The State of Open Data in Latvia: 2014
This paper examines the state of Open Data in Latvia at the middle of 2014. The study is divided into two parts: (i) a survey of open data situation and (ii) an overview of available open data sets. The first part examines the general open data climate in Latvia according to the guidelines of the OKFN Open Data Index making the results comparable to those of other participants of this index. The second part examines datasets made available on the Latvia Open Data community catalogue, the only open data catalogue available in Latvia at the moment. We conclude that Latvia public sector open data mostly fulfil the basic criteria (e.g., data is available) of the Open Data Index but fail on more advanced criteria: the majority of data considered in the study are not published in machine-readable form, are not available for bulk download and none of the data sources have open license statements.
💡 Research Summary
The paper provides a systematic assessment of the open data landscape in Latvia as of mid‑2014, dividing the analysis into two complementary parts. The first part applies the Open Knowledge Foundation’s Open Data Index (ODI) methodology to a selection of ten core public sector datasets—budget, legislation, transport, company registration, environment, education, and others. Each dataset is evaluated against the ODI’s ten criteria: existence, online availability, machine‑readability, cost‑free access, timeliness, bulk download capability, open licensing, API provision, user feedback mechanisms, and data quality management. The findings reveal that Latvia meets the basic prerequisites: the data exist and are publicly posted, yielding an overall ODI score of roughly five out of ten. However, the country scores near zero on advanced criteria. Most datasets are offered only as PDF documents or static HTML pages, which precludes automated processing. Bulk download options are absent, and none of the datasets carry an explicit open licence, creating legal uncertainty for reuse. Timeliness is uneven, with only a subset of data refreshed regularly.
The second part examines the sole open‑data catalogue operated by the Latvian Open Data Community. This catalogue lists about thirty datasets, but the accompanying metadata are inconsistent, and licensing information is missing for all entries. No APIs are provided, and update cycles are irregular, limiting the catalogue’s utility for developers, researchers, and businesses. The authors attribute these shortcomings to a lack of coherent national open‑data policy, insufficient technical infrastructure, and an underdeveloped legal framework governing data openness.
By benchmarking Latvia against more mature EU members such as the United Kingdom, Germany, and France, the study highlights a pronounced gap, especially in machine‑readability and licensing. The paper argues that Latvia’s current compliance with the basic ODI criteria is insufficient for realizing the broader benefits of open data—transparency, citizen engagement, and data‑driven economic growth.
To bridge this gap, the authors propose a set of concrete measures: (1) centralise data publishing through a national portal that adheres to international standards (CSV, JSON, XML) to ensure machine‑readability; (2) attach clear open licences (e.g., CC0, ODC‑BY) to every dataset to eliminate legal barriers; (3) implement bulk download facilities and RESTful APIs to facilitate large‑scale reuse; (4) establish regular update schedules and quality‑control processes; and (5) create a multi‑stakeholder governance model that incorporates feedback from civil society, academia, and the private sector, thereby fostering a vibrant ecosystem of open‑data applications. The authors conclude that while Latvia’s public sector has taken initial steps toward openness, substantial policy and technical reforms are required to move from basic data availability to a mature, innovation‑friendly open‑data environment.