OpenGovIntelligence · Project

Open Data Toolkit That Helps Governments Build Smarter Public Services

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Governments sit on mountains of statistical data — employment figures, environmental readings, economic indicators — but most of it is locked in formats nobody can easily use. This project built a set of user-friendly tools that turn that raw government data into linked, searchable, reusable information. Think of it like giving city halls a "Google for their own data" so they can build better online services together with citizens and businesses. They tested it across 6 countries on real problems like unemployment tracking and environmental policy.

By the numbers

Countries where pilots were conducted

Consortium partners

Countries represented in consortium

Iterative software releases (demo deliverables)

Total project deliverables produced

The business problem

What needed solving

Governments collect vast amounts of statistical data but struggle to make it accessible, interoperable, and useful for building citizen-facing digital services. Different departments and countries use incompatible formats, making it nearly impossible to combine datasets or co-create services with the public. This results in duplicated effort, poor policy decisions, and missed opportunities for data-driven innovation.

The solution

What was built

The project delivered a complete ICT toolkit through 3 iterative releases — from first prototype to final production software — designed to help public administrations publish, link, and exploit statistical data. The toolkit was validated through real-world pilots in 6 countries covering unemployment, environment, economic growth, and e-government services.

Audience

Who needs this

GovTech software companies building data platforms for public sector clientsNational statistics offices modernizing their data publishing infrastructureSmart city solution providers integrating multiple government data sourcesEmployment and labor market analytics firms serving government agenciesE-government consultancies helping municipalities digitize public services

Business applications

Who can put this to work

GovTech / Public Sector IT

SME

Target: Software companies selling digital platforms to municipal or national governments

If you are a GovTech vendor struggling to help your government clients make sense of scattered statistical datasets — this project developed a complete ICT toolkit (with 3 release iterations) that converts raw government statistics into linked open data and powers co-created public services. It was piloted across 6 countries on real government challenges including unemployment and environmental policy.

Business Intelligence & Data Analytics

mid-size

Target: Data analytics firms serving public sector or policy research clients

If you are a data analytics company whose clients need to combine statistical data from multiple government sources — this project created tools for publishing and consuming Linked Open Statistical Data across borders. The toolkit was validated by 12 partner organizations in 7 countries, proving it works across different national data systems.

Regional Development & Employment Services

any

Target: Employment agencies, economic development organizations, or workforce planning consultancies

If you are a workforce planning organization that needs timely, integrated labor market data to guide policy decisions — this project built and tested data-driven services specifically targeting unemployment analysis and economic growth indicators. The pilots addressed real decision-making challenges inside public administrations at both national and local levels.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to adopt or license these tools?

The project produced open ICT tools through 3 iterative releases (prototype, second release, final software). As an EU-funded Research and Innovation Action, the tools are likely available under open-source terms. Licensing costs would need to be confirmed with the coordinator, but public funding typically favors open access.

Can these tools handle the scale of a national government's data?

The toolkit was piloted in 6 countries at both national and local government levels, which suggests it was designed for real-world scale. The pilots tackled actual public administration challenges including internal decision-making and e-services. However, specific performance benchmarks are not available in the project data.

Who owns the intellectual property?

IP is shared among the 12-partner consortium across 7 countries, governed by the EU grant agreement. The coordinator is ETHNIKO KENTRO EREVNAS KAI TECHNOLOGIKIS ANAPTYXIS (CERTH) in Greece. Specific licensing terms should be discussed directly with the consortium.

Was this tested in real government environments?

Yes. The project ran pilots in 6 countries covering national and local government levels. Pilot areas included internal PA decision-making, Points of Single Contact e-services, environment protection, economic growth, and unemployment — all real operational settings, not lab simulations.

How does this comply with EU open data regulations?

The project was specifically designed around Linked Open Statistical Data standards, aligning with EU open data directives. It addresses the full chain from data publishing to consumption and co-creation of services. Based on available project data, regulatory alignment was a core design requirement.

What is the timeline to deploy this in my organization?

The final software release is available as a completed deliverable. Since the project ended in January 2019, the tools are mature but may need updating for current technology stacks. Deployment timeline depends on your existing data infrastructure and integration requirements.

Consortium

Who built it

The 12-partner consortium spans 7 countries (Belgium, Estonia, Greece, Ireland, Lithuania, Netherlands, UK) with a balanced mix of 3 universities, 2 research organizations, 2 industry players, and 5 other organizations including public bodies. The 17% industry ratio is typical for a public-sector innovation project — the real value here is the diverse government connections across countries. With 2 SMEs in the mix, there is some commercial DNA, though this is primarily a research-and-public-sector effort. The coordinator CERTH is a major Greek research center with strong applied technology credentials. For a business looking to license or build on these tools, the multi-country validation is a strong selling point.

ETHNIKO KENTRO EREVNAS KAI TECHNOLOGIKIS ANAPTYXISCoordinator · EL
UNIVERSITY OF GALWAYparticipant · IE
MINISTRY OF ADMINISTRATIVE RECONSTRUCTIONparticipant · EL
MARINE INSTITUTEparticipant · IE
MAJANDUS JA KOMMUNIKATSIOONIMINISTEERIUMparticipant · EE
VLAAMSE GEWESTparticipant · BE
TALLINNA TEHNIKAÜLIKOOLparticipant · EE
TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITEIT DELFTparticipant · NL

How to reach the team

CERTH (Greece) — use Google AI Search to find the project coordinator's contact details

Order a report on this consortium See ETHNIKO KENTRO EREVNAS KAI TECHNOLOGIKIS ANAPTYXIS profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want an introduction to the OpenGovIntelligence team to discuss licensing their data toolkit for your government clients? SciTransfer can arrange a direct meeting with the right person.

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