DFØ

Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries (NFD)/ The Norwegian Agency for Public and Financial Management (DFØ)/Department of National IT Policy and Public governance (DFD).

Transparency International Norge

2023–2024

1. What problems will the commitment solve?

The need for better data on public procurement has previously been mentioned by, among others, the OECD and the Office of the Auditor General, as well as in DFØ’s letter of allocation. Data on public procurement can meet the needs of several target groups for access and knowledge, for example through insight into public agencies’ procurement practices and their effects.

There is a need for knowledge about the management of public procurement. This knowledge is needed both as a basis for overarching policy formulation and to follow up on overarching political goals. In addition, public agencies need data to be able to manage their procurement effectively and efficiently. To obtain a comprehensive picture of the agencies’ procurement costs, systematic procurement analyses must be prepared that show who buys what and from which suppliers (spend analysis).

At the same time, open administration is important for democracy because it helps to maintain a high level of public confidence that public funds are used efficiently. Statistics and data on completed procurements will give the public better knowledge of the scope, type and nature of procurements and who (at a general level) is awarded public contracts. This is information that can contribute to improved access to and control of public expenditure.

The initiative will provide the target groups with better insight through data and statistics, especially in the areas of announcements on Doffin, accounting data and supplier information, climate and environmentally friendly procurements, and public agencies’ procurement work.

2. What is the cause of the problem?

The problem is caused by:

• Access to data: often proprietary or entity-specific data is difficult to export or transfer due to legal obstacles or because it is technically labour-intensive.
• Technical data management solutions in DFØ: data management, both a technical data platform and expertise for operation and development, requires capacity and resources. The goal is to establish stable and secure framework conditions for the management of procurement-relevant data that enables dissemination and accessibility.

1. What has been done so far to solve the problem?

• DFØ has established ANS datasjø as a data platform for data management.
• DFØ has established the domain data.dfo.no where open data will be published.
• DFØ has carried out legal investigations into access to accounting and invoice data in dialogue with NFD.

2. What kind of solution is proposed?

• DFØ is working on gaining access to data, establishing data flow to the data platform, conducting analyses and publishing data and statistics openly.

3. What results will be achieved by implementing the commitment?

• Improved data-based knowledge and openness about public procurement based on DFØ’s quantitative data on public procurement.
• Clarification of DFØ’s role as a premise provider and primary source of quantitative data on public procurement.

How will the commitment promote openness?

DFØ’s ambition is to promote openness in public procurement by sharing raw data, analyses and statistics. The public can thus to a greater extent control and scrutinise data from procurement processes, but also from actual purchases and consumption. In addition, suppliers can use this data to build solutions and services that the general public and the public sector can use to gain better insight.

How will the commitment contribute to greater predictability?

Sharing data and statistics lays the foundation for the public and others to engage with public agencies to a greater extent. Predictability is made possible through detailed information about procurements, e.g. who the contracting authority is, what they procure, who wins the contract, the volume of the contract, etc.

How will the commitment improve the opportunity for citizens to participate by publicising, implementing and monitoring the solutions?

DFØ seeks to provide the general public with greater insight and knowledge about public procurement at a general level. It will also enable individuals and suppliers to investigate and analyse data, as well as compose news stories about procurement in the public sector.

1. Open data and statistics on public announcements, as well as statistics based on eBevis.
2. Statistics from accounting data and supplier information for public agencies
3. Statistics on climate and environmentally friendly procurement
4. Results and data from the procurement survey

1. Open data provides detailed insight into announcements made on Doffin, as well as statistics from the electronic collection of documentary evidence.
2. Provides insight into what expenses public agencies actually incur, within which categories, and which suppliers have large market shares within the public sector.
3. Better follow-up of the share of green procurement.
4. Overview of public agencies’ work with procurement.

2024

Enforce the regulations for universal design of ICT solutions as set out in Section 18 of the Equality and Anti-Discrimination Act and the regulations on universal design of information and communication technology solutions (ICT regulations).

