Meeting of the Steering Committee

MINUTES

26 JANUARY 2004

Barcelona

10h00 – 18h00

POINT 1 WELCOME & APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

Apologies from Marseille and Vienna. The agenda was approved.

POINT 2 ADOPTION OF THE PORTO SC MINUTES

Working documents:Porto SC Minutes

Rapporteurs:President

The SC adopted the final version of last Steering Committee meeting (25 November 2003, Porto). A minor correction by Amaroussion was taken into account.

POINT 3NEW WORKING GROUPS IN 2004

Working documents:New framework for WG’s in 2004 + WG’s Scheme + Open Call for WGs Chairs and Topics + General Letter to members

Rapporteurs:President, Vice President and TCO

The President, Vice-President and TCO discussed in details the:

Membership-wide open call for Chairs, Sub-Chairs and topics for WG’s. This package will include:

General letter to members in English. SC members may translate it into their national languages. Emphasis should however be put on the fact that the working language of TeleCities is English.
Detailed information on the new framework + briefing on the special session during the TeleCities 2004 Spring Event in The Hague
Complete details on roles and responsibilities of chairs, co-chairs and TeleCities Office
Form for comments and expressions of interest in chairing a working group (i.e. “a leg”) or a sub-topic
Organisation of the above-mentioned special session during the event in The Hague. During this session members will discuss the revised framework on the basis of the comments following the open call: one plenary session (60 min.) + two sets of WG parallel sessions (90 min. each)
Breakdown of the first session of the four WG’s during the event in The Hague. These sessions would adopt a detailed 2-year work plan for each WG.

The SC agreed that:

TCO will launch the call to members on 3rd February
The deadline for members to respond to the call is 27 February
Some changes of topics inside the “legs”. The topic eHealth will go in the WG “Promote the modernisation of local Public Administrations trough eGovernment”. The topic “eSecurity” will go to the leg “Overcome the barriers to the development of the Information Society”.
Chairs are invited to take into account the peculiarity of horizontal issues, such as “eSecurity”, “Broadband” and “Indicators”. Inter-relations between sub-topics should be considered.
The questionnaire included in the package will be completed with questions on interests and activities of members for each topics
The new Working Groups should closely follow the agenda of the European Institutions, and create a solid dialogue with them, e.g. through policy paper in response to Commission legislative proposals. It was suggested to invite Commission officials to the kick-off sessions of WGs in The Hague.
Each SC agenda should have an item on the Working Groups Reports/Outcomes
EUR 2,000 will be allocated to the coordinators of each WG for external expertise
The rest of the money (17 000 EUR planed in the 2004 budget for the Working Groups activities + Development Activities) will be invested in income generation activities.
President and TCO will draft a proposal to SC on how to spend this additional money in order to increase the incomes

Eventually, with regards to the involvement of Business Members in the different Working Groups, the President, Vice-President and TCO informed the SC about the following:

SUN Microsystems has already accepted the new offer for business membership (EUR 10, 000) and expressed its interest to participate to the WG “Promote the modernisation of local Public Administrations trough eGovernment”
Also ORACLE is expected to accept the new offer (waiting for a confirmation) and already expressed its interest to contribute to the WG “Ensure Information and Knowledge Society Rights for Citizens”
Telekom Austria and Fabasoft have been invited to accept the new offer but still waiting for feedback
Naestved will invite IBM to become a member
Barcelona will invite T-Systems, Altran and Schlumberger SEMA to become members
Prague will invite CISCO Systems to become member
President, Vice-President and TCO have scheduled several meetings in Brussels on 18-19 February with business members including the eLearning Industry Group

Action 3 WORKING GROUPS IN 2004
Finalize WGs package for the call / President, TCO / 04/02/2004
Send the WGs call to all members / TCO / 4/02/2004
Prepare the The Hague sessions / The Hague, Naestved, President / 17/03/2004
Draft a proposal on how to increase the incomes / President, TCO / 17/03/2004
Give feedback on Telekom Austria & Fabasoft / TCO / ASAP
Invite IBM, T-Systems, Altran, Schlumberger SEMA, CISCO / Barcelona, Naestved, Prague / ASAP

POINT 4SC FUNCTIONING & INTERNAL SUB-GROUPS FOR 2004

Working documents:SC Recomposition paper & Table with the SC sub-groups

Rapporteurs:President, Vice-President, Amaroussion & TCO

The SC was invited to discuss the issue of the SC functioning from 2005 on and also the internal sub-groups for 2004.

