Information with links:

 

Dutch Goverment:

* We have a policy called: Action Plan Netherlands Open in Connection, focussing on open standards 

adoption (a must) and more chances for open source software.

(already available on your site?: http://www.whitehouse.gov/files/documents/ostp/opengov_inbox/nl-inopen-connection.pdf

 

* Part of the action plan is the formation of a "Standardization Board" (high ranked government 

employees), a "Forum Standardization" (think tank of government and industry) and a supporting 

organization.

The official declaration in English: http://www.openstandaarden.nl/fileadmin/os/documenten/Hernieuwd%20instellingsbesluit_UK.pdf

 

* They have a role in the selection of standards for the "Comply or explain regime" we have on open 

standards from this list (in Dutch): http://www.openstandaarden.nl/fileadmin/os/documenten/OS_lijst_open_standaarden_voor_pas_toe_of_leg_uit.pdf

Selection process for standards (in English): http://www.openstandaarden.nl/fileadmin/os/documenten/beheerprocedure%20UK.pdf

In short standards on the list must be used in procurement when applicable.

 

* In addition to that promotion/stimulation activities are organized by the program organization called 

Netherlands Open in Connection (www.noiv.nl), just as the name of the action plan. (NOiV organizes 

events (including a yearly event with international speakers and attendence over 500)). The orientation of 

this program is on open standards and open source software for public sector in its entirity. However 

there are some focus points, including the education and health care domains, just as focussing on 

interoperability/semantic standards in comparison with real technical standards. This program published 

also several publications, of which several are available in English:

 * Instruction on multimedia formats: http://www.openstandaarden.nl/fileadmin/os/documenten/Instruction_Document_on_Multimedia_Formats.pdf

 * BOMOS: development and management of standards. Together with a workgroup including many 

sector (domain) standards we set up common practices for development and management of standards. 

Currently this document is used as guideline for many sectorial standards, and in december the second 

version has been released. The translation to English will be available in two weeks from now. This is the 

Dutch version: http://www.tno.nl/downloads/Bomos-2.pdf

 

TNO (Dutch independent research organization: slightly comparable to 

NIST)

* carries out lots of the work for Netherlands Open in Connection, and guides the selection process of 

standards for the comply or explain list, etc.

* Strong standardization & interoperability group: involved in many government and industry 

standardization efforts. For example:

 * The temporary staffing industry, based on HR-XML.

 * Health care (HL7 amongst others)

 * Education (IMS amongst others)

 * Waste domain 

 * Agriculture

 * etc.

 

Personal:

I work for the Dutch government (Netherlands Open in Connection), TNO, and the University of Twente, 

and authored several of the publications.

And also working on a phd on quality of standards, more information on www.semanticstandards.org.