The regulations require that websites, apps and self-service machines that the public and private sectors, including voluntary organisations, use in contact with the general public must be universally designed. The purpose is to promote equal participation in society, reduce and prevent new digital barriers and prevent discrimination. The regulations must be enforced and followed up through supervision, control, guidance and area monitoring.

The regulations have been extended for the public sector with effect from 1 February 2023, so that from this date, more and stricter requirements are set for universal design of ICT in the public sector, compared to the private sector.

Through the Authority for Universal Design of ICT (Uu-tilsynet), the Norwegian Digitalisation Agency (Digdir) is the supervisory and control body, while the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development is the appeals body and higher authority.

• Digdir represented by the Authority for Universal Design of ICT as control and supervisory body.
• The Ministry of Culture and Equality (KUD) is responsible for the Equality and Anti-Discrimination Act.
• The Ministry of Digitisation and Public Governance (DFD) is responsible for the ICT regulations.

• All associations and organisations that use websites, apps or vending machines in contact with the public are required to comply with the requirements of the ICT regulations.
• User organisations for persons with various types of disabilities and organisations for the elderly are stakeholders to a great extent. This submission has been reviewed by the Norwegian Association of the Blind, Norwegian Association of the Hearing Impaired, Dyslexia Norway and the Norwegian Federation of Organisations of Disabled People
• Other stakeholders are trade organisations such as market participants and supplier networks through the development and offering of ICT solutions that are universally designed

• The Storting is involved as legislator.
• The regulations apply to all entities in the private, central government and municipal sectors, including bodies governed by public law that use websites, apps or vending machines in contact with the public, which are required to comply with the requirements of the ICT regulations.

The ICT regulations were introduced in 2013 and apply to entities in the private and public sector, including voluntary associations and organisations. The education sector and the labour market were excluded.

In 2018, the ICT regulations were expanded to include digital solutions in the education sector.

In 2021, the Storting adopted a further expansion of the regulations for the public sector by incorporating EU Directive 2016/2102 on the accessibility of websites and mobile applications into the ICT regulations with effect from 1 February 2023.

1. What problems will the commitment solve?

The purpose is to ensure equal participation in society and prevent digital exclusion and discrimination. Digitalisation of society makes everyday life easier for many people. Social media, news, timetables, shopping, banking and public services can be accessed via PCs and mobile phones. While nine out of ten people go online several times a day many people experience digital exclusion. Disabilities, advanced age, skills and language challenges mean that many people are unable to participate in society on equal terms. Between 630,000 and 800,000 people over the age of 15 have a disability, and more than 600,000 feel that their digital skills are inadequate. Digital exclusion has major consequences for society and the individual.

Universal design of ICT should reduce exclusion and discrimination. The regulations shall in particular safeguard persons who are/have

• Visually impaired or blind
• Hearing impaired or deaf
• Mobility impairment or other motor disabilities
• Cognitive disabilities
• A primary language other than Norwegian

Deficiencies in the codebase of digital solutions can exclude those who use functionality for reading content, such as the blind, those with severely impaired vision, dyslexia or cognitive challenges. Poor contrast and insufficient possibilities for enlarging content make it difficult to use digital services for those with impaired vision. Without subtitles on videos and audio files, the content is inaccessible to those who are deaf or hard of hearing. Headings and links should be descriptive and help users find relevant content. This benefits everyone. If a website cannot be operated with a keyboard, those with motor disabilities, whether permanent or temporary, are excluded. Without good prompts on what to enter in the various form fields and sufficient time to complete and submit, those with visual impairments, cognitive disabilities, advanced age and little experience with digital services may miss out on necessary information, services they are entitled to and obligations they must fulfil. This is an example of the consequences of a lack of universal design. This will benefit those who need it most, but will also improve the quality of use for everyone.

2. What is the cause of the problem?

Digital exclusion has multiple causes. The benefits of digitalisation are often linked to the reduction of staffed services. Research from a user perspective shows that disabilities, health challenges, age, language barriers, a difficult financial or life situation and insufficient connection to the labour market make people vulnerable to exclusion in digital social arenas. These are also factors that mean that many people lack the necessary digital skills and knowledge of rights, obligations and organisation (often referred to as administrative or bureaucratic skills). Circumstances on the provider side are also of great importance. A lack of universal design, too little user involvement in the development of digital services, difficult and inaccessible language in digital solutions, a lack of user guidance and few resources for staffed provision of services mean that the demands placed on individual users for digital self-service are too great. The gap between society’s requirements and many users’ individual preferences is therefore too great. This creates digital exclusion – the bigger the gap, the more exclusion.

