Open Data Policy

The Ministry of Finance is committed to applying the highest national and international standards in publishing open data, including international specifications (such as ISO 24143 and ISO 9001), as well as the requirements issued by regulatory authorities in the United Arab Emirates. This ensures transparency, supports innovation, and enables the public to access data in a secure and reliable manner.

This policy aims to regulate the processes of providing and publishing open data in machine-readable formats, without financial or technical restrictions, while ensuring the protection of privacy and preventing the disclosure of any sensitive or confidential information.

Scope of Application

This policy covers all data classified by the Ministry as open data, whether statistical, regulatory, or operational, provided that such data does not include sensitive information. The classification is carried out in accordance with the Smart Data Framework and the Digital Data Interoperability Framework, and in line with the Open Data Standards Guide for government entities issued by the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA).

The Ministry is also committed to applying digital accessibility standards on its open data portal pages and content, as well as on its application, in line with WCAG 2.2 (Level AA), in alignment with the national policy on digital accessibility.

General Controls

• Conduct a comprehensive inventory of all data sources within the entity, including documentation, classification, ownership, and data storage/structuring methods.
• Assess the quality and importance of datasets, ensuring compliance with national statistical classifications and the UAE Open Data Guidelines.
• Publish data in approved formats (CSV, XML, JSON) with essential metadata to facilitate usability and understanding for different users.
• Provide open data free of charge and without technical or financial restrictions, ensuring ease of access and use.
• Ensure that published data covers a period of no less than the past five years to guarantee comprehensiveness and effective analysis.
• Document the update and maintenance process on a regular basis according to a clear and published schedule, ensuring accuracy and timeliness without losing historical records.
• Make all open data available on the Ministry’s official website and the UAE Open Data Portal, including clear and complete metadata for each dataset.
• Prohibit the use of published data for illegal, discriminatory, or misleading purposes.
• Respect intellectual property rights and privacy conditions.
• Refrain from sharing any data without proper authority or prior approval.

Responsibilities

• Data Governance & Analysis Office: Oversee, coordinate, and update the policy, ensuring departmental compliance with its provisions.
• Owning Departments: Prepare and update datasets for publication, ensuring proper documentation and classification in line with requirements.
• Government Communication Department:

1. Provide technical support and ensure readiness of publishing platforms, facilitating accessibility to published data.
2. Implement clear and sustainable procedures for updating open datasets on the Ministry’s website, ensuring continuous data refresh.

General Provisions (Detailed in the Policy Guide)

1. Commitment and Compliance
2. Confidentiality and Data
3. Protection Legal Liability
4. Alignment with Legislation
5. Disputes and Interpretation

Policy Number: 19

Version: Second

Date: 2025/09/15 – IDI 884370

Review Frequency: Annual

To access the Open Data Usage Guideline, click here.