- 1 -

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 website[1].

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:

by 27 May 2013

For more information on this survey and for details on how to join the

Europe 2020 Monitoring Platform, go to:

The questionnaire is available on this website in all official languages of the EU

CDR3618-2013_06_00_TRA_TCD

- 1 -

Contributor information[2]

Name of sender: / Claudio Tiriduzzi
Contact details:
(address, telephone, email) / Servizio Programmazione comunitaria - Via Mario Angeloni, n. 61, 06100 - PERUGIA
Tel. 075-504.5690
email

On behalf of:
(name of local or regional authority) / Umbria region
Type of organisation / City/Town/Municipality Region
County/Province
Association of local and/or regional authorities
Other (please specify)
Country: / Italy
Member of the EUROPE 2020 Monitoring Platform: / Yes No

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 strategy[3], 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 pillars[4], 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.
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 Agenda[5].
You can find more information on the Digital Agenda for Europe, as seen from thelocal and regional authorities' viewpoint, in the Committee of the Regions' publication Delivering on the Europe 2020 Strategy Handbook for Local and Regional Authorities[6]. General information on Europe 2020 can be found on the strategy's official website[7].
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?
Before listing the main challenges facing the region of Umbria in terms of implementing the Digital Agenda for Europe, it would be worth highlighting some facts about these issues – drawn from studies either commissioned by the region of Umbria itself, or in general regarding Umbria – which will make it easier to understand these challenges.
It emerged from the 2012 reports Doxa e-citizen Umbria and Doxa e-business Umbriathat there is a highlevel of ICT-use in Umbria in the public sector, a good level of use in households, although in part by means of narrowband connections, and a very low level of use in the productive SME sector – however, use here increases in proportion to the size of the business. The data also show, still within the ambit of the region's productive fabric, a poor perception among businesses of the usefulness of the web and a very low offer of ICT services. Finally, the latest data useful for our purposes is contained in the National broadband plan, which signals a digital divide among about 25% of the Umbrian population and reports that connection speeds are still low (far below 30 Mbps), and in the ministry of economic development's 2012 consultation on the presence of new generation networks across Italy, which found that in Umbria 90 out of 92 municipalities could be classified as white zones (areas in which there are no next-generation networks nor plans to develop same among private operators in the sector).
From these few facts it can be concluded that, in terms of internet access, the main challenges amount to further reducing the digital divide through a more comprehensive roll-out of broadband and higher connection speeds, bringing them up to 30 Mbps. It is also necessary to consider how to compensate for the lack of or relative importance of private development plans for next-generation networks (so-called white zones) in a reasonable timeframe.
In terms of e-governance,notwithstanding the positive results acknowledged in terms of the general digitisation of the public sector and the recent reorganisation of regional information offices, the challenge remains achieving greater integration between public information systems and increased dissemination of common infrastructure services (digital identity, interoperability, security) within the regional administration and, primarily, between the regional administration and local administrations and between local administrations themselves.
Finally, as regards digital literacy, the challenge is to build a widespread culture of ICT use, especially within the productive sectors, and overcome the cultural barriers which remain deeply rooted,in order to further simplify the relationship between the citizen and the public administration and increase the competitiveness of SMEs in Umbria. In order to increase levels of digital literacy, it seems important to also increase the supply of ICT services and thus the challenge will be to build more entrenched digital skills: a challenge that can be considered complementary to the more general one of 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?
In line with our answer above, the aims that are most relevant in the case of Umbria are numerous. First of all, greater general coherence in terms of interoperability and standards (objective 2): increased interoperability and common standards at EU level can only facilitate meeting the need for infrastructural and IT coordination between administrations in the region. Secondly, widespread access to fast and ultra-fast internet (objective 4) is a necessary target to set in order to bridge the digital divide or at least make progress in that regard. The third relevant aim is to enhance digital literacy, skills and inclusion (objective 6); this is crucial, as we said in the previous answer, to overcoming the cultural barriers that are still very prevalent. Finally, research and innovation in ICT and the use of such technologies (objective 5) is central to developing a strategy for smart regional specialisation in technological research and innovation within the next phase of regional programming for cohesion policy.
Within the strategy for our region, the combination of fast and ultra-fast access to the internet and enhancing digital literacy and skills remains central: these are two complementary objectives that Umbria is pursuing inter alia by means of the digital agenda for Umbria.
