OPEN GOVERNMENT INDEX IN EU COUNTRIES

Source: The World Justice Project (WJP) Open Government Index 2015

1. PUBLICIZED LAWS AND GOVERNMENT DATA

The first dimension of the WJP Open Government Index measures whether basic laws and information on legal rights are publicly available, presented in plain language, and are made accessible in all languages used by significant segments of the population. This dimension also measures the quality and accessibility of information published by the government in print or online (i.e. active transparency), and whether administrative regulations, drafts of legislation, administrative decisions, and high court decisions are made accessible to the public in a timely manner.

EU Ranking

1. Finland
2. Denmark
3. UK
4. Sweden
5. Austria
6. Netherlands
7. Estonia
8. Germany
9. Italy
10. Slovenia, Spain, Belgium
11. France
12. Poland
13. Hungary, Portugal
14. Croatia
15. Czech Rep
16. Bulgaria, Greece
17. Romania

2. RIGHT TO INFORMATION

The second dimension measures whether requests for information held by a government agency are granted (assuming the information is a public record). It also measures if these requests are granted within a reasonable time period, if the information provided is pertinent and complete, and if requests for information are granted at a reasonable cost and without having to pay a bribe. This dimension also measures whether people are aware of their right to information, and whether relevant records – such as budget figures of government officials, ombudsman reports, and information relative to community projects – are accessible to the public upon request.

EU Ranking

1. Sweden
2. Estonia
3. Netherlands
4. UK
5. Denmark, Poland
6. Austria, Finland
7. France, Belgium, Czech Republic
8. Germany
9. Portugal
10. Croatia
11. Greece
12. Slovenia
13. Italy
14. Spain, Bulgaria
15. Hungary
16. Romania

3. CIVIC PARTICIPATION

The third dimension measures the effectiveness of civic participation mechanisms, including the protection of the freedoms of opinion and expression, and assembly and association, and the right to petition the government. It also measures whether people can voice concerns to various government officers and members of the legislature, and whether government officials provide sufficient information and notice about decisions affecting the community, including opportunities for citizen feedback.

EU Ranking

1. Sweden
2. Denmark
3. Germany
4. Finland, Austria
5. Netherlands
6. Belgium, UK
7. France
8. Portugal
9. Estonia
10. Czech Rep 
11. Poland 
12. Spain 
13. Italy
14. Romania
15. Greece, Croatia
16. Bulgaria, Slovenia
17. Hungary

4. COMPLAINT MECHANISMS

The fourth dimension measures whether people are able to bring specific complaints to the government about the provision of public services or the performance of government officers in carrying out their legal duties in practice, and how government officials respond to such complaints. It also measures whether people can challenge government decisions before another government agency or a judge.

EU Ranking

1. Denmark
2. Sweden
3. Finland
4. UK
5. Estonia
6. Germany, Belgium
7. Poland
8. France
9. Austria
10. Portugal
11. Czech Rep
12. Spain
13. Slovenia
14. Romania
15. Greece
16. Italy
17. Croatia
18. Bulgaria
19. Hungary