Netherlands Launches Major Open Data Conference to Reshape Government Transparency Policy

2025-12-22 data

The Hague, Monday, 22 December 2025.
The Dutch government will host a pivotal conference on January 22nd, 2026, marking the beginning of consultations for future-proof open data policy. This strategic initiative aims to establish open data as the foundation of transparent governance and societal innovation, bringing together experts from government, academia, and industry to address critical challenges in data accessibility and reuse.

Strategic Framework for Digital Governance

The Open Data Conference 2026 will take place on January 22nd, 2026, from 12:30 to 18:00 at the auditorium of the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations in The Hague [1]. This conference represents the starting point for consultations on future-proof open data policy, with the ministry organizing the event to work toward a clear objective: establishing open data as an essential foundation of an open government and an innovative, resilient society [1][5]. The initiative comes at a crucial time when the Netherlands seeks to strengthen its digital governance framework and enhance transparency across government sectors.

Comprehensive Program Design

The conference program features several key components designed to maximize stakeholder engagement and policy development. The event will begin with an opening and reception of position papers by Mark de Boer, deputy secretary-general of the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations [1]. Attendees will receive knowledge and inspiration from experts including David Graus from OpenGovLab at the University of Amsterdam and Stephan Okhuijsen from Datagraver [1]. The program includes interactive breakout sessions organized around three key tracks: Supply & Quality, Platform & Infrastructure, and Demand, Reuse & Innovation [1]. These sessions will involve organizations such as Open State Foundation, Tiltshift, Statistics Netherlands (CBS), ODISSEI, and Waag Futurelab [1]. The day will conclude with a panel discussion featuring experts from government and civil society organizations, followed by agenda-setting activities and a networking reception [1].

Target Audience and Stakeholder Engagement

The conference targets a diverse audience of professionals working in data-related fields and governance. Specifically, the event is designed for data professionals, implementation professionals, policymakers, researchers, administrators, non-governmental organizations, politicians, and journalists who work with open data, information management, or digital innovation [1]. This comprehensive approach reflects the ministry’s recognition that effective open data policy requires input from multiple sectors and disciplines. Registration is required through a dedicated form, with limited places available, emphasizing the selective nature of this policy consultation process [1].

Netherlands’ Open Data Infrastructure

The Netherlands already operates an extensive open data ecosystem through its national data portal, data.overheid.nl, which currently hosts 26,959 available datasets [2][3]. These datasets span 16 different thematic categories, with the largest collections in Nature and Environment (4,859 sets), Economy (4,175 sets), and Governance (3,028 sets) [2][3]. The portal demonstrates the scale of existing government data availability, providing context for why future policy framework development is essential. Recent dataset updates on December 21st, 2025, included wind model statistics covering 1979-2013 data for areas 10-200 meters above the North Sea, and livestock unit and methane emission data [2][3], illustrating the ongoing expansion and maintenance of the national data repository. This existing infrastructure serves as the foundation upon which the new policy framework will build, ensuring continuity while addressing emerging challenges in data accessibility and reuse.

Bronnen

government policy open data