The presentation took place at the annual Open Data Day event, dedicated to the role of open data in the development of democratic society, organized with the support of the USAID/UK aid project "Transparency and Accountability in Public Administration and Services / TAPAS" and in partnership with the Eastern Europe Foundation.
Over the past years, Ukraine has been a leader in the pace of open data development in Europe. Every month, over 7 million Ukrainians use products and services based on open data. Despite the challenges of wartime, access to some registries was temporarily restricted, but work on the open data direction did not stop.
Open data is an effective tool for overcoming the challenges of war and for managing recovery efficiently. Vice Prime Minister for Innovation, Education, Science, and Technology, Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, Mykhailo Fedorov, emphasized this:
"Ukraine is the only country in the world developing open data in wartime. In recent years, we have entered the top three European leaders in the development of this sphere. For the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, work in this direction is a priority. Open data helps to monitor the reconstruction process by providing citizens with access to information on funding, stages, and project management in recovery. This ensures openness and transparency in the country's recovery process. At the same time, open data helps to create the most effective strategies, taking into account the real needs and desires of the population."
To maintain the pace of development in this area, the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine has developed a plan for open data work for the coming years. The vision was presented at Open Data Day 2024 by Mstyslav Banik, Director of the Department of Electronic Services Development at the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, and Yanina Liubiva, an expert in open data at the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine.
The plan includes five strategic directions: implementation of national open data policy, work on security aspects during the state of war, modernization of national and local portals, improvement of data quality and accessibility, and skills development in working with data. Among the main tasks of the Ministry of Digital Transformation are:
- Approval of the national strategy for the development of the open data sphere
- Amendments to legislation regarding data standardization, approval of high-value datasets
- Harmonization of Ukrainian legislation with European standards
- Coordination with law enforcement agencies and the Ombudsman's Office to find optimal solutions for data publication
- Restoration of access to the Unified State Register of Legal Entities, Individual Entrepreneurs, and Public Formations, tax reporting
- Establishment of the Registry of Damaged and Destroyed Property
- Implementation of an updated methodology for conducting a three-part test to achieve a balance between national security and openness
- Creation of an educational ecosystem in the field of open data
- Updating the architecture and functionality of the national open data portal
By 2026, the Ministry of Digital Transformation plans to add approximately 100 new mandatory datasets for publication, conduct training for 5,000 civil servants, 200 journalists, and students from over 10 higher education institutions, and provide grant support to 15 services based on open data.
Furthermore, through the use of open data and products based on them, the Ukrainian government improves the transparency of its institutions and disrupts corrupt schemes. This was emphasized in a speech by Theodora Dell, Deputy Director of the USAID Mission in Ukraine:
"The Open Data Day celebrated today reminds us of the crucial role data plays in strengthening democracy worldwide. In this regard, Ukraine is a true leader. The collaboration between government, civil society, business, and international partners in Ukraine demonstrates how open data can work for the benefit of society."
Ensuring access to public information also impacts the development of digital products based on open data. Today, over 100 existing open data services help Ukrainians verify business partners, receive free medication and medical services, safely invest in real estate, and more. Stefan Kossoff, Director of Development at the British Embassy, emphasized the importance of supporting such projects:
"For eight years, we have been supporting the development of open data in Ukraine, including startups that integrate open data into their products. Each year, new services emerge thanks to support programs, improving the lives of Ukrainians, minimizing corruption risks, and helping to address the challenges of war. In just the past two years, eight teams developing open data products have received around $240,000 in grant support. Currently, new opportunities are opening up for the tech industry to develop products that will have social benefits and help Ukraine in its recovery and rebuilding efforts."
The event also discussed trends, solutions, and directions for the development of open data in Ukraine, and educational courses on open data advocacy and data journalism were presented.
