EU local and regional authorities contributing to the Mid-term review of Europe 2020
Assessment of the Digital Agenda for Europe flagship initiative
Three years after its launch, the Committee of the Regions will take stock of the Digital Agenda for Europe flagship initiative at a conference to be held on 2 July 2013 in Brussels. This conference will be the fifth in a series of CoR events and monitoring initiatives surrounding the mid-term review of Europe 2020 in 2014. More news on this conference can be found on the CoR website1.
By participating in this survey, you will:
- ensure that your views are taken into account in the debate held during the conference; - contribute to the fourth CoR Monitoring Report on Europe 2020, to be published in October 2013; - contribute to the CoR's consultative activity in this field over the coming months; - contribute to the mid-term review of Europe 2020 in 2014.
IF YOU WISH TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS SURVEY, PLEASE COMPLETE THIS QUESTIONNAIRE IN ANY EU LANGUAGE, USING THE SPACES PROVIDED, AND RETURN IT IN TEXT FORMAT TO: [email protected]
by 27 May 2013
For more information on this survey and for details on how to join the Europe 2020 Monitoring Platform, go to: http://portal.cor.europa.eu/europe2020/
The questionnaire is available on this website in all official languages of the EU
1 http://cor.europa.eu/en/activities/europe2020/Pages/digital-agenda-for-europe.aspx.
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Contributor information2
Name of sender: Ari Lainevuo Contact details: Esterinportti 2 B, 00240 Helsinki, Finland, (address, telephone, email) +358503631657, [email protected] On behalf of: Uusimaa regional council (name of local or regional authority) City/Town/Municipality Region County/Province Type of organisation Association of local and/or regional authorities Other (please specify) Country: Finland
Member of the EUROPE 2020 Monitoring Yes No Platform:
Policy challenges and responses at regional and local level
BOX 1 – Digital Agenda for Europe: basic information
The Digital Agenda for Europe was adopted in 2010, as an integral part of the Europe 2020 strategy3, to stimulate the digital economy and address societal challenges through Information and Communications Technology (ICT). The flagship initiative aims to speed up the roll-out of high- speed Internet and reap the benefits of a digital single market for households and firms in Europe. The Digital Agenda contains 101 actions, in 7 pillars4, which will help to reboot the EU economy and enable Europe's citizens and businesses to get the most out of digital technologies.
1. Digital Single Market. The Digital Agenda will update EU Single Market rules for the digital era. The aims are to boost the music download business, establish a single area for online payments, and further protect EU consumers in cyberspace.
2. Interoperability and Standards. Europe must ensure that new IT devices, applications, data repositories and services interact seamlessly anywhere. The Digital Agenda identifies improved standard-setting procedures and increased interoperability as the keys to success.
3. Trust and security. The Digital Agenda proposes a number of practical solutions, including a coordinated European response to cyber-attacks and reinforced rules on personal data protection.
2 Privacy Statement: The follow-up to your contribution requires that your personal data (name, contact details, etc.) be processed in a file. All the answers to the questions are voluntary. Your replies will be kept for a period of 5 years after the receipt of your questionnaire. Should you require any further information or wish to exercise your rights under Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 (e.g. to access, rectify or delete your data), please contact the data controller at [email protected]. If necessary, you may also contact the CoR Data Protection Officer ([email protected]). You have the right of recourse to the European Data Protection Supervisor at any time (www.edps.europa.eu). Please note that the questionnaire with your contribution and your contact details will be published online. Your questionnaire may be transmitted to CoR rapporteurs and other EU institutions for information. Should you not agree to this, please inform us accordingly. 3 http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=COM:2010:2020:FIN:EN:PDF. 4 http://ec.europa.eu/digital-agenda/en/our-goals/pillar-i-digital-single-market.
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4. Fast and ultra-fast access to the Internet. To match world leaders like South Korea and Japan, Europe needs download rates of 30 Mbps for all of its citizens and at least 50% of European households subscribing to internet connections above 100 Mbps by 2020.