1. What has been done so far to solve the problem?

Norway was one of the first countries to demand universal design for ICT solutions in the private and public sectors. The EU followed suit in 2018 with similar regulations, but limited to the public sector. Since 2014, the regulations in Norway have been enforced through supervision of compliance in the private and public sectors, orders and other sanctions for violations of the regulations, guidance to entities that must comply with the regulations, communication activities and dialogue with industry and user organisations, area monitoring in the form of analysis and surveys to increase knowledge of the status of compliance and the consequences of digital exclusion in the absence of universal design.

2. What solution is proposed?

The initiatives/solutions presented here are in line with Digdir/the Authority for Universal Design of ICT’s plans:

1. Enforce expanded regulations for the use of ICT in line with the imposed guidelines for increased control volume. In 2023, sector supervision was carried out in the education sector, with at least 10 controls. Subject to available resources, from 2024, approximately 280 simplified controls and 30-35 in-depth controls of digital solutions in the public sector will be carried out. In addition, supervision and controls will also be carried out in the private sector after 2023.
2. Continue the work to digitise methods for control and supervision to effectively scale up the control activities.
3. Roll out the solution for accessibility declarations to help ensure that all public sector activities have declarations of compliance with the regulations.
4. Continue the work on guidance, communication, information work and contact with industry and user organisations.
5. Analyse data and disseminate knowledge about the status of universal design of ICT, digital participation and digital exclusion.
6. Contribute to updated and relevant regulations.

3. What results will be achieved by implementing the commitment?

The purpose is to promote equal participation in society, reduce and prevent new digital barriers and prevent discrimination.

The result of enforcing and following up the regulations through control and supervision, guidance and communication, analyses and surveys is

• that citizens, regardless of disability, will be able to participate in digital social arenas on equal terms.
• increased awareness and knowledge about universal design of ICT and contribute to ensuring that universal design is a continuous endeavour that is included from the start of all development projects and is maintained in further development and administration.
• increased knowledge and awareness of the extent and consequences of lack of universal design and digital exclusion.

• 1. How will the commitment promote openness?

The commitment promotes openness by making information and services more accessible through universal design of ICT, thereby promoting equal participation.

• 2. How will the commitment contribute to greater predictability?

The ICT regulations require the entities to ensure that digital solutions are universally designed.

From 1 February 2023, public sector activities and bodies governed by public law must also have accessibility declarations for all websites and apps. The declarations show the degree of compliance with each individual requirement in the regulations for universal design of ICT, and have functionality for users of digital solutions to report accessibility challenges.

Through the Authority for Universal Design of ICT, Digdir shall annually control the extent to which the entities comply with the regulations, and the results of the controls shall be reported to ESA/EU and made publicly available.

• 3. How will the commitment improve the opportunity for citizens to participate by publicising, implementing and monitoring the solutions?

The incorporation of EU Directive 2016/2102 into Norwegian law means that the total number of compliance checks must be greatly increased.

Norway is required to carry out annual in-depth controls of 30-35 websites and apps against all requirements in the regulations and up to 280 simplified controls of websites to identify violations of the regulations.

This will contribute to more universally designed solutions and open information about which solutions are most/least compliant with the regulations. Accessibility declarations and follow-up of feedback from users about accessibility challenges in the public sector’s digital solutions will also help to make the entities more accountable to users.

Simplified privacy statements on public websites

Contribute to public agencies formulating and publishing simplified and more understandable statements on the processing of personal data.

Ministry of Digitisation and Public Governance

Anyone who handles personal data

All entities and organisations that process personal data

1. What problems will the commitment solve?

It is a challenge that many privacy statements in both the public and private sectors are difficult to access. They are both legally and technically complex, and often linguistically complicated. This makes it difficult for data subjects to understand what personal data is processed and how it is processed. The aim of the commitment is to make such declarations more user-friendly.

