UNESCO Publishes Policy Guidelines Related to Governmental Public Domain Information
27-05-2004 (Paris)
Guidelines to advise countries on policies for the development and promotion of governmental public domain information, taking account of both national needs and international practices have now been published by UNESCO as the role and value of public domain information, especially of information produced by the public sector, is generally poorly understood.
Prepared by Paul F. Uhlir, the document entitled "Policy Guidelines for the Development and Promotion of Governmental Public Domain Information" is an advisory tool for governments on policy concerning public domain information.
The Guidelines emphasize the importance of governmental public domain information, which contributes to the economic and social development by greater transparency of governance, promotion of democratic ideals, enhancement of public health and safety and serving essential scientific and technical research functions.
The publication encourages governments to play a leading role by defining the scope of available governmental public domain Information according to the nation’s needs, adopting a national “Freedom of Information” law and developing and implementing a comprehensive Governmental Public Information Policy Framework, as well as recommends an approach to access and use of governmental information protected by intellectual property laws.
The Guidelines, prepared in response to a resolution of the 29th session of the General Conference of UNESCO, closely corresponds to measures foreseen in the Recommendation concerning the Promotion and Use of Multilingualism and Universal Access to Cyberspace and the Declaration of Principles and the Plan of Action of the World Summit on the Information Society.
Bibliographic reference
Policy Guidelines for the Development and Promotion of Governmental Public Domain Information / prepared by Paul F. Uhlir. - Paris: UNESCO, 2004. - viii, 39 p. ; 30 cm. (English only, other language versions being prepared)
The Guidelines emphasize the importance of governmental public domain information, which contributes to the economic and social development by greater transparency of governance, promotion of democratic ideals, enhancement of public health and safety and serving essential scientific and technical research functions.
The publication encourages governments to play a leading role by defining the scope of available governmental public domain Information according to the nation’s needs, adopting a national “Freedom of Information” law and developing and implementing a comprehensive Governmental Public Information Policy Framework, as well as recommends an approach to access and use of governmental information protected by intellectual property laws.
The Guidelines, prepared in response to a resolution of the 29th session of the General Conference of UNESCO, closely corresponds to measures foreseen in the Recommendation concerning the Promotion and Use of Multilingualism and Universal Access to Cyberspace and the Declaration of Principles and the Plan of Action of the World Summit on the Information Society.
Bibliographic reference
Policy Guidelines for the Development and Promotion of Governmental Public Domain Information / prepared by Paul F. Uhlir. - Paris: UNESCO, 2004. - viii, 39 p. ; 30 cm. (English only, other language versions being prepared)
Related themes/countries
· Promotion and Use of Multilingualism and Universal Access to Cyberspace
· Public Domain Information: News Archives 2004
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