This Policy Brief is designed to support policy-makers in building effective frameworks for information, consultation and active participation by citizens in public policy-making. It draws heavily upon the experience and insights of national experts and senior officials from the centres of government in OECD countries, whose deliberations have provided the Secretariat with broad comparative perspectives and concrete examples of good practice. The Policy Brief is based on the main findings of two OECD surveys carried out in 1999-2000 on "Strengthening Government-Citizen Connections" and "Using Information Technology to Strengthen Government-Citizen Connections". The surveys were based on self-reporting by OECD countries: central governments provided information on current provisions for, and practice in, providing information, opportunities for consultation and active participation of citizens in policy-making.