Jack Thurston posted this on FollowTheMoney.eu
First European Open Data Summit: 5-7 May, Brussels
The people who brought European Union farm subsidy payments into the open (and who are behind the FollowTheMoney.eu website) are proud to announce the first European Open Data Summit, 5-7 May, in Brussels.
The Summit will bring together the farmsubsidy.org team and leading lights in access to information, investigative and computer-assisted reporting and ‘civic hacking’ for three days of intensive collaboration, very much with an emphasis on getting things done. We will take stock of recent moves towards greater transparency in the EU publish a new inventory of European open data and work on new democracy and transparency website. The Summit itself is invitation-only but it will conclude with a press conference / briefing session at the International Press Centre, in the Residence Palace, from 2pm to 3.30pm. Commission Vice-President Siim Kallas, who is responsible for the European Transparency Initiative, will open the session.
Who we are
A network of journalists, researchers, activists and programmers working together, across borders, to push the boundaries of government data transparency in the EU.What we do
We use our rights under access-to-information law to open up government-held data to public scrutiny and make public data available in ways that are useful to people. So far our work has mostly focussed on budget data but we are expanding our work to other types of data.Why we do it
We all have a right to know how what the government does on our behalf, whether that means spending money or doing other things that affect our everyday lives. National governments and EU institutions hold enormous quantities of data, collected at our expense but too often kept secret. Transparency is equally important in both in the fight against corruption and the pursuit of better government and democracy.Why a ‘summit’
Summits seem to be in fashion this year and we like the metaphor of scaling a mountain of government data. Sometimes it really feels that way. And a few of us like to climb real mountains too.Want to get involved?
Are you a database sleuth, investigative reporter, civic hacktivist, or an expert in EU policies and institutions? Do you know where government data is held and want help getting it out? Have you got a great idea for a democracy or transparency website? Would like to take part in the Summit? If so, send an email to summit {at} eutransparency(.)org explaining why or register your interest on the project wiki, kindly hosted by the Open Knowledge Foundation. If you’re not based in Brussels and really can’t afford to pay your own way, we may be able to help with travel costs.[From First European Open Data Summit: 5-7 May, Brussels | FollowTheMoney.eu]