Public Policy Connections

EC Finalizes IDABC Prototype

The European Commission finalized the prototype of the Interoperable Delivery of Government Services to Administrations, Businesses and Citizens' (IDABC) eInvoicing and eOrdering project. The IDABC prototype allows an extensible markup language (XML) invoice to be sent to the commission's electronic procurement, invoicing and ordering (e-PRIOR) system and to be automatically integrated into the back-office system after a number of validations. IDABC aims to promote and support the establishment of a viable framework for government services at European level and implement policies and activities to boost the efficiency of business and public administration services.

Read news story.

SLA Submits "Improved Information Access at the EPA" Statement to Obama Transition Project

On 22 December 2008, SLA submitted a statement to the EPA Review Team leads of the Obama-Biden Transition Project entitled “Improved Information Access at the EPA”. SLA’s statement stressed that the EPA must provide not only the agency's staff, but the general public, with access to its important environmental information to fulfill its mission of protecting human health and the environment.  It also urged EPA to tap the expertise of information professionals who understand the needs of audiences and how to collect, analyze and disseminate information.

Read statement.

Organizations Demand Bailout Transparency

More than 75 organizations, including SLA, sent a letter to members of the U.S. Congress expressing concern that the Executive Branch has provided no transparency into how taxpayer money is being spent or shared the decision-making process behind the financial bailout initiatives. The letter also urges Congress to use its oversight authority to make the financial bailout more accountable to the American public, and to use its legislative authority to make it more transparent.

France Withdraws Security Database after Public Outrage over Privacy

The French government withdrew a security database, named EDVIGE, after unions, non-profits, and civil liberties groups forced the government to make its existence public in July. 

 

The EDVIGE database could have tracked anyone deemed a possible threat.  President Nicolas Sarkozy intervened, ordering the government to reconsider its scope after critics protested database’s ability to track minors (as young as 13) and gather information on people's health and sexual orientation. A more modest database with a different name is expected to take its place.

 

Read news story.

 

Read news story on EDVIGE.

Google Adds Magazine Articles to Book Search

Google recently announced an initiative to add magazine archives, in addition to current issues, to Google Book Search, with full articles now showing up alongside search results for various keywords. Google has partnered with a number of publishers to digitize their offerings and link them in the book search.

 

Read news story.

SLA Comments on Library of Congress's Proposed Exemptions to Copyright Provision

SLA has joined other organizations in submitting joint comments that support broadening the Library of Congress's proposed exemptions to laws that prohibit people from circumventing technological measures put in place to control access to copyrighted materials.

The Digital Millenium Copyright Act, which contains the (17 U.S.C. § 1201(a)(1)(C) prohibition, also calls for the Library of Congress to periodically propose classes of work that should be exempt from the prohibition as it applies to individuals who would be adversely affected.

The comments address the last group of exemptions granted by the Library of Congress, which exempted audiovisual works in an educational or university library or a media studies department accessed for the purpose of making compilations for educational use in the classroom, specifically by media studies or film professors.

The comments are pursuant to the Notice of Inquiry published by the Copyright Office in the Federal Register titled "Exemption to Prohibition on Circumvention of Copyright Protection Systems for Access Control Technologies"  and  argue that 1) the exemption should be broadened to apply to audiovisual works included in any college or university library, not just the library of the media studies department, and 2) that the exemption should apply to classroom uses by instructors in all subjects, not just by media studies or film professors. Read Comments.

Federal Register Launches New Electronic Public Inspection Desk

The U.S. Office of the Federal Register has created an Electronic Public Inspection Desk to provide free worldwide electronic access to public documents. Every U.S. Federal business day, anyone with access to a computer now can read critical documents governing Federal regulations relating to business, health, and safety as soon as the documents are placed on file.

Read National Archives press release.

SLA Supports 21st Century Right-to-Know Agenda

In November, SLA signed on in support of OMB Watch’s report titled Moving Toward a 21st Century Right-to-Know Agenda, Recommendations to President-elect Obama and Congress.

The report promotes transparency to officials throughout the U.S. government and pushes for a new level of government openness. Copies of the report have been shared with the Obama Transition Committee, and were released on 11 November 2008. The list of supporters, both organizational and individual, will continue to be updated, so sign-ons are still welcomed. Sign on here.