[FYI] EU launches "eGovernment Awards"

["Axel H Horns" <horns@ipjur.com>]

<http://europa.eu.int/rapid/start/cgi/guesten.ksh?p_action.gettxt=gt& 
doc=IP/01/1705|0|RAPID&lg=EN&display=>  

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EU launches "eGovernment Awards"

                              DN: IP/01/1705     Date: 30/11/2001


                                  TXT: EN
                                  PDF: EN
                                  DOC: EN

                             IP/01/1705 

Brussels, 30 November 2001  

EU launches "eGovernment Awards"  

The European Commission's new "eEurope Awards for Innovation in 
eGovernment" aims to highlight and promote the efforts made by 
European national, regional and local administrations in using 
Information Society Technologies to improve the quality and 
accessibility of their public services. Its launch follows the 
success of the "eGovernment label". This was recently awarded to 60 
online services submitted by administrations for inclusion within 
"eGovernment: From Policy to Practice", a conference and exhibition 
organised jointly on November 29-30 by the European Commission and 
the EU Belgian Presidency. Almost 300 submissions were received from 
administrations around Europe. As its name suggests, the new Award is 
a concrete expression of the eEurope Action Plan 2002. "The Award 
will be a significant driving force for identifying and promoting 
excellence and creativity in the public sector and for supporting the 
mutual recognition and adoption of best practices", said Erkki 
Liikanen, European Commissioner for the Information Society, as he 
announced the Award at the eGovernment conference in Brussels today.  

A total of 282 administrations from around the world submitted their 
on-line services to a jury of independent experts for inclusion in 
the conference and exhibition, which brought together 36 ministers 
from across the EU, the European Economic Area and countries in EU 
accession negotiations.  

The jury selected 60 winners to be presented either at the exhibition 
or directly within the conference proceedings. All were awarded the 
"eGovernment label" and a formal citation of their achievement, 
signed by the Commissioner and Belgian Ministers Rik Daems and Luc 
van den Bossche, the co-organisers of the conference.  

"I do not envy the jury they faced a real challenge sorting through 
so many excellent nominations," remarked Commissioner Liikanen. "But 
this very successful and vigorous response confirms the need to 
exchange best practices in this field across Europe, which is why we 
have decided to make this competition an annual event through 
launching the eEurope Award for Innovation in e-Government."  

The new Awards fall under the eEurope action line "Government online: 
electronic access to public services". Their focus will be on running 
services - to be eligible, entrants will have to have been in 
operation for at least one year prior to nomination.  

To win an award, on the other hand, the administration needs to 
demonstrate that it has taken a fresh, innovative approach to a 
problem of concern to a significant number of people, and that it has 
delivered profound improvements in the services it offers to the 
public.  

The aim is to reward excellence and promote the exchange of best 
practice. Winning administrations will therefore be given the 
opportunity to pass on the lessons they have learnt as part of the 
formal curriculum of institutes specialised in training courses for 
public administrations.  

The awards will cover all governmental departments at all levels - 
central, regional, local - within the EU Member States and the 
Accession Countries. Over a period of years they will address the 
full spectrum of activities supported by public administrations, 
including healthcare, transport, education and the environment, as 
well as the democratic processes of government itself. Present plans 
are to target a specific policy area each year, with the first Awards 
to be presented in Copenhagen by the Danish Presidency in late 2002.  

More on "From Policy to Practice"  

The event is part of the joint efforts of the European Commission and 
the Belgian EU Presidency to speed up the development of on-line 
administrative services in Europe. The aim is focus attention on the 
best current applications and the practical advantages that 
individuals and companies can derive from this modernisation of 
administration, at whatever level.  

Further Information  

The conference website:  

(http://europa.eu.int/information_society/eeurope/egovconf/index_en.h 
tm)  

Information Society Newsroom:  

http://europa.eu.int/information_society/newsroom/index_en.htm  

eEurope 2002 web-site:  

http://europa.eu.int/information_society/eeurope/index_en.htm  

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See also

<http://europa.eu.int/rapid/start/cgi/guesten.ksh?p_action.gettxt=gt& 
doc=IP/01/1704|0|RAPID&lg=EN&display=>  

<http://europa.eu.int/rapid/start/cgi/guesten.ksh?p_action.gettxt=gt& 
doc=IP/01/1701|0|RAPID&lg=EN&display=>  



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