Fourth newsletter MEDeGOV

MEDeGOV eNewsletter #4

July 2015

Welcome!

Welcome to the fourth MEDeGOV eNewsletter!

The purpose of this eNewsletter is to provide information and updates for the MEDeGOV Project.

MEDeGOV is co-financed by the ENPI CBC MED Programme under Priority 4 and Measure 4.3.

MEDeGOV aims at fostering the adoption of eGovernment practices by local and regional authorities from the Mediterranean Sea Basin, through strategic planning, process redesign, organizational change, capacity building and demonstration actions (pilot eGovernment platforms). The ultimate goal is to utilize ICT as a tool for improving organizational efficiency and public services offered to citizens, businesses and other public administrations.

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In this fourth issue you will find information about the “NextMed”, held in Brussels in May 2015.

Moreover the Vademecum on eGovernment developed by the project partners so as to be used as a guide and tool for disseminating the project results and the follow—up plan, are presented.

Finally the partners are organizing 4th project meeting and the Final Conference in Salfeet in July 2014, an important milestone for the final evaluation of the project and its follow up.

Inside this issue: Welcome

1

NextMed Conference in 2 Bruxelles MEDeGOV Follow—up Plan

2

Vademecum on eGovernment

3

Final Conference

3

Upcoming Events

4

Partnership

4

www.medegov.net

MEDeGOV eNewsletter #4

NextMed Conference in Brussels The Joint Managing Authority organized the ‘NextMed’ Conference on 28th May 2015 at the Committee of the Regions in Brussels. Mr. Johannes Hahn, Commissioner for European

Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, was among the speakers of the event.

"The ENPI Programme is an important tool to stimulate projects that can provide common solutions to the Mediterranean region's needs." , Johannes Hahn

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The purpose of the conference was to highlight the achievements and future challenges of the ENPI CBC Mediterranean Sea Programme and discuss the role of cross-border cooperation as part of the consultation on the new the European Neighbourhood Policy.

The event, took place in Bruxelles at the

Committee of the Regions on 28th of May 2015, gathered over 100 participants from both sides of the Mediterranean with the objective of discussing the role of cross-border cooperation in the framework of the consultation on the new the European Neighbourhood Policy. The first session of the Conference highlighted the central role that stronger ownership should play in the revised European Neighbourhood Policy while the second part of the conference was dedicated to the Programme and funded projects. The importance of diffusion and capitalization of good practices was the key message of Alaa Ezz, Secretary General of the Federation of Egyptian Chambers in order to foster the long term sustainability of the results achieved by the Programme.

MEDeGOV Follow—up Plan The Follow-up Plan of the project will be formulated by the Lead Partner (RSE / DAE) with a dual scope. Firstly to analyze and present the different multiplier effects of the project by exploring and identifying the different methodological tools and approaches that can be duplicated by other regional authorities for the evaluation of their eGovernment status and adoption of eGovernment initiatives at the local / regional level; and to create a common follow-up strategy so as to ensure the sustainability and expandability of the project’s results, i.e. the continuation of the eGovernment Platforms and their expansion to other departments of the participating regional authorities.

In this aspect it will give an overview of the project, providing a brief introduction to the project’s initial objectives, its current achievements and outputs and the extent to which

they have been met. Moreover the Followup Plan will dedicate a session to the replicability of the actions and methodologies developed in the framework of the project, i.e. the tools and methods that can be used by other regional / local authorities for assessing their eGovernment status and actually evaluating their readiness / performance in introducing eGovernment initiatives, etc. and will give an overview of the key points of the future strategic plans that all partners have prepared for the sustainability of the Project, in an attempt to capitalize the acquired knowledge and experience in order to formulate the best follow-up strategy. The Plan will be presented in the final conference of the project in Palestine on 28th of July 2015 and after its consultation with the relevant stakeholders will be finalized and published in the project website (www.medegov.net).

