Between 16th and 20th June 2013, at the National Library in Bucharest, the regional conference Free and Open Source Software for Geospatial Data - Central and Eastern Europe (FOSS4G-CEE) was organised. Within this framework, the geo-spatial.org, Soros Foundation Romania, Online Services and Design Department - Prime Minister's Chancellery and GEOIDEA.ro, with the support of the UK Embassy in Romania organised an open data side event, coupled with the Open GeoData Hackathon.

The open data side event ‘Moving forward. Open Data Discussions for an Open Romania’ brought together representatives from the Romanian Ministries that deal with Open data, civil society interested in the subject and private sector representatives. The event focused on an open debate within these general guidelines:

• Clear and concise definitions of the related notions together with drawing up the Romanian, European and international legal context;
• Hard-line radiography of the Romanian open data situation in 2013;
• Implementing OGP - views from officials and social society;
• Motivation behind open data; and
• Implementing Open Data in an institution - guidelines, best practices.

As special guests, there were Mr. Marcus Dapp from Open Knowledge Foundation and Mr. Paul Masseen from the Open Government Partnership. The event gathered approximately 60 participants.

The Open geoData Hackathon brought together around 15 participants, GI people, journalists, jurists, activists, whom on the spot divided in teams to work on 4 colourful projects, regarding administrative transparency in Romania, spatial distribution of national TV stations (link), spatial distribution of official prices for basic products and on a great project regarding statistical information on every county, city and commune in Romania (link).