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 policies that the region of Umbria is planning to implement in the field of the information society are primarily guided by the following programming documents: the Strategic plan for Umbria region's information society and the Regional government's policy guidelines for 2010-2015. The strategic plan, drawn up for the previous European programming period 2007-2013, constitutes an excellent starting point for planning future policies for the information society. This will certainly have to be updated with reference to the objectives outlined in the Digital Agenda for Europe and in line with the new digital agendas for Italy and Umbria, but still remains a key policy document that ensures continuity of regional action. The guidelines provide for, among the priority lines of action for this regional term of office, reforms towards a more efficient public administration, with a particular focus on developing e-government, on an approach that sees public administrations as public drivers of smart communities and the creation of a regional knowledge economy.
Within this policy context, there are a number of more specific regional actions. Firstly, the Regional ICT plan (also known as POT PT), launched for the period 2008-2010 and updated for the period 2011-2013, which is aimed at breaking down the first-level digital divide and creating a next-generation fibre optic infrastructure, with a total investment of EUR 7.5 million. Specifically, these measures are included in the scope of the 2007-2013 ERDF regional operational programme for Umbria –activity b2 Infrastructure and services for the information society,which funds measures aimed at boosting IT infrastructure (broadband, wireless systems, etc.) in areas of regional economic interest in order to facilitate SME access to ICTand increase the efficiency and competitiveness of businesses. Also with the aim of combating the digital divide, Umbria is currently passing a regional law on ICT infrastructure.
With regard to activities related to e-government, funding has recently been made available under FAS 2007-2013 [funds for underdeveloped areas] linked to the Regional e-government plan(known as POT EGOV) and used for the projectsRI-Umbria (for the activation of one-stop shops for productive activities) and ELISA (tools for federalism and local taxation). With a view to greater use of ICT in the relationship between citizens and public administrations, there is also a plan in the pipeline focusing on transparency and participation in the information society (which aims to develop the themes of e-democracy).
On the subject of interoperability and standards, Umbria region adopted Regional law No 11/2006 on Rules on pluralism in IT, on the adoption and dissemination of open source software and the portability of electronic documents in the regional administrationin order to promote access and freedom of choice in the development of IT platforms and to remove any barriers due to differences in standards. The law also provides for the development of annual programmes for open source projects and the establishment of an Open source centre of expertise.
As regards e-governance and open data, Regional law No 8/2011 established the regional Community Network for building communities of practice and social networks and specific legislative provisions towards the establishment of an open data system.
Regional law No 8/2011 also established a Fund for the development of e-administration and administrative simplification in order to encourage initiatives within local authorities, individually or in partnership, regarding e-administration.
Finally, it should be pointed out that, now, all policy plans (e.g. the individual plans on training, communication and health) contain sections devoted to measures regarding the information society, and that the region of Umbria is adopting its own digital agenda, which will be discussed in the next answer.
4) CoR opinions from October 2010[8] and October 2011[9] 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 equaland affordable broadband access everywhere and lead pilot projects aimed at closing the accessibility gap and iv)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 region of Umbria, as mentioned previously, is currently adopting its own digital agenda for Umbria. All of the policies singled out above can be found within it. The regional government adoptedGuidelines for Umbria's digital agenda,by means of regional executive resolution D.G.R. No 397 of 16 April 2012, containing5 priority action lines (infrastructure, data centres, operational continuity and security; e-government, open data and simplification; digital literacy, digital schools and social inclusion; research, the knowledge economy and e-commerce; and e-health). Subsequently, with D.G.R. No 1546 of 3 December 2012, the regional government adopted a Programme of measures –Umbria's digital agenda, divided into two parts: the first part is devoted to the joint devising of project initiatives, encouraging the development of "knowledge networks" linked to the region; the second part gives effect to the projects drawn up with the stakeholders related to the priority lines of actions. The measures are to focus on three key aspects regarding the public "machine" (regional datacentres; digitising procedures and interoperability; establishment of a single ICT service focal point), the range of digital services offered to the public (e-services for public administration and health; open data and open source; public policy governance) and the productive system (digital schools plan for Umbria; information system for school and social matters; implementation of the ICT plan; smart cities projects). In each case great importance is given to taking a participatory approach to the choices to be made.