July 2015

Vademecum on eGovernment The Vademecum has been developed in the context of MEDeGOV project, concerning the adoption of eGovernment practices by local and regional authorities in the Mediterranean area. It includes key findings of the MEDeGOV project, selected good practices and policy recommendations that have been forwarded and promoted to the regional / national governments, so as to ensure proper considerations in the mainstream programmes funded by Structural Funds, ENPI and other national or international donors, as well as to the European Commission (DG REGIO, DG INFSO, DG RELEX, EuropeAid etc.); The main purpose of the MEDeGOV Vademecum is to serve as a guide for all the stakeholders, representing a tool for the dissemination of project results and the instigation of multipliereffects. It will enable them to use, as appropriate, eGovernment as a tool for the delivery of ICT-enabled public services for which they are responsible.

Consisting of recommendations for implementation and new policies, Vademecum should help practitioners to improve government service all around the Mediterranean Basin.

The ultimate goal of the paper is to contribute to the sustainability of the project results since it will be widely disseminated and used by relevant stakeholders of the MEDeGOV project of the participating regions and outside of them, acting as a baseline for future planning. The combination of the use of advanced ICTs and the support of new ways of thinking and working in public administration, together with the enhanced provision of information and interactive services accessible over different channels, is the foundation of eGovernment. The importance of eGovernment lies in its goals by promoting more efficient and effective government, facilitating the access in government services, allowing greater public access to information, and making government more accountable to citizens. Egovernment might involve delivering services via the Internet, telephone, community centers (self-service or facilitated by others), wireless devices or other communications systems. world. The publication of the Vademecum makes the purposes and the activities of the eGovernment procedure, in accordance with MEDeGOV project, more transparent and accessible to the outside world.

The Final Conference of the project will be organized in Salfeet in 28th of July 2015

The Final Conference MEDeGOV project partners are proud to announce the Final Conference of their project that will take place in Salfeet(Palestine) on Tuesday 28th of July 2015 with the purpose to share the experience and results of our project.

In the MEDeGOV project four partners from three countries worked together to foster the adoption of eGovernment by local and regional authorities in the Mediterranean Sea Basin. The closing conference of the MEDeGOV project is entitled: “Fostering eGovernment in

the Mediterranean Sea Basin: Experience and Results of the MEDeGOV project and has as main scope to promote and communicate the project’s outputs and impacts to the public, raise awareness on issues related with the eGovernment and communicate the project’s impacts to all relevant stakeholders.

The Conference is open to the public and the entrance is free. The official language of the conference is English.

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Upcoming Events When

What

Where

28/07/2015

Final Conference

Salfeet, Palestine

27/07/2015

Final Project Meeting

Salfeet, Palestine

Partnership LEAD PARTNER: Region of Sterea Ellada / Development Agency of Evia Greece www.anevia.gr

Province of Crotone Italy PROVINCE OF CROTONE

www.provincia.crotone.it

Salfeet Municipality Palestine www.salfeet.org

Region of Central Macedonia / Regional Development Fund Greece www.rdfcm.gr The 2007-2013 ENPI CBC Mediterranean Sea Basin Programme is a multilateral Cross-Border Cooperation initiative funded by the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI). The Programme objective is to promote the sustainable and harmonious cooperation process at the Mediterranean Basin level by dealing with the common challenges and enhancing its endogenous potential.

It finances cooperation projects as a contribution to the economic, social, environmental and cultural development of the Mediterranean region. The following 14 countries participate in the Programme: Cyprus, Egypt, France, Greece, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Lebanon, Malta, Palestine, Portugal, Spain, Syria (participation currently suspended), Tunisia. The Joint Managing Authority (JMA) is the Autonomous Region of Sardinia (Italy). Official Programme languages are Arabic, English and French (www.enpicbcmed.eu) This eNewsletter has been developed with the financial assistance of the European Union under the ENPI CBC Mediterranean Sea Basin Programme.

The contents of this brochure are the sole responsibility of the MEDeGOV project partners and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union or of the Programme’s management structures.

The project MEDeGOV total budget is 1.400 million Euro and it is financed, for an amount of 1.260 million Euro (90 %), by the European Union (ENPI CBC Mediterranean Sea Basin Programme) through the European Neighbourhood

"The European Union is made up of 28 Member States who have decided to gradually link together their know-how, resources and destinies.

Together, during a period of enlargement of 50 years, they have built a zone of stability, democracy and sustainable development whilst maintaining cultural diversity, tolerance and individual freedoms. The European Union is committed to sharing its achievements and its values with countries and peoples beyond its borders".