| Author (Person) | Paasilinna, Reino, van Nistelrooij, Lambert |
|---|---|
| Series Title | European Voice |
| Series Details | Vol.12, No.19, 18.5.06 |
| Publication Date | 18/05/2006 |
| Content Type | News |
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Two MEPs discuss the positive and negative aspects of eGovernment eGovernment will serve many purposes, but will not replace direct contact with public administration and politicians, says Lambert van Nistelrooij The three major challenges for the European Union are demographic change, energy transition and innovation. Competitiveness, growth and jobs will follow if our society finds an answer to these major European challenges. For this, the capacities of information and communication technology (ICT) hardware are well known and the opportunities for this technology - the software - grow by the day. What we lack in Europe is the 'mindware' - using these extraordinary tools to shape our economy and our everyday life. The European Commission's action plan on eGovernment is therefore to be welcomed. eGovernment is the continuation of an innovative process that started years ago with the first government internet sites. I remember seeing a Quebec government site where the citizen could find all public services on a timeline; illustrating all stages of life as well as issues such as illness, social services etc. Nowadays, the digital revolution obliges public services to rethink their internal entire organisation. eGovernment is an ongoing vertical process, transforming government on a European, national, regional and local level. It is about taking up challenges such as the continuous innovation and cross-border use of new technologies. It creates European markets for public service and technology providers. It cuts red tape and is an important factor of administrative cost-cutting for industry and small businesses (SMEs). eGovernment must lead to interoperability in different member states and thus contribute to economies of scale in the EU. Reports in 2005 from the Economist Intelligence Unit and the World Economic Forum (the Global Competitiveness Report) underline the direct link between government ICT investment and an increase in productivity. The Commission's action plan, published on 25 April, is therefore developed in line with i2010 policies: developing the single European information space, strengthening innovation in ICT and achieving an inclusive European information society. It is obvious we have to increase research, invest in innovation and develop our digital capacities, but we must not forget to build human capabilities. People must obtain the skills they need to perform in this digital environment. The Commission wants to promote a society of information and knowledge. This can be brought about by more targeted education in the form of regular schooling that will make young people interested in ICT. Education also teaches citizenship. If our society is not inclusive in the workplace, in the schools and in the streets, 'e-inclusiveness' is an illusion. If we do not accompany the innovation of eGovernment with human and educational life-long action, the digital divide will never be bridged, social differences will continue to increase and our competitiveness will not grow. To this effect, the European Parliament, in its amendments to the 7th Framework Programme for research, supports social and ICT research into bridging the digital divide. I! t also supports the setting up of regional or national co-ordination of EU, national and regional programme information for citizens and SMEs. eGovernment is at the centre of the creation of modern public service and the core of an inclusive ICT policy. This is a society where "nobody is left behind". Indeed, public service must not only be efficient, as the Commission says, but effective. Even with good eGovernment initiatives in place, there will always be the need for help through the digital maze. eGovernment will serve many purposes, but not the replacement of direct contact with public administration and politics. Finally, it is how all public services perform that influences the citizens' attitudes towards government at local, regional, national or European level. eGovernment can help to shape this attitude. Government has to create the framework in which well-being can be increased and innovation can prosper. Embracing digital communication, the European public sector can gain in innovative capacity and productivity. And this has to be done along known lines: by the people and for the people.
Anyone who has queued for hours to get a stamp on a piece of paper must have pondered not only the meaning of life, but also the rationality of certain bureaucratic processes. If we can already manage our bills, buy music, train tickets and flights over the internet, then why can't we fill in a tax form on the web and send it digitally back to the tax-man? eGovernment initiatives are aiming to do just that. They will not make bureaucracy vanish instantly, but they can reduce the amount of time European citizens and business have to spend tackling it. Certain European countries have already made considerable progress in eGovernance. In Finland, for example, small enterprises can access a free website allowing them to manage taxation, insurance, salary calculations and other administrative tasks online. Similar systems exist in other countries as well, but generally speaking the demand for digital public services in most European countries is much greater than what is on offer. Earlier this year, the European Parliament's resolution on the i2010 initiative, European Information Society for Growth and Employment, urged national governments to introduce necessary reforms in order to provide better, more efficient and more easily accessible e-services to their small businesses, as well as their citizens. On 25 April, the European Commission published an action plan, which elaborates on the ideas of the i2010 initiative and sets clear targets for the future. The Commission action plan is certainly a step in the right direction. eGovernment is a vital element in our efforts to create a more competitive and socially sustainable Europe. The future of eGovernment depends on the ability of European policymakers to change their attitudes. The next phase of eGovernment will require European policymakers to work together so that we can have new digital services and achieve European interoperability. Considerable additional investment is needed for the continued development of systems applications and restructuring of administration, but this money will not be wasted. eGovernment initiatives around Europe have already saved billions of euros and the potential is much greater. The Commission estimates that full take-up of electronic invoicing and electronic public procurement could save Europeans up to EUR 300 billion every year. But eGovernance is not just about money and competitiveness. The idea is also to make our everyday lives a bit easier. For example, people with disabilities may find moving from one office to another even more cumbersome than the rest of us. Public internet access points, speech-recognition software and new wireless technologies which can provide broadband connections over long distances in rural areas are just a few examples of the solutions that can help us to prevent digital a divide. But much more is needed. Making laws and other government documents available online increases transparency and improves our access to the rules and regulations that affect us, as long as we ensure that everyone can participate in the democratic process, including those in disadvantaged positions. I believe in the benefits of eGovernment and I think that modern democracy cannot exist without digital civil rights. But there are risks and problems ahead that must be addressed. Digitalising public services should not mean ignoring ethical questions, such as the right to privacy. We must also be aware that bringing e-services into citizens' homes does not automatically improve services. For many, eGovernment will only mean that bureaucracy becomes even more faceless than it is now. It is therefore imperative to ensure that eGovernment initiatives will increase and not reduce citizens' chances to make their voices heard. Being able to send an email does not mean that we live in a democratic society, but having access to information and introducing truly interactive digital services has the potential to make Europe a better place in which to work and live.
Two MEPs discuss the positive and negative aspects of eGovernment. |
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| Subject Categories | Business and Industry, Politics and International Relations |
| Countries / Regions | Europe |