As to the re-composition of the Steering Committee, the SC agreed on:

Up to 25 SC members from 2005 on
The President, the Vice-President, the former President, the Financial Advisor and TCO compose the TeleCities Administrative Board (TAB)
The TAB has a mandate from the Steering Committee to take decisions on urgent matters. Each urgent decision has to be communicated to the SC.
The Steering Committee members will be appointed for 2-year term (to be synchronized with the Presidency and Vice-Presidency terms)
NAS members being elected in 2005 will be limited to a first one year term (as stated in the latest version of the Internal Rules approved in Porto by the AGM)
Former President should have a more a more precise role in terms of continuity of the activities and assistance to the new President
Increasing the electronic way of working and decreasing if possible the numbers of meetings

As to the internal Steering Committee Sub-Groups, the Steering Committee agreed on:

LEADER / SUB-GROUP
Barcelona / President
Naestved / Vice President + Relations with CoR + Working Groups + Business Members
Cologne / National Branches + GCD
Amaroussion / Projects proposals + Conferences
Antwerp / Internal Rules + Budget
Hull / Budget
Siena / Lobbying + Marketing/Communication
Stockholm / Deloitte + help on Business Members
Helsinki / Deloitte + help on Business Members
Vienna / Relations with other Networks (Eris@ & Elanet) + AGM
The Hague / Projects in progress + Working Groups (Chair)
Nice / Internal Affairs
Prague / Relations with new EU Cities & Applicant Cities + Deloitte
Marseille / Relations with Southern and Mediterranean Cities
Action 4 – SC FUNCTIONING & INTERNAL SUB-GROUPS FOR 2004
Draft proposal to amend the Internal Rules / Antwerp / 17/03/2004

POINT 5FUNCTIONING OF NATIONAL BRANCHES

Working documents:None

Rapporteurs:President, Cologne & TCO

The SC was invited to discuss the issue of the functioning and financing of the National Branches. The SC acknowledged that this issue is very important and in particular for the new EU countries in terms of fees. The President and TCO will come at the next SC in The Hague with a clear proposal for National Branches.

Action 5 – FUNCTIONING OF NATIONAL BRANCHES
Draft clear proposal on the functioning and financing of National Branches / President, Cologne / 17/03/2004

POINT 6 2004 TELECITIES EVENTS AND OTHER EVENTS

Working documents:Draft Agendas of the The Hague and Ronneby Events + 2004 Calendar of Events

Rapporteurs:President, Vice-President, Vienna and TCO

TCO reported on the latest developments concerning the next TeleCities Event in The Hague and informed the SC that the next SC meeting will take place on Wednesday 17 March from 12.00 to 17.00. The structure and the aim of the conference were presented to the SC: high-level speakers in national ministries and Commission will be invited to the conference.

President, Vice-President and TCO reported on the latest version of the agenda of the Ronneby Event “Flexible Citizen in Knowledge based City” and agreed that the President should work on a new version of the agenda which will be presented at the next SC meeting in The Hague.

Stockholm stressed the fact that TeleCities should support Ronneby in the communication campaign about the conference fee: in particular, it is crucial to make it clear that it was a SC decision approved by the AGM to charge a symbolic fee (EUR 100) for members. SC members agreed that extra actions are needed to avoid any negative impact of such a fee on the conference attendance. It was agreed that a comment should be put on the actual registration form for the event clarifying that the decision of charging a fee for participation was made at the AGM November 2003.

Naestved offered to host the SC meeting on 2 June.

The President informed the SC that there is a proposed date from Gijón to host the TeleCities 2004 Autumn Event on 29 Sept. – 02 Oct. with technical visits on the Saturday. The topic will be “”Knowledge based economy”.

