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 27May 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

Contributor information[2]

Name of sender: / ......
Contact details:
(address, telephone, email) / ......
On behalf of:
(name of local or regional authority) / Łódź City Hall
Type of organisation / City/Town/Municipality Region
County/Province
Association of local and/or regional authorities
Other (please specify)
Country: / Poland
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 hasbeen 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?
The main problem is the low level of the public services provided to both residents and businesses; one of the reasons for this is the old method of doing things (i.e. a paper-based system) and the limited use of the internet for public service provision. Communications between our office and the general publicare ineffective while the services provided by City Hall take too much time. There is little doubt that one of the main challengesto making our e-governance more effective is the need to improve people's skills and their ability to use electronic means of communication. It is also important to raise people's awareness about the digitalisation of public services e.g. by:
- informing them that they can start/launch administrative procedures using the functional mailbox ofŁódź City Hall via the ePUAP platform,
- raise awareness among local people about the modern forms of identification/verificationrequried in order to use electronic platforms, (ePUAP, secure electronic signature verified via a valid certificate or a "trusted profile" –a free of charge method for confiming an individual's identity in e-governance systems).
- making electronic services available thatallow people todeal withadministrative matters without the need to appear in person at City Hall or to send paper documents.
Further challenges include:
- developing the existing backbone network in order to provide eveybody in the city with broadband access. Ensuring groups at risk of digital exclusion have access to the internet.
- broaden and developthe range of public services provided electronically
- improve the level of teaching by providing new forms of education via e-learning. The use of dedicated multimedia platforms for pupils in all levels of education.
Reducing barriers to the everyday use of digital technology by local residents, including public sector workers.
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?
Łódź City Hall beieves that the following aims of the Digital Agenda for Europe are most relevant in view of the challenges currently facing the Łódź region:
Interoperability and Standards
Better use of ITC in contacts between public administration and the citizens by ensuring the appropriate interoperability of appliances, applications, databases, services and networks.
Trust and security
Ensure maximum security when dealing with administrative matters electronically. Eliminate the danger of identity theft, internet fraud etc. Introduction of an identity management strategy, especially for safe and effective e-administration services.
Enhancing digital literacy, skills and inclusion
Used of digital technology is one of the eight key competences which are of fundamental importance for people operating in a knowledge-based society
Fast and ultra-fast access to the Internet
ICT-enabled benefits for EU societye-government services provide a low-cost way in which all citizens and businesses can obtain better services and are based on participation and an open and transparent administration. e-government services can reduce costs and save time for government bodies, citizens and businesses.
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.
......
4) CoR opinions from October 2010[8] and October2011[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 accesseverywhere 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?
Providing access to electronic services that enable people to deal with administrative matters over the internet, without leaving their home, whatever the time of day.
A wider range of electronic services is now available thanks to the completion of theŁódzkie Centrum Kontaktu z Mieszkańcami (Łódzkie Residents' Contact Centre) project, which was funded by the European Union using European Regional Development Funding as part of the Łódzkie Regional Operational Programme for 2007-2013. This project builds on and incorporates the standards and functional features of the ePUAP platform to provide access to public services. New communication channels have also been made available for contacts between residents and our office based on IT technology: a single e-mail address, telephone number and fax number as well as a chat function. Thanks to these tools, people are able to quickly get in touch with a specialist member of staff at our office, who can then launch a procedure to ensure thematter at hand is dealt with swiftly.
Providing information for entrepreneurs (published on the website of our"One Stop Information Point") about the procedures and rules governing our services
In the case of information provided on the website of our One Stop Information Point, we comply with the principles of the Services Directive on providing entrepreneurs with information about administrative procedures.
In addition to these activities, we have also made electronic services availableon the ePUAP platform. Providing access to our services through ePUAP has led to a recent surge of interest in electronic services: from 1 January to 15 May 2013 we received some 696 applications, an increase of 105% compared to 2012 (339 applications).
Providing a management system, connecting public sector institutions to the internet and the creation of an education platform
Some 70 public sector institutions (primarily schools) have been connected to the internet as part of the activities carried out under the project Metropolitalna Sieć Szerokopasmowego dostępu do Internetu (Metropolitan Network for Broadband Internet Access). In addition, a system has also beenput in place to improve education management at provider level. A multimedia platform has also beenintroduced as a new form of education and to complement traditional teaching methods.
As part of its work, the City of Łódź is currently applying for funding for a project entitled Łódź online - przeciwdziałanie wykluczeniu cyfrowemu na terenie miasta Łodzi” (Łódź online - combating digital exclusion in the City of Łódź)Innovative Economy Operational Programme, Priority Axis 8:Information society – increasing innovation of the economy,Action 8.3Counteracting digital exclusion – eInclusion.
This project involves providing internet access and computer equipment to groups at risk of digital exclusion, including:
- adults and children with a moderate level of disability or equivalent;
- children in foster care

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 internetis 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?
The actions most relevant to our local situation are:
- create a new and stable broadband regulatory environment,
- New public digital service infrastructures through the Connecting Europe Facility
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.
At present, we feel that the most difficult action to achieve in our city is to Accelerate cloud computing through public sector buying power, along with the issue of internet data security. This is mainly due to the lack of uniform laws and regulations on the processing of personal data by public institutions in cloud environments.
7) Overall, what are the strong and weak pointsof the Digital Agenda for Europe, as seen from your regional/local standpoint?
......
8) Would you recommend any specific changes to the Digital Agenda for Europe, following Europe 2020's mid-term review in 2014?
......

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

9) Does your country's 2012 (current) National Reform Programme[13] (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?
We should draw attention to the need to includethe key issues surrounding the process of operating and maintaining newly constructed broadband networks under the National Broadband Plan,which provides the basis for objectives in the area of internet accessibility and speed (MAC).
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.
Yes, representatives of Łódź City Hall attend regular meetings as part of the Linia Współpracy (Line of Cooperation) initiative organised by the Ministry of Administration and Digitalisation, divided into a number of working groups:
- working group on broadband networks financed via EU funding,
- working group on theintroduction of e-government services,
- working group on e-skills and digital participation.

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.
The actions carried out under the Digital Agenda for Europe are primarily related to theŁódzkie Centrum Kontaktu z Mieszkańcami (Łódzkie Residents' Contact Centre) project, which was funded by the European Union using European Regional Development Funding as part of theŁódzkie Regional Operational Programme for 2007-2013
Metropolitalna Sieć Szerokopasmowego dostępu do Internetu(Metropolitan Network for Broadband Internet Access)
Łódź online - przeciwdziałanie wykluczeniu cyfrowemu na terenie miasta Łodzi” (Łódź online - combating digital exclusion in the City of Łódź)Innovative Economy Operational Programme, Priority Axis 8:Information society – increasing innovation of the economy,Action 8.3Counteracting digital exclusion – eInclusion.
12) Have any of the pursued goals been jeopardised due to fiscal consolidation policies and subsequent financial difficulties?
......
13) Were you directly or indirectly involved in the preparation of the forthcoming Partnership Agreementwhich is to be signed between your national government and the European Commission for the management of the Structural Funds under the Common Strategic Framework 2014-2020[14]?If yes, please explain how in brief.
We were involved in the consultations on the objectives of the 2014-2020 Partnership Agreement and sent our comments to the Ministry for Regional Development. Our comments concerned the need to be more specific about the funding for thematic objectives and about the proposed indicators on the implementation of the plans to be financed.
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:

/ 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:

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION!

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[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 . If necessary, you may also contact the CoR Data Protection Officer (). You have the right of recourse to the European Data Protection Supervisor at any time ( 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.