2. What is the cause of the problem?

There is reason to believe that the concern about not providing sufficient information to fulfil the information obligations in the GDPR is the reason why many privacy statements are very complex.

1. What has been done so far to solve the problem?

We are not aware of any specific efforts on the part of the authorities to contribute to simplified privacy statements. However, some work has taken place under private auspices, such as the development of icons to replace written text, but we are not aware of anyone having utilised such solutions in Norway.

2. What kind of solution is proposed?

DFD, in possible cooperation with the Norwegian Data Protection Authority, DFØ and Digdir, has taken the initiative to prepare templates for privacy information/privacy statements. This will be a component of the work on the Central Government Communication Policy. The template can be utilised by the public sector as a basis for its information on the processing of personal data.

3. What results will be achieved by implementing the commitment?

Simplified and more understandable information about the processing of personal data for citizens. This will be in accordance with the information obligation in GDPR Art. 12(1).

• 1. How will the commitment promote openness?

More accessible and understandable information promotes openness in the public administration and helps to build trust between citizens and the public administration.

• 2. How will the commitment contribute to greater predictability?

Understandable information shows users how public agencies take responsibility and comply with the obligations of the data protection regulations, i.e. that they handle personal data in a lawful, fair and transparent manner, as required by the regulations.

• 3. How will the commitment improve the opportunity for citizens to participate by publicising, implementing and monitoring the solutions?

Template for simplified and more understandable privacy statements/information about the processing of personal data on public websites.

Digital inclusion

Ministry of Digitisation and Public Governance (DFD)

All ministries with subordinate agencies

Municipalities and county authorities

Seniornett Norway

Finance Norway, ICT Norway, the IT industry and the electronics industry.

Nordic Council of Ministers + the Baltic countries

1.1.2023–31.12.2025

1. What problems will the commitment solve?

Help prevent digital exclusion in all age groups

• Prevent people from being digitally excluded

2. What is the cause of the problem?

Age, lack of knowledge, disability, lack of skills in dealing with public administration, low trust and language and cultural barriers.

1. What has been done so far to solve the problem?

Since 1999, the Ministry has provided annual operating support to Seniornett Norway so that they can provide training for older people over the age of 65 who lack basic digital skills.

Since 2012, the Ministry has announced grants for various initiatives related to digital skills in the population. In recent years, the grants have been targeted at municipalities with the aim of contributing to the establishment of local low-threshold assistance programmes. Around 70 municipalities currently report that they have established a Digihjelpen programme offering guidance on basic digital skills.

In 2014, the Ministry organised several initiatives and activities aimed at citizens with low or inadequate digital skills, including in collaboration with Seniornett, the Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills (HK-dir) and KS.

On behalf of DFD, HK-dir operates and furthers the development of various training resources that can be used free of charge by anyone offering courses and training in basic digital skills. In March 2022, DFD and KS entered into a new cooperation agreement on the establishment of municipal assistance programmes to increase citizens’ digital skills. The agreement lasts until 2025. The Ministry manages a grant programme that aims to contribute to increased digital participation and skills in the population. The grant was increased from NOK 2 to 8 million in 2022.

2. What kind of solution is proposed?

• facilitate quality-assured and free assistance programmes for citizens with low or inadequate digital skills
• further develop cooperation with the municipalities’ KS organisation to facilitate the development of good local guidance services throughout the country
• work to make businesses more responsible for including all citizens in their digital service offerings
• facilitate that participation in publicly subsidised low-threshold offerings aimed at those with insufficient or low digital skills should, as a general rule, be free of charge
• ensure that the population’s level of digital skills is regularly surveyed
• collaborate with public, private and voluntary organisations to implement a campaign to motivate citizens who need digital skills training to sign up for courses.

3. What results will be achieved by implementing the commitment?

A reduction in the number of citizens over the age of 16 with insufficient or weak basic digital skills from 14 per cent in 2021 to 10 per cent in 2025.

• 1. How will the commitment promote openness?

Through increased understanding of how public administration works. Digital training increases trust and understanding.