As regards the TeleCities 2004 Annual General Meeting, the Steering Committee agreed to:

Host it in Vienna, same location as the EUROCITIES AGM, but as a separate event.
Have the day of 10 November dedicated only to the TeleCities AGM.
Contribute to EUROCITIES Conference on the European Social Model – e.g. though joint activities, co-organisation of a parallel session.
The contribution to EUROCITIES Conference is meant to strengthen TeleCities visibility for the TeleCities members as well as for the EUROCITIES members
Precise the content and timetable of TeleCities Event on 10 November + contribution to EUROCITIES Conference at the next SC in The Hague in March.
Have Working Groups sessions in Vienna because WGs activities are crucial for the members

Eventually, relating to TeleCities 2005 Events, the SC agreed to have the 2005 Autumn Event in Prague. Members of the SC were invited to send applications to host a TeleCities Event in 2005.

Action 6 – 2004 TELECITIES EVENTS AND OTHER EVENTS
Work on a new version of the agenda in Ronneby / President, Amaroussion / 17/03
Send information on possibility to organize SC meeting in Naestved / Naestved / ASAP

POINT 7 COOPERATION WITH DELOITTE

Working documents:Powerpoint from Deloitte + TCO Paper on the new targets cities for 2004 eCitizenship for All Survey

Rapporteurs:President, Vice President, Stockholm and TCO

TCO reported on the outcomes of the meeting of the eCitizenship For All project Committee on 12 December 2003 and informed that the 2004 edition of the eCitizenship for All Initiative will focus on

Cities in 10 new EU Countries: Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia
The Members of TeleCities which did not participate in the 2003 survey (including the new members)
The Members of EUROCITIES (non TC-members), especially the members from East-West Committee

During this Project Committee Meeting, it was also decided that the 2004 edition of the Awards:

will be open to all TeleCities members having already participated in the 2003 edition of the Survey + to all TeleCities members participating to the 2004 edition of the survey
will have some changes in the criteria in order to favour the new EU countries but the awards criteria will be the same for all participants
should be managed with if possible more women and people from the private sector in the Jury

On the 2004 edition of the awards, the SC agreed that:

One of the criteria should be that the project is already operational
We should rethink the category eSecurity because of the low number of applications in 2003
Projects should correspond to the category for which they have been submitted or transferred to the most relevant category

TCO also informed the SC about Deloitte being late in delivering the 2003 European Benchmark Survey and the database. The SC agreed that Stockholm will contact Deloitte as soon as possible to make sure Deloitte will enforce the agreement in due time.

Action 7 – COOPERATION WITH DELOITTE
Contact Deloitte / Stockholm / ASAP

POINT 8 BUDGET, REPORT ON MEMBERSHIP AND FEES

Working documents:Statement of Accounts for period January-September 2003, updated Report on Membership and fees, List of Members by country

Rapporteurs:President & TCO

The President and TCO firstly informed the Steering Committee about the draft statement of accounts given by EUROCITIES Finances Department for the period January-September 2003. The final result is EUR +26,798.99. The SC agreed that Hull and Antwerp as Financial Advisors would contact EUROCITIES Director of Finances in order to prepare the final statement of accounts for the year 2003 which will be available at the beginning of April.

The President and TCO reported on the status of new members and withdrawals in 2003 and stressed the fact that TeleCities had so many “bad payers”, a situation which should try to be avoided in 2004.

The SC agreed that it will be stated clearly in the letter to members which will be sent with the invoices that if the members do not pay their invoice within 6 months, they will be invited to leave the network, as stated in the Internal Rules. TCO also informed the SC that EUROCITIES will charge a 12% yearly interest if the fee is not paid within 6[W1] months in 2003. This should be applied by TeleCities as well in 2005 but has first to be approved by the 2004 TeleCities AGM.

Action 8 – BUDGET, REPORT ON MEMBERSHIP AND FEES
Contact EUROCITIES Director of Finances to start working on the statement of account for whole year 2003 / Antwerp, Hull / ASAP
Draft letter for members explaining the invoices / TCO / ASAP

POINT 9 AOB

CURRENT STATUS ON THE PROCESS OF NEW TELECITIES MANAGER

The President informed the SC that EUROCITIES has decided to offer the job to Luisa Avedano (City of Turin) and is asking the SC for their approval. The SC agreed to offer Luisa Avedano the job and asked EUROCITIES to send her the contract with financial conditions for final decision on her side.

