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Commission leads by example at conference showcasing 21st
century IT solutions
On 4 and 5 October over 800 IT specialists and policy managers from EU
institutions and agencies will attend the European Commission ICT Conference
2012, helping to lay the digital foundations for 21st century EU
administrations.
Social media, mobile ICT and other 21st century developments are offering EU
administrations possibilities and tools undreamed of by public servants of
previous generations.
New trends in technology coupled with highly IT-literate societies across the
Union are having a huge impact - both on citizens’ expectations and the demands
placed on administrations.
The conference will examine these developments and see how they can improve
European public administration.
Executives from top private sector companies such as Ikea and GlaxoSmithKline
will also show how they have benefitted from the massive changes that IT is
bringing to the world of work, and outline some of the innovative IT measures
they have introduced.
In particular, the conference showcased the Commission's new initiative
'e-Commission 2012-2015: Delivering user-centric digital services'.
As part of the Commission's own contribution to the Digital Agenda for Europe,
the e-Commission is designed to help the development of digital services and IT
solutions in a variety of areas linked to European public administrations.
This includes helping to break down barriers between the various national public
administrations in Europe with the use of IT, improving the transparency and
accessibility of information, and reducing red tape for citizens and businesses.
It will also enhance the Commission's IT security and ensure the convergence of
IT systems through the use of innovative technologies.
Vice-President Maroš Šefcovic, responsible for IT services within the
Commission, said: "In line with the Digital Agenda, the e-Commission is designed
around making life easier for users, the effective and efficient use of
resources, and ensuring the security and privacy of citizens and businesses. It
is based on the principles of openness and reusability.
The Commission will lead by example in delivering these 21st century IT
solutions to support EU policies".
Background
A new era of collaboration among public sector actors is emerging.
This collaboration needs to be supported by new flexible cross-border and
cross-sector IT systems which streamline administrative processes, cut red tape
and have user-friendly interfaces.
The e-Commission 2012-2015 addresses these challenges and outlines how the
Commission will lead in delivering these IT solutions, to support both EU
policies and the Commission’s internal administration.