• 2. How will the commitment contribute to greater predictability?

Citizens gain insight into and an understanding of their duties and rights. More people can “scrutinise the public administration”. Increases transparency and openness.

• 3. How will the commitment improve the opportunity for citizens to participate by publicising, implementing and monitoring the solutions?

Action plan with 29 initiatives

Establish a cooperation forum for digital inclusion

Grant programme for increased digital participation and skills

All milestones completed

Evaluation of the eInnsyn publishing service

The Ministry of Digitalisation and Public Governance (DFD) in cooperation with the Ministry of Justice and Public Security (JD) and the Ministry of Culture and Equality (KUD)

All entities that deliver or can deliver content (mail journals and links to full-text documents) to the publishing service.

General public. In addition, press and media organisations such as the Norwegian Press Association, Association of Norwegian Editors and Norwegian Union of Journalists.

Other relevant interest organisations such as:

Norwegian Bar Association

Federation of Norwegian Professional Associations

Amnesty International

Norwegian Directorate of Health

Norwegian Society of Records Managers and Archivists

Publish what you pay Norway

KS

Suppliers of other solutions for publishing public records

2023–2026

1. What problems will the commitment solve?

• Evaluate whether the service supports the right of access in the Freedom of Information Act.
• Evaluate whether the service supports the desire for more full-text publishing.
• Evaluate whether the service’s funding model is sustainable and contributes to administrative efficiency.
• Evaluate whether the service has efficiency gains for administrative processes related to the handling of access requests.

Elaboration:

The aim of the Open Government Partnership is to strengthen cooperation between citizens and the public administration because this cooperation is the very foundation of a good society. The OGP is based on the premise that the best way to create a more open, well-functioning and user-friendly administration is open, honest and extensive cooperation between the public sector and civil society.

eInnsyn is a publicly available publishing service for public mail journals, meetings and committees. Central government, as well as some county authority and municipal entities, publish mail journals and meeting and committee data on eInnsyn, where citizens can search for and access documents. Public agencies can include a link to full-text published documents in the journal record or meeting to which the document belongs. By making journals accessible, searchable and orderable in one and the same place, eInnsyn makes it very easy for citizens and the business community to demand access to public documents based on the right of access they have through the Freedom of Information Act. The service is unique in a global context.

Objective of an evaluation:

After several years of operation, the service should be evaluated in terms of whether the service delivers on the goals for the service and whether it is operated in an appropriate and responsible manner.

It should be evaluated whether the service is sufficiently user-friendly so that ordinary citizens without additional knowledge about the use of search parameters can find the information.

The evaluation can be one of several knowledge bases for a new strategy for eInnsyn.

2. What is the cause of the problem?

• The use of eInnsyn is authorised in the Freedom of Information Regulations, but this only applies to the central government sector. The municipal sector is only covered by the provision in Section 7.
• It can be very costly for the municipal sector to utilise eInnsyn as a publishing solution.
• The solution has been exposed to security incidents on several occasions, and this may give rise to assessments of whether the service should be better protected against such incidents.

1. What has been done so far to address the problem?

The publishing service has not been evaluated since the start of OEP with regard to how the service delivers in relation to the goals for the service. OEP/eInnsyn has received considerable international attention and positive publicity as the first of its kind, but has never been externally evaluated against its objectives.

2. What kind of solution is proposed?

An external evaluation of eInnsyn is therefore proposed. An external evaluation must, among other things, gather feedback and input from representatives from public administration, civil society and the media.

3. What results will be achieved by implementing the commitment?

Improvements to the service related to better goal achievement and an appropriate (sustainable) technical and organisational solution for the operation of the service.

A possible adjustment of goals for further development and operation of eInnsyn.

• 1. How will the commitment promote openness?

Contribute to the service continuing to be a good, secure and cost-effective tool for providing access to public documents.

Increase confidence that we are managing and further developing the best possible solution. Public authorities have access to a secure and efficient way of ensuring openness.

• 2. How will the commitment contribute to greater predictability?

Improved access to public documents.

The extent to which the current solution is geared towards the most user-friendly and comprehensive access to information from public agencies will be examined.

