Nine model municipalities from all parts of Germany, from cities with millions of inhabitants to municipalities with 4,000 inhabitants, are currently working together on the "Model Municipality Open Government" project of the Federal Ministry of the Interior, the German Association of Towns and Municipalities and the German County Association. The City of Bonn is one of the municipalities selected at the time to take part in the project and contribute its experience in the areas of open data and data sovereignty for public institutions. The aim is to demonstrate the practicability and effectiveness of open government at municipal level. The reporting project started in fall 2017 and will be completed in fall 2019 after a two-year term. On June 13 and 14, the model municipalities met for a final workshop in Berlin.
Citizens are interested in shaping their living environment in cities and municipalities and are demanding transparency and a say. This applies to all municipal policy areas, from urban development and budget planning to the publication of environmental data. Open government means a fundamental change in the administrative culture: transparency of administrative actions, participation and involvement as well as cooperation with civil society. With the help of modern information technology, local authorities can reach far more citizens than with a paper-based administration. Further information:  Model municipality project (opens in a new tab)