Enhancing e-Government in Central Eastern Europe: Insights and Opportunities

1. What and Whose e-Government We Want?An End-User’s Dimension of e-Services and Capacity Building in Central Eastern Europe: Lessons & QuestionsWITFOR – 2005 Gaborone, Botswana, 31 Aug – 2 Sep 2005 Yuri Misnikov Regional ICT-for-Development Regional Advisor Democratic Governance Programme UNDP Regional Centre (Europe & CIS) Bratislava, Slovakia

2. Abstract This presentation reviews the latest e-government developments in Central Eastern Europe from the perspective of added value for end-users. It argues that e-government initiatives should be anchored into wider ICT-enabled change of public sector management and service delivery, coupled with nurturing new locally available competencies and opportunities through e-governance teaching.

3. “Good progress but more challenges ahead…” • Concluded the Final eEurope+ Progress Report presented at the European Ministerial Conference in February 2004 in Budapest outlining the advancements made by the former Acceding and current Candidate Countries (ACC) in the overall implementation of the eEurope+ Action Plan. • eEurope+ Action Plan – was an instrument of helping ACC to implement eEurope 2005 Action Plan – a strategy for EU to become the world’s most competitive economy based on knowledge

4. Facts & statistics (1) • Most EU directives in support of Information Society services being either under implementation or at the stage of draft laws. • Number of Internet users grew during 2001-2003 by 60% -- up to 15%. • Still far less that EU average of 40%.

5. Facts & statistics (2) • 80% use Internet for simple information search • 75% -- for communication purposes • 40% -- for downloading games/music • 32% -- for visiting chat rooms and discussion forums • 23% -- for obtaining banking services, • 3% for financial services

6. Facts & statistics (3) • e-Banking • as low as 5-10% • Estonia -- 95% of bank transactions are conducted via electronic channels • Looking for goods and services • healthy 51% • BUT actual online purchasing 12% and less • e-Business • 70% of companies with Internet connection • BUT only 39% were present on the Web • BUT less than one-tenth received orders online

7. Facts & statistics (4) • e-Services to citizens • Grew rapidly from 1% to 20% of fully transactional online • 17% interacted online with public authorities to obtain, e.g., official forms • BUT only 9% returned these forms back to the government • Only 16% of enterprises used the Internet to make social contribution for employees • Only 11% to handle VAT declaration and notification.

8. Facts & statistics (5) • Who are non-users? • Over 50% of all Internet non-users in Estonia don’t relate their lives to the Internet • 27% are “Passive People” and 28% -- Blue Collars” who don’t see any reason to use the Internet and see no benefits in it (studies by AS Emor and PRAXIS Center for Policy Studies (2002). • 2/3 of all non-users cannot specify any areas that could be of any use for them • 1/3 don’t know what the Internet is • 1/4 don’t know how to use a computer

9. Questions ??? • What public sector policy makers and e-governance practitioners should make of these figures? • How to motivate people to adapt technology and use benefits of the information society?

10. Possible answers (1) • From Estonia: • Putting more emphasis on social and economic impacts of ICT development rather than on measuring and encouraging technology advances • ‘Blue Collars’ group should be the main target • Internet needs to be transformed into a channel for daily errands, and a ‘broader understanding of the “Internet for everyone” needs to be created among the ”Passive People” group.

11. Possible answers (2) • From Estonia: • Use web-technology to build state-level information systems to replace traditional user interface technologies to allow for new possibilities for the unification and integration of e-services. • Move from back-office centred developments to front-office or unified user interface ones. • Place workplace software of information systems on central servers instead of on workplace computers to enable each Internet-connected computer to serve as a terminal for many information systems.

12. Possible answers (3) • From Estonia: • Move away from data collection to services (in development of databases) • Move away from institution-based approach to inter-institutional one. • Move away from infrastructure development to that of information systems • Operationalize Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) in synergy with ID cards for new opportunities for unified identification of users of e-services and for the use of digital signatures.

13. Possible answers (4) • From EU Report: • URGENTLY stimulate the deployment of interactive media-rich content to drive the broadband access to the Internet • Ensure access to public sector information for a faster adoption of new ways of communication with the state • Invest more by regional and local governments in Public Internet Access Points (PIAP), especially school-based to bring ICTs closer to people

14. Possible answers (5) • From EU: • Continue implementation of e-government initiatives beyond simple provision of information and towards fully transactional services focused on the needs of citizens and businesses • Support innovative public-private partnerships to promote investment in and use of ICTs in small and medium enterprises.

15. Possible answers (6) • From EU: • Make available a rich and highly developed set of services that will motivate adoption by the public • Involve sufficiently large user population that will motivate the business sector to invest in the provision of ICT-enabled services

16. IT Training Strategy for Estonian Public Sector • First seminars on IT public sector applications for Ministers and Heads of Offices in 1992-1993 • Systematic training almost non-existent before 1995 • Push from the Department of State Information Systems - government body responsible for coordination of IT in public sector in 1998-1999 as a remedy for problems: • in budgeting of IT expenses • in public procurement of IT • in setting the goals for IT in public sector

17. Main training focus: IT management in Public Sector • Main modules, each 2-3 days long: • IT strategic management • IT project management • System Analysis tools and methods • Technology (from the managers viewpoint) • Process analysis and re-engineering • Telecommunication • Target group: IT managers, IT department heads in ministries • Scale: During 1999 – 2001 almost all 200 IT managers (decision makers) in public sector trained

18. International cooperation • Co-financed by Estonian Government, Baltic Sea IT Fund (Swedish Foreign-Aid Fund) and private IT company Baltic Computer Systems (BCS) - first PPP! • Implementation - joint effort of Swedish Association of IT, Department of State Information Systems and BCS • First training in May 1999

19. Training Results • Change in thinking of general managers and IT managers • Critical mass! Small-scale project-based approach! • Changes in budgeting and goal-setting procedures in public sector • Importance of training was recognised!