5. Research and Innovation. Currently, EU investment in ICT research is still less than half US levels. The Digital Agenda seeks to maintain Europe's competitive edge through increased coordination and elimination of Europe's fragmented efforts.
6. Enhancing digital literacy, skills and inclusion. Over 50% of Europeans use the internet daily – but 30% have never used it at all. As ever more daily tasks are carried out online, everyone needs enhanced digital skills to participate fully in society.
7. ICT-enabled benefits for EU society. The Digital Agenda focuses on ICTs' capability to reduce energy consumption, support ageing citizens' lives, revolutionises health services and deliver better public services.
A specific scoreboard measuring Member State performance and progress has been especially designed to provide analysis and detailed data on all the policy areas covered by the Digital Agenda5.
You can find more information on the Digital Agenda for Europe, as seen from the local and regional authorities' viewpoint, in the Committee of the Regions' publication Delivering on the Europe 2020 Strategy Handbook for Local and Regional Authorities6. General information on Europe 2020 can be found on the strategy's official website7.
1) What are the main challenges currently facing your region/city in terms of (i) access to the Internet, (ii) e-Governance, and (iii) computer literacy? (i) Development of high-speed connections plays a key role in ensuring e-services and the development of the knowledge society. In the largest agglomerations in Uusimaa and in the capital region, commercial operators can offer affordable high-speed connections to households and businesses. However, in Uusimaa, like in the whole of Finland, a large part of the territory is very sparsely populated and it is a problem to build a fast and regionally comprehensive, reliable data exchange network, which covers the entire region. One risk is widespread digital exclusion.
(ii) After a good start in the 1990s, development of e-Governance and public services has slowed down in Finland and taken up excessive time and financial resources. Estonia for example, has quickly developed in a very cost-effective way the country's competitiveness and public services using e-Governance. Finland, on the other hand, has become bogged down in over-interpretation as regards data protection, whereas in matters concerning public procurement obvious inefficiency and skills shortages have emerged, which have resulted in long and expensive consultant-led projects. Uusimaa has tried to actively move on from this general situation by developing a provincial network in western Uusimaa, in which steps are being taken to develop public e-services and interfaces throughout the region beyond various administrative boundaries.
5 http://ec.europa.eu/digital-agenda/en/scoreboard. 6 The Handbook can be downloaded from: http://portal.cor.europa.eu/europe2020/SiteCollectionDocuments/Europe%202020%20Handbook%20for%20Local%20and %20Regional%20Authorities.pdf. 7 http://ec.europa.eu/europe2020/europe-2020-in-a-nutshell/flagship-initiatives/index_en.htm.
CDR3618-2013_24_00_TRA_TCD - 4 - (iii) Uusimaa has a relatively young and skilled population. The region also produces almost 40% of the country's GDP. People's digital literacy is relatively good. One challenge, however, is the age structure, with a sharp increase in the ageing population and a weaker dependency ratio. Among other things, this is putting services for older people at risk and is calling into question own-initiative care which is partly based on e-services, with labour resources becoming scarcer. In addition to the ageing population, special attention should also be given to ensuring the digital literacy of immigrants. Most immigrants go to Uusimaa and integration of immigrants and preventing segregation require good digital literacy.
2) Which of the aims of the Digital Agenda for Europe (listed in Box 1) are most relevant in view of the challenges currently facing your city/region? 4, 5 and 6
3) Please briefly describe what type of policy programmes/actions are being implemented in your city/region in the policy areas covered by the Digital Agenda for Europe, highlighting their specific contribution to the above aims. The main development measures for the region as a whole are linked to ensuring competitiveness and productivity and to ensuring balanced regional development.
