The implementation of an open government in the Brazilian federal government: next steps and new challenges

Abstract

In 2011, with the creation of the Open Government Partnership, a process of implementing a more open government in Brazil began. Since then, public policies and tools have been developed to increase the openness of public data, especially in the federal government. Almost a decade later, some important steps have been taken, but much remains to be done. Added to this are the new challenges and opportunities that arise with the public health emergency that has shaken the social and economic structures of countries around the world. In this scenario, this paper seeks to provide an overview of the degree of implementation of an open government in the Brazilian federal government in these almost ten years. To this end, it analyzes the law, public policies and tools created in the theme, evaluates the monitoring and maturity of data opening in federal agencies and, finally, outlines the next steps for an expansion of this objective, considering the new challenges and peculiarities of the Covid-19 pandemic. It uses the methodological technique of case study and the content analysis procedure, collecting statistical data, bibliography and international recommendations. At the end, the essay shows there is a need for a profound reformulation of the public data opening policy, especially due to the repercussions of the pandemic on Public Administration. The originality aspects of the research derive, in particular, from the collection of primary data about the opening of data from federal agencies and the approach used. It thus contributes to the essential and urgent need to improve public decision-making in the open data age.