Data at Source, also known as Source Data, is a key principle of the Dutch government’s digital transformation. It means that data should, if possible, be stored in a single logical location under its owner’s control.
‘Data at Source’ means that information on citizens and entrepreneurs is recorded only in source systems, such as base registries, and not copied or sent elsewhere. This ensures the government always uses transparent, up-to-date data.
Data quality, security and privacy
Data at Source leads to higher data quality, greater security and better privacy protection because:
- It prevents errors caused by unnecessary copying.
- Data in 1 place is easier to secure and provides better privacy protection.
- Data correction is easier, as it only needs to be done once.
- The government can more easily provide insight into data usage (for example, to enable data governance).
- The total volume of data within government decreases (data minimisation).
Solution to risks
In other words, Data at Source provides a solution to several problems:
- Data cannot be properly shared or used without standards that enable this to be done in a structured and secure manner.
- If data cannot be shared and used securely, government organisations must copy and distribute entire databases. This is unsafe, as those databases could fall into the wrong hands.
- No transparency, as it is impossible to trace who has used the data.
- There is a risk that organisations use outdated data in important processes.
Fast and secure
Governments use data from source systems via APIs (Application Programming Interfaces). These connections enable the transfer of data from one system to another, and this transfer must happen quickly and securely.
This is essentially what the Data at Source action plan addresses: establishing standards for these techniques and making knowledge of them widely available. This enables governments to unlock and exchange data more quickly and flexibly.
To achieve these goals, Data at Source works with 2 communities:
- API Knowledge Platform (Dutch) – a community for sharing knowledge about research findings and trials, working on standards and best practices for technical interoperability.
- Developer.overheid.nl (Dutch) – a platform for developers working for or with the government, offering tools to build and share quality APIs according to standards.
Awareness
For further digitalisation, Data at Source is a prerequisite. Consider both data governance and the Federated data system. Working on Data at Source requires management and leadership to be aware of its benefits and necessity. The programme therefore provides various communication materials to raise awareness, such as video interviews with experts, demos and presentations for relevant organisations.
Data governance
Citizens and entrepreneurs have the right to access the data the government has used or provided for a decision that affects them. The Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations (BZK) ran the Data Governance programme from 2018 to 2025. The programme has ended, and the Data Governance theme has become a regular policy topic.
On this website, citizens can easily see which data the government has used in decision-making. The goal is to make information about the use and exchange of data between organisations accessible in one place. This gives everyone insight into which data the government uses for a particular decision. As a result, organisations can detect and correct errors more quickly, increasing the reliability of government data. This transparency is important for building trust in government.
