulated by law, which will facilitate their reuse for the development of innovative products and services. Thus, equal access to public information will be ensured. According to the authors, this will contribute to the competitiveness of the economy and stimulate research and development in various fields.
The proposed provisions also address the obligation to make valuable datasets available free of charge and to provide immediate access to dynamic data in real time.
The document contains personal data protection measures that strike a balance between data openness and respect for individual rights. According to the draft law, institutions will be obliged to modernize data collection and publication processes, as well as to reduce administrative costs and the time required to process requests for information.
It is specified that the bill will have a significant impact on both the private and social sectors. Open data can be used to identify new market opportunities, improve marketing strategies, develop new products, services and businesses. The use of open data will also reduce companies’ research and information gathering costs. The Ministry of Economic Development and Digitalization will organize the open data policy development process, and the e-Government Agency will conduct a detailed assessment of the government’s single open data portal – https://www.date.gov.md– to determine the needs for its development and modernization.
The new legal provisions will enter into force 12 months after official publication.
