Europe's public services are in turmoil and there is increasing pressure put on public services to evolve urgently. We are committed in going digital to triple the bottom line of sustainability: environmental, social and economic. Creating rather than destroying our environmental capital (Europe's 20/20/20 targets), our social capital (Europe's way to inclusion, solidarity) and our economic capital (jobs for the young Europeans and GDP growth).
Europe is hard at work when it comes to digital public services and sustainability with exciting initiatives such as cross-border e-government, e-health for 2020, the European Innovation Partnership for active & healthy ageing, Digital Champions for e-literacy & e-inclusion, and soon a Smart Cities and Communities initiative.
Let's structure this discussion around three questions – within the broader context of what Europe can do for you and what you can do for Europe:
- People are our best asset. What are the concrete examples, enablers and policies in digital public services and sustainability that empower citizens – in whatever role? For example, should the new e-health action plan address e-health literacy? Do we need more legal guidance for using e-health data? What are the next technological or policy enablers (like standards or metrics) for smart cities that we should pursue?
- More with less. Are the initiatives smart and joined-up to deliver public services and sustainability efficiently and effectively? For example, how should we make sure that the digital services infrastructures that are to be supported by the Connecting Europe Facility are going to be deployed widely and that cross-border e-government building blocks (like interoperable eIDs) and services are widely re-used? What is needed to accelerate the multiplier effect of leading examples in active & health ageing or the leading smart cities in Europe?
- Innovation is the name of the game. In which concrete ways should new Europe enable and deliver innovation in digital public services and sustainability? For example, should we step up R&D in connecting activities and 'liberating data' in health and care? Should we invest more – and in what - in Horizon 2020 in public sector innovation to enable citizens' co-creation of digital public services?
UPDATE: we started crowdsourcing ideas for public innovation in Horizon 2020
Join the discussion, provide your comments, and feel free to launch new themes that you feel should be discussed at the Digital Agenda Assembly.
Moderator: Jamal Shahin