Innovative cities programme (INKA)
The aim of the INKA programme, which is currently being prepared, is to consolidate the emergence of internationally attractive innovation clusters in Finland. The focus of the programme is in large urban areas, which are called upon to create new skills-based business environments and lead markets. In particular, the INKA programme supports the fifth pillar of the European digital strategy. http://www.tem.fi/inka
Broadband for All by 2015
The strategy of the business and communications ministry is to improve broadband connections across the country, on the basis of the 2015 Broadband for All project and the universal service obligation. In Uusimaa there are two 2015 Broadband projects already under way (Tenhola-Bromarv, Raasepori) and two that are about to be launched (Emäsalo, Porvoo). The programme supports the fourth pillar of the European digital strategy. http://www.lvm.fi/web/fi/viestinta/strategiat/strategia/-/view/1127095
CDR3618-2013_24_00_TRA_TCD - 5 - 4) CoR opinions from October 20108 and October 20119 relating to the Digital Agenda for Europe identified, among others, a particular need to: i) create local digital agendas to speed up the optimal use of ICT through orchestrated local, regional and European cooperation, ii) improve interoperability and e-government by developing new applications such as human-centred e- services, e-learning, e-health and e-administration, iii) ensure equal and affordable broadband access everywhere and lead pilot projects aimed at closing the accessibility gap and iiii) ensure that security requirements are met at every level so as to guarantee optimum levels of privacy and protection of personal data.
Has your city/region currently adopted specific policies in these fields? Has your city/region adopted a local/regional digital agenda? The Arjen tietoyhteiskunta – Uudenmaan tietoyhteiskuntastrategia (everyday knowledge society – Uusimaa knowledge society strategy) was set up in 2008, and will last until 2025 http://www.uudenmaanliitto.fi/?s=180. Uusimaa regional council has tried to promote the development of the knowledge society in the province's planning, its programme and its implementation plan, as well as in provincial plan work. Uusimaa regional council has also been involved in the 2015 Broadband for All project and the sadan megan maakunta project which ended in 2013. Among other things, this project aimed to provide information at grassroots level and promote information about the construction of high-speed connections. http://www.satamegaa.fi/
In the provincial region, there are also local and district knowledge society and digital strategies and similar programmes. In Espoo and Helsinki, wide-ranging development measures have been introduced or are currently being implemented. These concern the Otaniemi T3 region, Biomedicum Helsinki and the Viiki science park. Similar development incentives are expected in Vantaa, with the Aviapolis development currently under construction.
In West Uusimaa, together with West Uusimaa provincial network plan, the West Uusimaa knowledge society strategy has been drawn up. http://vihti02.hosting.documenta.fi/kokous/2013308-28.HTM
How is the Digital Agenda for Europe relevant to your city or region?
BOX 2 – Digital Agenda for Europe: 2012 update
The flagship initiative of the Digital Agenda of Europe, as reviewed by the Commission in December 201210, identifies several important areas where more focused action is needed in order to create growth and jobs in Europe. The review comes at a time when more needs to be done to revive Europe's economic performance and when the digital economy is growing at seven times the rate of the rest of the economy. The seven priorities/transformative actions for 2013-2014 are:
1) Create a new and stable broadband regulatory environment. 2) New public digital service infrastructures through the Connecting Europe Facility11 3) Launch Grand Coalition on Digital Skills and Jobs 4) Propose EU cyber-security strategy and Directive 5) Update the EU's copyright framework
8 https://bvstoad.cor.europa.eu/corwipdetail.aspx?folderpath=EDUC-V/003&id=20662 9 https://bvstoad.cor.europa.eu/BrowseDocuments.aspx?type=1&folder=cdr\ecos-v\dossiers\ecos-v-015. 10 http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-12-1000_en.htm. 11 https://ec.europa.eu/digital-agenda/en/connecting-europe-facility.
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In particular, Europe needs a 'wake-up call' on high-speed broadband. High-speed internet is the basis for the digital economy; without it, essential services such as cloud computing, eHealth, smart cities, audiovisual services – and the benefits thereby derived – will simply not take off.