• 3. How will the commitment improve the opportunity for citizens to participate by publicising, implementing and monitoring the solutions?

An evaluated service will give citizens, the media and the press greater confidence that the service will provide the best possible overview of public documents for which access can be requested. A commitment to evaluating the service can make an important contribution to improving the service.

Start an evaluation:

2023–2026

Receive a report from the evaluation

2026

Develop a more strategic approach to anti-corruption work

1. The authorities shall develop a more strategic approach to anti-corruption work. Relevant initiatives will be addressed through the forthcoming white paper on economic crime and will be concretised in the follow-up of this report.
2. The authorities will launch an anti-corruption website with information about the breadth of anti-corruption work in Norway.

Ministry of Justice and Public Security

• Ministry of Justice and Public Security
• Ministry of Digitisation and Public Governance
• Ministry of Finance
• Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries
• Ministry of Labour and Social Inclusion
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Subordinate agencies such as the Police/Norwegian National Authority for Investigation and Prosecution of Economic and Environmental Crime (Økokrim)

Municipalities and county authorities

Transparency International (TI)

Private enterprises

Media

Whistle-blowers

2023–2027

1. What problems will the commitment solve?

Corruption is a threat to the rule of law, democracy, human rights and social justice, and can also hinder economic development and distort competition. International and national surveys show that the level of corruption in Norway is very low compared with most other countries. An established culture of openness and trust between authorities, business and civil society – together with clear zero tolerance for corruption – are important prerequisites for this low level. Despite the fact that there is little corruption in Norway, we know that corruption also exists here. Each year, judgments are handed down that show that corruption occurs in public administration and in private companies. Many of the criminal cases of corruption that have been prosecuted in Norway are of a very serious nature. Furthermore, surveys, including the 2021 citizen survey, TI’s annual corruption index and the Global Corruption Barometer (2021), show that many citizens believe that corruption and nepotism exist in the central government and municipalities.

Norwegian authorities prioritise active participation in international cooperation against corruption. Active participation in international forums helps us to assess where we stand in our anti-corruption efforts and what holes need to be filled at any time. The evaluations have revealed weaknesses in preventive measures, and Norway has received several recommendations from various international organisations such as the UN, GRECO and OECD. Norway is endeavouring to follow up on the advice we receive from the international organisations.

There is a need for continuous efforts to prevent corruption. Cooperation across sectors and between the public and private sectors is key to achieving effective prevention and combating corruption in Norway and internationally. It is also important to ensure that confidence in the democracy/authorities in Norway remains high in the future.

A high standard of anti-corruption work and information about the breadth of the authorities’ efforts in this area could help to build such trust.

2. What is the cause of the problem?

Authorities are more likely to be guilty of corruption when preventive efforts are inadequate, attitudes and awareness are low and acts of corruption are not sufficiently detected, investigated and prosecuted.

Critical diligence is needed between all actors in Norwegian society to prevent the risk of corruption from increasing.

1. What has been done so far to solve the problem?

The corruption provisions in the Penal Code were introduced in 2003 (Sections 387-389 of the new Penal Code continue the provisions of the Penal Code of 1902).

Norway is a signatory to several anti-corruption conventions:

• OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions of 21 November 1997
• Council of Europe Criminal Law Convention on Corruption of 27 January 1999
• United Nations Convention against Corruption of 31 October 2003.

Økokrim prepares annual threat assessments and in 2022 Økokrim published an indicator list of types of corruption. Inadequate follow-up of the threat assessments from Økokrim has been pointed out.

While the business community/private enterprises prepare their own anti-corruption programmes, only a few municipalities have done the same. The scope, quality and effectiveness of anti-corruption programmes have not been systematically surveyed.

An inter-ministerial cooperation forum has been established.

Citizen surveys are regularly conducted.

A national scope survey on economic crime (aimed at agencies and municipalities) was conducted in 2022.

The Government has decided to present a report to the Storting (white paper) on combating economic crime.

There is little binding follow-up in the form of national, local and sectoral plans within the public sector.