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 2012[10], 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 Facility[11]
3) Launch Grand Coalition on Digital Skills and Jobs
4) Propose EU cyber-security strategy and Directive
5) Update the EU's copyright framework
6) Accelerate cloud computing[12] through public sector buying power
7) Launch new electronics industrial strategy – an "Airbus of Chips"
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 Europeas 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?
This update by the Commission, which seems more of a statement specifying the areas on which to focus within the initial objectives of the Digital Agenda, certainly goes in the direction of greater clarity of purpose.Among the seven priorities, several seem particularly important for achieving the objectives that the region of Umbria has set itself.
It certainly seems necessary to create a stable, clear and uniform broadband regulatory environment (priority 1) at both EU and national levels. Umbria region is seeking to do this, at least within the remit of its powers: as we mentioned previously, there is legislation in the pipeline that sets infrastructure standards in the field of telecommunications.
Consistent with the participatory approach taken to building regional knowledge networks and a widespread ICT service offer, launching a grand coalition on digital skills and jobs (priority 3) seems to us very relevant and compelling for the purposes of building and properly implementing Umbria's digital agenda.
Finally, accelerating the development of cloud computing through public sector buying power (priority 6) contributes to improving a specific area of general interoperability and increased use of ICT in the public sector.
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.
While, on the one hand, the first priorities listed are relevant and interesting for Umbria, on the other hand, they are also difficult to implement, and constitute real challenges for our region: continuing to break down the digital divide through the roll-out of broadband is not easy within a still fragmented regulatory framework and in a context of severe economic constraints; and the same goes for the development of cloud computing. Furthermore, the real difficulty also lies in overcoming cultural barriers that still undermine the full use of ICT, on both the demand and the supply side. That said, all of the challenges highlighted here have to grapple with regulatory frameworks that still need to be established with certainty and stability, with coordination between levels of government and between the public and private sectors that is not always inclusive and efficient and with a lack of digital skills and a digital culture that has yet to be built.
7) Overall, what are the strong and weak pointsof the Digital Agenda for Europe, as seen from your regional/local standpoint?
In terms of content, the Digital Agenda for Europe seems to clearly encapsulate the needs and requirements of a society that is aiming to become a fully-fledged information society. This is undoubtedly a strong point of the Digital Agenda. However, while on the one hand the context and the challenges to be tackled are clear, on the other, from the operational point of view, it was possible to identify what the main priorities should be from the start. This, from a content perspective, could be considered a shortcoming. The Commission's update, however,moved in this direction, aiming at greater concentration on a number of key issues:on their practical implementation undoubtedly hinges the fate of the remaining and more specific ideas contained in the 2010 Digital Agenda for Europe.
One of the major shortcomings, perhaps due to the clear delay inthe new cohesion policy programming period for 2014-2020, is in the implementation of the Digital Agenda. The strong sense is that, beyond the rhetorical proclamations, there is a risk that the Digital Agenda for Europe is a bit too detached from the 2014-2020 programming period and under-funded, in contrast to the last programming period in which the Digital Agenda had a clear, well-defined role from a programming and financial perspective.
8) Would you recommend any specific changes to the Digital Agenda for Europe, following Europe 2020's mid-term review in 2014?
Rather than making changes, what is really needed is to facilitate the implementation of the Digital Agenda, which, as we pointed out in the previous answer, perfectly interprets the digital needs of Europe's regions in the highly competitive environment that we are part of. Better implementation, implementation that is more integrated across the various tiers of government is undoubtedly more advisable than revising the Agenda itself. As is building funding schemes that are certain, targeting individual objectives: predictable and clear funding from the outset, so as to enable informed planning of measures.

Are your country's policies relevant to your city or region?