5) The Digital Agenda for Europe as updated by the Commission in December 2012, sets out a "Digital Agenda Review" based on the seven priorities/transformative actions presented in Box 2 above.
Which of these actions are most relevant to your specific local/regional situation? Launch Grand Coalition on Digital Skills and Jobs
6) Which of the actions and priorities under the Digital Agenda for Europe (set out in Box 2) are the most difficult to achieve in your city/region? Please, explain why. New public digital service infrastructures through the Connecting Europe Facility13. Experiences across the country have proven that the creation of pubic digital services in Finland has been slow, expensive and ineffective. Shortcomings in pubic procurement know-how and legislative obstacles have made the situation more difficult, putting the brakes on development.
7) Overall, what are the strong and weak points of the Digital Agenda for Europe, as seen from your regional/local standpoint? A potential strength is the development and consolidation of the European internal market and ensuring that the contribution of Finnish knowledge society know-how benefits everyone. A risk is the excessively slow and geographically uneven continued development and the negative impact of widespread digital exclusion on economic and services development.
8) Would you recommend any specific changes to the Digital Agenda for Europe, following Europe 2020's mid-term review in 2014? Ensuring adequate resources is a priority task. It should also be ensured that pilot regions like Helsinki are developed and that the special conditions of very sparsely populated countries like Finland are guaranteed, when it comes to development of broadband infrastructure for example.
Are your country's policies relevant to your city or region?
9) Does your country's 2012 (current) National Reform Programme14 (NRP) for Europe 2020 adequately respond to your regional/local needs in the policy areas covered by the Digital Agenda for Europe? If not, would you suggest any changes in your country's NRP for 2013? The national reform programme is a step in the right direction, though content production requirements should be ensured when assessing future training needs.
12 http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-12-1025_en.htm?locale=en. 13 https://ec.europa.eu/digital-agenda/en/connecting-europe-facility. 14 All available here: http://ec.europa.eu/europe2020/making-it-happen/country-specific- recommendations/index_en.htm.
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10) Do you have the opportunity to contribute to the drafting of your NRP or national policies related to the priorities set out in the Digital Agenda for Europe, even if this takes place indirectly through organisations that represent cities and regions in your country? If yes, please state how in brief. No.
Policy and funding issues
11) What sources of funding are used to finance your actions (as provided under question 3) under the Digital Agenda for Europe? In particular: what is the role of the EU Structural Funds in funding actions related to the Digital Agenda for Europe? Are other policy/financial instruments involved? Please, explain. Uusimaa regional council is involved in the abovementioned INKA programme and the 2015 Broadband for All project. The council is seeking to play an active role regionally in creating a balanced digital infrastructure and service network.
12) Have any of the pursued goals been jeopardised due to fiscal consolidation policies and subsequent financial difficulties? No.
13) Were you directly or indirectly involved in the preparation of the forthcoming Partnership Agreement which is to be signed between your national government and the European Commission for the management of the Structural Funds under the Common Strategic Framework 2014-202015? If yes, please explain how in brief. No.
14) Please add any further comments you wish to make on the issues covered in this questionnaire. -
SHARE YOUR GOOD PRACTICE
As part of the preparations for the CoR conference to be held on 2 July 2013 and to showcase good practices in areas covered by the Digital Agenda for Europe, you are invited to submit examples of good practice from your local area. Please complete the form available on our website: http://portal.cor.europa.eu/europe2020/MonitoringFlagships/Pages/Welcome.aspx
15 http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/what/future/index_en.cfm#1.
CDR3618-2013_24_00_TRA_TCD - 8 - JOIN THE EUROPE 2020 MONITORING PLATFORM
To help convey the voice of EU cities and regions in the implementation of Europe 2020 at EU level and in your country, join us. For details on how, see: http://portal.cor.europa.eu/europe2020/Knowledge/Pages/BecomeaMember.aspx
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION!
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