Open Data: A Stepchild in e-Estonia’s Data Management Strategy?

The availability of open data has increased dramatically, partly in reaction to several types of government agencies publishing their raw data. Access to and use of open data is not only essential for the development of public policy and delivery of various services, but it is also of eminent value for private (and often economic) purposes. To meet these demands, the availability of open data has increased dramatically both domestically and EU-wide. Nevertheless, it is still access to and use of personal data which is usually in the spotlight of public—and also legal—debates. Contributing to fill this gap, this paper analyses the significance of open data and the resulting challenges imposed by the widespread lack of specific open data policies. The paper also provides an overview of the existing systems used in Estonian governance to ensure access to open information, but also highlights the shortcomings, before it finally makes proposals on how to improve open data disclosure practices in Estonia.