Creation of new agency brings together all current French open data initiatives.

With the publication of a decree on 31 October, the French government has created a new agency Secrétariat général pour la modernisation de l'action publique (general secretariat for the modernisation of public administration).

The new agency is a combination of existing agencies and programs concerned with the modernisation of government services and open government data, bringing them all under one banner, and falling under the responsibility of the office of the Prime Minister. Most notably the national French open data program Etalab is a part of this new agency. It also combines the DISIC (interministerial directorate for information systems and communication) and the DGME (directorate general for the modernisation of the state).

With this step, a press release states, the French government is reconfirming its dedication to open data, and makes it a core building block of the modernisation of the public administration.

It was also announced that the current Etalab director Severine Naudet will be leaving the agency.

The roadmap for Etalab will be detailed in the coming time, but will continue its mission to provide free access to governmentheld data.

GFII, a French association of information industry companies and Fing, a NGO with a focus on the information society, both see the new step as a strengthening of efforts.