Recommendations & Conclusions Chris Corbin ePSIplus Analyst London, UK, 2 nd November 2007 funded by eContentPlus

An update on the ePSIplus actions following the Helsinki Pricing meeting recommendations & conclusions 1.Switching on the ePSIplus pricing and economic scorecard - this has been delayed due to a current shortage of evidence to underpin scores. As soon as enough evidence has been obtained it will be switched on. 2.To hold an ePSIplus meeting with the European competition authorities to raise the awareness of the issues arising from the PSI Directive implementation. This has been agreed and will be scheduled for 2008 possibly second half. 3.To hold an ePSIplus meeting with the European Audit bodies to raise the awareness of the issues arising from the PSI Directive implementation. The approach currently is to invite such bodies to the pricing 2 & 3 meetings 4.The final set of feedback on the Helsinki Pricing meeting report has still to be included on the published report for Helsinki. This will be completed in the near future and then frozen.

5.Update of economic statistics - PRIMET has been active in this area with respect to the meteorological sector and PRIMET will be presenting here in London on their latest research work. 6.A new section under ePSIplus Reports on Member State pricing policy has been set up. The section contains only UK policy documents at the current time. ePSIplus Thematic network stakeholders are invited to submit Member State pricing policy documents to ePSIplus for posting to the one stop shop on PSI. 7.The European Commission have informed the ePSIplus Thematic Network that they have the legal right to provide an update or review on the Directive’s impact at any time and that the Directive (Article 13) does not need to be amended to achieve this. An update on the ePSIplus actions following the Helsinki Pricing meeting recommendations & conclusions

Other ePSIplus actions that are supporting: The decision to form a European PSI Association was agreed at the ePSIplus Brussels meeting on the 19 October The membership was open for Private companies involved in re-using PSI and Associations. The planned launch date was January 2008 in Prague - would coincides with the Czech National PSI meeting. An update on the ePSIplus actions following the Helsinki Pricing meeting

Recommendations to ePSIplus Objective (For ePSIplus to propose to the European Commission) To propose recommendations that deliver the PSI Directive vision or spirit in a time scale that delivers real benefit in the shortest interval of time that are: practical (can be implemented) deliverable reduce the excessive cases and that takes account of the PSI baseline (European wide PSI status). In making the recommendation: Who is involved? What resources are needed? What transitional measures might need to be implemented? How will we know it has an effect? (How can we measure it)

Recommendations to ePSIplus LevelPolicyPSIHRe-userRegulator European Member State Region Local

Recommendations to ePSIplus During the meeting there have been recommendations for evidence to be obtained and published. The ePSIplus web site have a number of TABS (yellow along the top) where evidence can be placed and input is needed from the thematic network stakeholders. Cases - complaints - the complaints already listed provide a format for the information required. Good Practice - examples needed. The OPSI delegate pack for the London meeting will be added as an example of good practice. There is a need to show where things are working well or are setting good practice for others to consider and follow. (Note: Action re OPSI pack completed) Reports. Products - need to document cross border products and services that are re-using PSI.

Recommendations to ePSIplus During the meeting there have been recommendations to: Study one or two countries that have implemented the Directive in the spirit that was intended. A number of the Baltic Member States were cited as examples worthy of consideration. The ePSIplus analysts have invited such Member States to present at meetings but they have so far declined on the basis that they are not ready. To take this recommendation forward may require an ePSIplus Analyst to document the position and place it on the ePSIplus one-stop-shop to PSI. Bottom up case studies be produced. Top down frameworks that enable comparison. Producing and publishing a set of Charging (Pricing) principles. This will be taken forward via a mix of methods including a topic on the ePSIplus forum. It was noted that this maybe at too high a level when real change was needed at the PSIH level. (In some cases) To engage politicians. This is an action ePSIplus is considering which includes an event in the European Parliament building in the Autumn or early winter of 2008/09. Exploratory investigations are in process on this. Possible involvement in the Conference next May. It is worth noting that both Pricing meetings have been opened and addressed by elected politicians. (City Politician in Helsinki, Minister of State in London). Plans for the third pricing meeting to be opened by a Member State politician are being explored.

Recommendations to ePSIplus During the meeting there have been recommendations to (continued): To produce an ePSIplus Best Practice (Guide) for implementation of the Directive. (A check list). This is actively being considered and will be built from the materials placed on the ePSIplus web site but work on this would not commence until early Help is needed from the ePSIplus thematic network to build up the base of information in all languages. It was observed that a number of studies and reports were underway in the UK all of which will be published by the end or 2007 early 2008 and these may provide evidence that would assist. (these would add to the UK OFT CUPI report, UK Cabinet Office report Power of information.) The wealth of information on the ePSIplus web site is not reaching the PSI stakeholders in certain countries especially French and Germanic speaking countries. Attempts to encourage people to access the content have met with negative responses. The actions from the recent Brussels meeting on the establishment of the IAG were cited as a good example. It was noted that this was due to an organisation agreeing to provide English/French/German versions. It was noted that there were examples of reflectors (linguistic) that had been established to address this issue. The Czech PSI Watch portal was cited as an example.

Recommendations to ePSIplus During the meeting there have been recommendations to (continued): It was evident from the meeting that a number of issues related to Charges, Pricing, and Transparency were impeding progress which led to the view that the Directive needed to be strengthened especially to remove options for the Member States to implement variations. The request for action was coming from existing PSI re-users as well as PSI Regulators. If the Directive could be strengthened then this would assist the PSI regulators, competition authorities and audit authorities. It however was noted that this was a medium term action as it would be late 2008 before the decision to strengthen the Directive would be made and then this had to be passed at the EU level and then transposed at the Member State level. There were many very frustrated PSI Re-users that needed action in the short term rather than medium term. To achieve such a step ePSIplus was being pushed for hard evidence that this was really needed. It was noted that improved transparency was possibly the top priority. The ePSIplus thematic network should attempt to document the PSI implementation variations within member States that had a Common law base with those that had an Administrative law base. One possible method would be via the scorecard providing the documentary evidence was available. The focus should be placed on the long tail of PSIH and re-users for example the health sector. If this was shown (through documentary evidence) to be working well then this would provide pressure on the other PSIH’s to follow.

Recommendations to ePSIplus During the meeting there have been recommendations to (continued): The ePSIplus Thematic Network to consider building upon the UK Power of Information report. A holistic approach was needed including that of the citizen or customer. The ePSIplus Thematic Network should provide reference materials to past experiences of opening up utilities, telecommunications and postal services as many of the arguments put forward by PSIH’s currently had been heard before and proven to be not sustained in other sectors. It was time for naming and shaming to be followed to give visibility to demonstrate the good and the bad. The role of mediation between parties should also be considered and presented as an alternative. The need to give PSI Champions from across Europe visibility The recommendations raised will be considered and first taken forward into the report of the meeting and once completed and agreed by the experts attending then the ePSIplus central team of coordinator plus analysts will consider the recommendations which may include consulting with the European Commission and also with national champions.

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