20. Regional context: Need for Capacity Development • BASELINE: Internationally agreed principles of building the information society (WSIS Bucharest process, especially Pan European Regional WSIS Conference in 2002): • Develop human capacity though education and training • Promote e-Government – more efficient and more accountable • Develop national e-Strategies by benefiting from existing knowledge and experience on best practices and learning from one another

21. E-Governance context: Need for Good Governance (1) • Governance practices – the key to a successful Information Society for all • How the society is organized and governed (public administration, civil services, self-governance, corporate governance, access to information and justice, role of parliaments…) • Good Governance – the key to democratic practices • Whether people have opportunity and means to participate in decision-making • Whether economic development is equitable and its fruits are available for all

22. E-Governance context: Need for Good Governance (2) • e-Governance is part of the wider Good Governance concept • But not neutral to various governance practices and methods while different governance settings not neutral to harnessing ICT potential • With focus on improving governance practices by employing ICT means • Includes Government-citizen communication, • Is about public participation and empowerment

23. Region’s successes • EU eEurope and eEurope+ 2005 Action Plans • Has been revised and will be replaced by i2010 initiative • Electronic South East Europe (Western Balkans) – eSEEurope Agenda Initiative • To emulate eEurope+ for EU accession and candidate countries • All six participating members states will have by end 2005 have their national e-strategies formally adopted as a result of common regional approach • Estonia, Hungary, Slovenia, Czech Republic

24. Region’s problems (1) • Lack of policies • In formulation and implementation of national e-strategies • In establishing agencies/institutions in charge of the information society • In benchmarking of progress in building the information society • In access to public information • There are successful examples • eEurope and eEurope+ • Electronic South East Europe (eSEEurope Agenda)

25. Region’s problems (2) • Lack of real strong commitment to make the information society a development priority of • Governments and legislatures • Political elites – information society is not on the agenda of major political party in the region • General public • Lack of effective and replicable public-private partnership models and strategies • As a tool for gaining tangible economic benefits from the use of ICTs • Lack of transparent governance practices in telecom sector (limited public access, high prices, little investment – telecom sector can be a powerful engine of economic growth)

26. UNDP Strategy for Europe and the CIS • In partnerships with all other interested partners • Build capacity through e-governance training, policy advice, networking and knowledge transfer to facilitate change • Help shape up national and common regional policies and strategies • Develop guidelines for formulation, implementation and benchmarking of information society, including setting up cabinet-level bodies in charge of information society • Promote access to ICT at the grassroots level through community-based public access as part of local sustainable development strategies • Promote public-private partnerships and investment • Promote virtual activism though digital and online content management and professional networking

27. Response: e-Governance Academy - eGA • WHY: Promote e-governance as e-democracy tool to support democratic governance practices and open information society in the former Soviet Union and South Eastern Europe • WHAT: Training services, research and networking in e-governance drawing on Estonian experience and in future other EU accession countries • HOW: Transfer of knowledge through training, research, annual conference, as well as through listservs.

28. What is eGA (1) • Venue: • Tallinn, Estonia • Partners: • UNDP, OSI, Government of Estonia (MFA, Ministry of Economy and Finance) • Clients: • Public sector policy makers and ICT specialists in Europe and the SEE

29. What is eGA (2) • Accomplishments: • Over 400 participants trained from over 20 countries in the CIS and SEE • Dozens consultancy missions • Listserv and mailing lists • Projects in e-Transparency and Anti-corruption • Workshops on e-Democracy and iLaws

30. Expected Impacts • Changed attitudes and minds among public officials and their counterparts • Improved regional exchanges and networking • Improved opportunities for common regional and sub-regional policies • Generation and diffusion of new knowledge

31. What is eGA Training Programme (1) • A standard policy and practice five-day training course: • Day 1:Introduction + ICT & Public Sector: Orientation, Expectations,Formation of ICT Policy, Legal framework for ICT regulation • Day 2:ICT situation in EstoniaICT: Education,Role of the Third Sector, ICT Penetration and Access, Telecom situation, Private Initiatives • Day 3:ICT Management in Theory and Practice: Development of e-strategies in Public and Private Sector, E-citizen, Management, Coordination and Auditing of Public Sector IT Projects, e-Tax

32. What is eGA Training Programme (2) • A standard five-day training course: • Day 4:ICT in Public SectorE-government in Estonia in Practice. E-services technologies Government Session System Digital Document Management System of ICT E-government Scorecard • Day 5:ID–card, Digital Signature, Coordination International Cooperation, Workgroup Seminar, Q&A, Evaluation

33. Participants’ Priority Topics (1) • ‘Bestsellers’: • Digital Signature & ID-Cards • E-Documents and e-Government • United Service Layer for National/Sectoral Registers and Databases • IT Strategies in Private and Public sectors • Legal Frameworks and Regulation • National ICT Policy

34. Participants’ Priority Topics (2) • Strong Interest: • Coordination in Public Sector • Telecom situation • ICT penetration • International cooperation • Land registration • ICT private sector and big capital investment

35. Future • Specialized course on Local e-Governance • Specialized course on Gender and ICT and PPP • More Advisory missions and consultancies • More research and publications • More replication of good practices • Assistance in establishing e-Governance training curricula in other countries on demand, jointly with the Network of Public Administraiton Schools and Institutions in Central Eastern Europe (NISPAcee)

36. END THANK YOU! Contact details: yuri.misnikov@undp.org