Is your information management system ready for the new Archives Act?

The current Archives Act dates back to 1995 and was written at a time when paper was still the dominant medium. As a civil servant, you often had to spend a long time searching through binders that were securely stored in large, locked archives. You had to obtain permission from the archivist to enter the archive. Today, government information management looks very different, and fortunately, in many places you can perform a digital search, allowing you to access the information you need more quickly.

Communication (including with citizens) has changed

Not only is the volume of information growing, but so is the diversity of communication channels. This is true both internally and externally. Here are a few examples: decisions are prepared via email and chat messages; employees collaborate on platforms such as Teams and SharePoint; and citizens are increasingly communicating through digital service portals, web forms, and social media.

But there’s more. Communication is no longer just about text. These days, it increasingly involves photos and videos. Consider, for example, footage used for surveillance and enforcement, inspections in public spaces, or the documentation of incidents and reports. Or perhaps it’s a citizen sending a video of a fallen tree. This information, too, is increasingly becoming part of the case file and must therefore remain accessible and manageable in the long term.

Greater Focus on Sustainable Information Management

In an article in IP*, I read that more attention needs to be paid to sustainable information management. “Government organizations must prepare their information management, processes, and systems for the new requirements regarding sustainable accessibility and archiving. The law applies to the entire government, including local governments,” is a direct quote. But how do you do that? After all, preparation requires a lot of time and attention. As a government organization, do you have sufficient capacity for that?

The challenge lies not in the law, but in its implementation

The fact that information is everywhere and scattered across various applications poses security risks. Moreover, government employees—just like many other people—don’t always know which information should be retained and which should not. Is there sufficient knowledge within government agencies regarding data classification and the proper way to store citizen information? To prepare for the new Archives Act, you can essentially do two things: reinvent the wheel, or engage in dialogue about how other municipalities are handling this. I’d call it learning from one another.

A Substantive Discussion on Information Management

That is what I would like to call for—especially since technology helps to securely record information, classify it, make it available to the right people, and even have it automatically deleted when necessary. 2027 is just around the corner. We’d be happy to help ensure that sustainable information management is implemented on time. The experience we’ve gained working with other municipalities will undoubtedly be valuable.