Legal framework

Directive 2013/37/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 June 2013 amending Directive 2003/98/CE of 17 November 2003 on the re-use of public sector information.

Directive 2013/37/EU has been transposed into Spanish legislation as Law 18/2015, of 9 July, amending the previous Law 37/2007, of 16 November, on the re-use of public sector information. The purpose of Law 18/2015 is the basic regulation of the legal system applicable to the re-use of documents drawn up or held by the authorities and public-sector bodies.

Furthermore, regarding the disclosure of public data, there is additional legislation, such as Spain’s Law 19/2013, of 9 December, on transparency, access to public information and good governance, and Bizkaia’s Provincial Regulation 1/2016, of 17 February, on transparency. The purpose of these laws is to engage the general public, requiring public agencies to be accountable to the general public according to the principle of responsibility in their operations and in the management of public resources.

In December 2020, FORAL DECREE 106/2020 of 1 December 2020 of the Provincial Council of Bizkaia was approved, regulating the opening of data on the open data portal of the Provincial Council of Bizkaia Open Data Bizkaia.