London: 24 October 2008

The UK Whiteahall & Westminster World has published an article titled: Information Age following the Unlocking the Potential of Public Sector Information Conference that took place in London on the 14 October 2008. The opening paragraphs of the article state:

“The Office of Public Sector Information wants government agencies to lead the way in building a 21st century knowledge economy through innovative information-sharing. Director Carol Tullo explains how

What does public sector information mean to you? Enshrined in legislation by the EU’s Re-use of Public Sector Information Regulations 2005, which implemented the EU Directive on Re-use, is the goal of making Europe a competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy.

The directive recognised the enormous value of public sector information (PSI) and the contribution PSI could make to stimulating the development and growth of Europe’s information industry. Understanding the potential of freeing up access, and removing barriers to re-use, lie at the heart of our push to raise awareness of the potential for transforming how the citizen and state interact.

Initiatives in the UK lead the field in Europe, but we are not complacent. The initial economic drivers for the directive are complemented by the UK embracing innovative opportunities that allow government to engage with the citizen. This makes for more efficient government through more effective information-sharing, and creates services tailored for each community with the user at the centre.”