EUROCITIES

TCO informed the SC on the following issues:

The next EUROCITIES Committee Chairs and Network Presidents Meetings will take place on 19 April and 19 September
There is an ongoing discussion on the future new structure of EUROCITIES. The sub-networks’ Presidents will be invited to give comments at the 19 April Meeting + all the members will be invited to comment on a new proposal after the 19 April Meeting
EUROCITIES is working on preparing a Contribution to the EU Spring Council (March 2004), which will focus on the Lisbon Strategy. TeleCities SC is therefore invited to contribute to it. TCO will send a summary of the Commission document, highlighting the topics for comments by the SC

OUTCOMES OF THE LYON AND GENEVA SUMMITS

President and TCO reported that the Lyon and Geneva Summits went well. TeleCities was officially represented by Joan Clos, Mayor of Barcelona and TeleCities Charter of eRights was included in the Lyon Declaration. In Lyon, TeleCities Vice-President gave a presentation of the Charter of eRights during the open session of the Global Cities Dialogue Meeting. TeleCities President chaired a well-visited meeting with the “national branch” potential members from France.

REPORT ON BUSINESS MEMBERS : see report page 2

POLICY TOWARDS CONSULTANTS WANTING TO BECOME MEMBERS

On the basis of the Internal Rules, the SC agreed to accept the membership applications from Consultancies provided that they are registered as companies.

PRAGUE: SC REPRESENTATION AT ISSS 2004

Prague informed the SC about the ISSS/LORIS 2004 event, which will take place on 28-30 March in Hradec Kralové and that there will be a space for presenting the Charter of eRights and the eCitizenship for All initiative with Deloitte. The SC agreed that someone from the SC will represent TeleCities. Vienna is invited to represent TeleCities at this event.

COOPERATION WITH PTI - USA

Following two meetings in Lille in December and in Lyon at the World Summit, TCO informed the SC about the new cooperation with the organization PTI (Public Technology Inc.) chaired by Costis Toregas. The cooperation will consist of:

Exchanging information via the eNewsbrief/Newsletter and Websites
Participating to PTI’s 3rd Annual Congress of Public Technologists in San Antonio, 28-30 April. The SC agreed that Lille will represent TeleCities at this Event

REPORT ON ONGOING PROJECTS AND PROPOSALS

TCO gave the SC a detailed report on the ongoing projects and proposals.

REPORT ON MEETING WITH PAUL TIMMERS – HEAD OF UNIT eGOV

TCO reported on the outcome of the meeting with Paul Timmers (Head of the eGovernment Unit at the European Commission) to discuss the agenda of the eGovernment Unit at DG INFSO and the forthcoming TeleCities/MUTEIS Conference (17-19 March 2004) that he will attend as a speaker.

P. Timmers confirmed the last tendencies of the Commission, ie focusing on re-engineering process to deliver better services to CITIZENS and not only to modernise the internal structures of public authorities per se.

As for future actions, he said that the Commission would like to support the establishment of a framework to foster the exchange of best practices and experiences between public authorities. The aim is not only to inform PAs about what others are doing, but rather to promote transferability and scalability of successful projects between PAs. In order to do that, the Commission is thinking of setting up a set of criteria for people to evaluate what a successful good practices is and how this can be transferred elsewhere. In terms of funding, rather than launching a call for projects under the IST programme, the eGovt Unit is planning to promote a support action under the programme MODINIS: this support action is likely to be launched in June-July 2004. The aim of the support action would be to identify a set of criteria to select best practices, and to draft a report on best practices, as well as some guidelines on how to describe best practices, with a focus on transportability tools. The ultimate aim would be to help the Commission create a sort of "EU labeling" for best practices, which would guide local authorities to: foster exchange of experience, assess experience of other Pas, foster transfer of good practices from other Pas and provide some guidance on how to access EU funds (ESF, structural funds, EIB) to implement locally these good practices. Another idea discussed during the meeting was the possibility of organizing a series of "best practices events" to give such good practices more visibility at European level. The first of these conferences would be funded by the European Commission, likely through a call for tenders.