2. What kind of solution is proposed?

The forthcoming white paper on economic crime emphasises a comprehensive approach to prevention and the fight against all economic crime, including corruption. Preventing and uncovering corruption takes place in cooperation with many different actors, such as the police, whistle-blowers, media, banks, etc. Cooperation between the public and private sectors is therefore essential to achieve effective prevention and battle corruption. Among other things, the report will focus on the need for knowledge building, such as research and solutions that can ensure more effective prevention, detection and investigation of economic crime.

With regard to corruption in particular, the report could, for example, focus on the following initiatives:

• Analysing risk areas and discussing the occurrence of risk factors
• Summarising knowledge about the prevalence of the problem in different areas of society
• Recommending procedures and main elements in preventive work
• Formulating goals and expectations (requirements) for anti-corruption programmes in the public and private sectors (prepare guidelines, etc.)
• Evaluating police investigations and criminal law enforcement of corruption in light of the fact that it is 20 years since the provisions came into force
• Identifying training needs and proposing training programmes that can help bolster expertise in anti-corruption matters
• Identifying potential weaknesses in existing legislation and considering legislative changes

The Ministry of Justice will establish a website with information about the authorities’ anti-corruption efforts. The breadth of the anti-corruption work, where a very large number of ministries and agencies have responsibilities within their sectors, and where there are also many different national and international initiatives and follow-ups, will be visualised through the launch of such a website.

3. What results will be achieved by implementing the commitment?

1. Strengthen the ability to prevent, detect and fight corruption.
2. Contribute to lower corruption in Norway.
3. Raise awareness in the population, private business and the public sector.
4. Improve the dialogue between authorities and the population to prevent corruption.

• 1. How will the commitment promote openness?

Open dialogue between authorities and the population on anti-corruption efforts. This can also prevent corruption.

A collective clarification of the authorities’ attitudes to corruption, various measures to prevent and detect corruption, and the consequences of breaking the law, is expected to have a preventive effect on both the public and public authorities.

• 2. How will the commitment contribute to greater predictability?

The strategy’s goals and measures will lead to greater assurance of equal treatment and legal safeguards by reducing the opportunity to carry out corrupt acts.

• 3. How will the commitment improve the opportunity for citizens to participate by publicising, implementing and monitoring the solutions?

The white paper and its follow-up will give citizens a more informed basis for participating in, influencing and following up public efforts in this area. The website will help to make access to information for citizens clearer and more effective, which in turn can provide greater opportunities for participation and monitoring of the authorities’ efforts in this area.

End of 2023

2024-2027

June 2023

Need for regular updates

Openness in the justice sector

Follow up work to improve access to criminal case documents to make the rules more consistent with prevailing law established by both the Supreme Court and the ECtHR, cf. Supreme Court rulings HR-2013-641-A, HR-2015-2536-A, HR-2021-526-A and Magyar Helsinki Bizottság v. Hungary (18030/11), 8 November 2016, and follow up the consultation round following the report on public access to documents in criminal cases, Aarli, R. 2021

Ministry of Justice and Public Security

Media organisations

Start-up 2023

Completion during the first half of 2025.

1. What problems will the commitment solve?

The press finds it difficult to gain access to the police’s criminal case documents and that this makes it difficult for the media to exercise its role as a "public watchdog" in an important area.

2. What is the cause of the problem?

The press is of the opinion that the regulations are outdated.

1. What has been done to solve the problem?

A report has been circulated for consultation.

2. What kind of solution is proposed?

Follow up the report.

3. What results will be achieved by implementing the commitment?

The work on the commitment aims to have initiated an expedient process that will lead to updated regulations on the basis of Aarli’s report, for example by initiating further investigation work. It is natural that relevant stakeholders such as the media, representatives from the prosecution service, the legal profession and the courts are involved in the work of updating the legislation in an appropriate manner.

• 1. How will the commitment promote openness?

Better legal rules will force better practice and can, if properly formulated, help to simplify the access process and provide good guidance to those assessing access.

• 2. How will the commitment contribute to greater predictability?

Better insight into events and institutions in society can make it easier to join debates and get involved.

• 3. How will the commitment improve the opportunity for citizens to participate by publicising, implementing and monitoring the solutions?