Now Showing: The Citadel Statement 25. October 2010 – 17:21 by John Heaven (TuTech Innovation GmbH)

Photo by sugu on Flickr

It may sound like a film at your local independent cinema, but “The Citadel Statement” is actually the name of the Flemish Government’s online debate amongst European eGovernment practitioners about how to realise the aims set out in the 2009 Malmö Ministerial Declaration.

The initiative’s website states that progress towards achieving the Malmö vision has been limited because it has not been translated into on-the-ground progress. By submitting suggestions for ways in which national and EU-level decision-makers can help local government achieve the Malmö objectives, or voting on other people’s suggestions, users will contribute to the Citadel Statement to be presented at a special pre-conference on 14th December, in advance of the Flemish Government’s “Lift Off Towards Open Government” conference on 15th and 16th December.

The Malmö Declaration was signed unanimously in November 2009 and outlines a vision of eGovernment to be achieved by 2015.  The three main objectives are:

• to empower businesses and citizens through eGovernment services designed around users’ needs, better access to information and their active involvement in the policy making process;
• to facilitate mobility in the single market by seamless eGovernment services for setting up business, for studying, working, residing and retiring in Europe;
• to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of government services by reducing the administrative burden, improving organisational processes of administrations and using ICT to improve energy efficiency in public administrations, which will result in a greater contribution to a sustainable low-carbon economy.

Let’s hope that the project is so successful that they make a film out of it. Well I’d watch it …

Tags: European Union, flanders, inenglish