🚀 go-pugleaf

Some of you may wish to comment on the privatization of government data.
Please cc: Herbert Burkert at the address given below on any responses
sent to SOS-DATA.  - Jim

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Jim Cassell                                    CASSELL@UNCVM1.OIT.UNC.EDU
Institute for Research in Social Science       CASSELL@UNCVM1.BITNET
University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill       Phone:  919-962-0782
Chapel Hill, NC  27599-3355                    Fax:    919-962-4777
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Information request:

In the context of a research project , PUBLAW 2 (information on the project
see below), sponsored by the European Communities, we are looking for
comments, references to public documents, publications on  the issue of
"Commercialization of Public Sector Information" in the US (federal level).



We would also be very grateful to be pointed out researchers or research
groups working (or having recently worked) on this issue be it from a
policy, legal and/or economic angle.

For response please contact me by e-mail:

burke@gmdzi.gmd.de

(p-MAIL: Herbert Burkert, GMD-FS.INFOW,Postbox 1316, D-5205 St.Augustin 1
Tel.: +49. 2241.14 33 26/ Fax.: +49. 2241.14 30 06)

I am a researcher at the information policy study group of the German
National Research Centre for Computer Science.

Background:

In Europe the development of the North American information market is seen
as a positive economic example. There are assumptions that  in this market
development the availability of public sector information for private
commercial information providers (for  value enhancement/sale/re-sale)
plays an important role. We would like to find out just how important this
role has been and is economically, whether there  still is  a conscious
policy to make such information available (beyond the OMB Circular A-130 of
1986 and the OMB Second Advance Notice of 1989), and what sort of conflicts
have occurred or are likely to occur (e.g.: the role of public libararies;
electronic FOIA and its fee structure vs. commercialized public sector
information: privacy implications of making personal information
available...).


Information on the project:


PUBLAW.2

A research study sponsored by
the Commission of the European Communities


In 1989, the European Commission published a set of Guidelines for
improving the synergy between the public and private sectors in the
information market.  These are intended to encourage public organisations
to make basic data and information more readily available to private sector
entrepreneurs in the information industry for the creation of new
value-added services.

Objectives of the study

Three years after the publication of the Guidelines, the European
Commission is sponsoring a follow-up study to assess their impact.  The key
questions to be addressed are: `How influential have the Guidelines been?'
`To what extent have they succeeded in stimulating activity in the
information market?'   `What problems have been encountered in their use?'
`Are there further initiatives which the European Commission should
consider to support the development of relationships between the public
sector and the private sector information industry?'

In addition to exploring these issues within the European context, PUBLAW.2
will consider recent experiences in North America by reviewing current
policies and practice in the USA and in Canada (both in the case of Quebec
and at Federal level).

Research team

The research will be carried out by the Policy Studies Institute (UK)
working in close association with the Gesellschaft fur Mathematik und
Datenverarbeitung (Germany); the Centre de Recherches Informatiques et
Droit (Belgium); and the British Library Consultancy Service.

PUBLAW.2 is sponsored by Directorate-General XIII (Telecommunications,
Information Industries and Innovation) in the context of the Commission's
IMPACT.2 programme (CEC Council Decision of 26 July 1988).
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MAIL:
Herbert Burkert/ GMD-FS.INFOW/ Postbox 1316/ D-5205 St.Augustin 1
GERMANY - Tel.: +49. 2241.14 33 26 Fax.:  +49. 2241.14 30 17 (private fax:
+49.221.37 34 78)
BESUCHER/VISITORS:
GMD-Tu-619/ Rathausallee 10/ D-5205 St.Augustin 1
E-MAIL: burke@gmdzi.gmd.de
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