Context
The Data Distribution and Governance Platform (DAGR) is a national platform and enhanced security system suitable for the distribution and storage of data (including personal data), which is managed by the State Digital Development Agency.
Data providers are institutions registered in the Republic of Latvia or private law legal entities under private law that place their data on DAGR or use DAGR functionality to distribute data from the information systems under their control. Data recipients are institutions registered in the Republic of Latvia or legal entities under private law that receive data using DAGR.
The DAGR development project provides a data distribution platform optimised for high data request processing performance, as a result of which each institution are able to significantly reduce the capacity of its data distribution solutions, to abandon the development and maintenance of their own data distribution solutions, and to develop new data services where fast access to large volumes of data is crucial in order to provide citizens with more efficient public administration services, including proactive digital services.
Objectives
The primary objective of the DAGR system is to decouple data consumption from primary data providers, ensuring that data provider information systems are never overloaded because consumers connect directly to DAGR instead. This architecture guarantees fast operation and seamless business continuity; necessary technical improvements or service interruptions within a data provider’s internal system do not affect external data retrieval, as DAGR constantly maintains and serves the latest copy of the data. Even in the face of rapidly increasing demand, the infrastructure protects provider systems while maintaining a high level of data freshness that can be measured in seconds.
Furthermore, the project establishes a uniform technical standard across public administration. Data consumers only need to connect to the DAGR platform once to seamlessly obtain data from multiple different providers through a single service integration. Beyond the technical enhancements, this streamlined approach dramatically reduces the bureaucratic burden for all involved stakeholders, allowing complex legal and administrative formalities to be fully completed within a single day.
Implementation
The DAGR system was developed in Latvia as a public sector digitalisation project to ensure centralised, secure, and efficient data exchange between public information systems. The project was implemented in line with Cabinet of Ministers regulations, national data policy objectives, and the European Union’s digital transformation goals. Policy development and strategic oversight were led by the Ministry of Smart Administration and Regional Development, while the State Digital Development Agency was responsible for the platform’s technical development, implementation, and maintenance.
Project governance was ensured through inter-institutional cooperation, working groups and coordination meetings. Funding was provided by European Union funds and the national budget, covering platform development, integration, maintenance, training, and communication activities. The project involved both public sector staff and external IT service providers.
Throughout the project, consultations were held with key stakeholders including public authorities, data providers, and data users. Information on DAGR and its benefits was disseminated through official public sector channels, seminars, and webinars, supporting a unified approach to data governance in public administration.