Stockholm, 20/11/2009 (Agence Europe) - Online administration was the theme of the fifth ministerial conference that finished today in Malmö. Despite the financial turbulence and economic crisis this conference managed to draw some lessons. This is the conclusion of the OECD report unveiled yesterday and which focuses on the impact of the crisis on electronic administration in several OECD countries. Aart de Geus, the deputy secretary general of the OECD, declared “the crisis has acted as a platform for putting online administration on track, partly thanks to recovery measures”. In the report conclusions, it was stated that the crisis had allowed a lot of governments to speed up their e-government programmes by focusing on benefits such as improved efficiency, economies made involving public administration operations and increased trust among citizens. The OECD also took note of measures relating to electronic administration, which are already in force in the EU. According to the OECD, the crisis enabled governments to again re-reassess the importance of e-governance programmes at national and transnational levels which is, for example, the example in the European Union. Although governments have been affected by the crisis, online administration has proved a means of strengthening their low cost efficiency but it remains to convince end-users to take this step and become themselves “e-users”. Mr de Geus declared: "the challenge which the authorities have to meet consists of encouraging the use of public administration services". In another report, the Paris-based organisation pointed out that although online public services exist in most countries, they are only used by half of all European citizens. According to the OECD, things will take time. The organisation also affirms that in Greece, Italy and Portugal, this proportion is less than 20%. In order for electronic administration to keep its promises, Aart de Geus explained his wish to see the Declaration of Malmö on e-government, adopted at unanimity in 34 countries in Europe. “Policies ought to consider what is happening around us as an incentive to wake up” he declared to Mats Odell, the Swedish minister of local authorities and financial markets and host of the conference, in an illusion to new social media such as Twitter and Facebook. The minister replied: “I woke up early this morning (...) In Sweden for example, we have 3 million Facebook users who are also awake. We will ensure that the Declaration of Malmö is implemented and a pilot group set up by the Commission. It is now them who are at the commands”.
The conference was also an occasion yesterday evening for awarding prizes for European electronic administration. Set up by the European Commission, these prizes have been awarded every two years since 2003. They are awarded to projects that assist with the implementation of European e-government policies through the promotion of solutions based on information communication technology. They are distributed within three categories and four prizes are awarded. The internet solution is used by the Italian government and is baptised MEPA and was awarded for E-government and enterprise. MEPA allows each public administration to compare service providers prices and proceed with the purchasing of goods and services by way of an online database. At the same time, please can update product supplies and prices. In the e-government and efficiency of administrations, it is the online put in place by the Portuguese national forestry authorities, which won the prize. This service allows hunters to obtain hunting permits in all ticket distributing outlets in the country on the condition those taxpayers identity card is provided. This service is available seven days a week 24 hours a day. (S.B./transl.rh)