E Charter: Charter of Rights of the Citizens in the Information Society ISSS/LORIS/V4DIS Conference, 2-4 Abril 2005, PRAGUE José Ramón Rodríguez, CIO City of Barcelona

Contents 1.Background 2.The aims 3.The outcome 4.Charter contents 5.Chapter I - Access 6.Chapter II - Education and training 7.Chapter III - Quality of online Information 8.Chapter IV - Online Participative democracy 9.Signing Process in Barcelona 10.Indicators 11.What’s next? 12.Contact

Background The iniciative to prepare a European Charter of eRights was launched in Dec 2003 during the EUROCITIES AGM in Porto (Portugal) The drafting process has been developed along specific TeleCities working Group sessions during the 2004 In collaboration with 20 TeleCities members : Turku (Finland), Antwerpen (Belgium), The Hague (Netherlands), Manchester, Hull (UK), Budapest (Hungary), Prague (Czech Rep.) Siena, Torino, Bologna (Italy), Tranas, Odeshog (Sweden), Metropolitan Area of Lille–Digiport (France), Cologne, Munich (Germany), Santiago de Compostela, Gijón, Terrassa, Viladecans, Reus (Spain), and the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) and edemocracia.com

The aims Progressively ensure the effective recognition and protection of concrete and measurable rights of all citizens in the Information and Knowledge Society (IKS) Achieve a competitive and competent society in the digital era and ensure social and territorial cohesion Improve citizens fully participation in public decision-making processes and ensure actual commitment and response by the administrations Extend universal rights in a new scenario, where IKS and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) are modifying social, economic, political and cultural relations.

The outcome  Be an instrument for all local public decision-makers to develop policies and services, aligned with the Lisbon goals, and tailored to the territorial needs  …from a citizen-oriented approach  As a way to set/confirm commitment following local context and competencies  Reinforcing the link between the network members of Telecities in terms of vision and commitment  Providing support in the exchange of best practices in the field of Information and Knowledge Society  Open to other cities not members of Telecities/Eurocities Conceived as an European blueprint, the Charter is aimed to :

Contents 4. Online Participative Democracy 3. Quality of Online Information 2. Education and Training 1. Access The Charter of eRigths has four major parts:

CHAPTER I. Rights to Access Art. 1 ”Any citizen of the European Union will have access to the Internet through Public Internet Access Points (PIAPs), preferably via a broadband network” Art. 2 “Any citizen of the European Union must be guaranteed the security and privacy of any personal data managed through online public services”

CHAPTER II. Rights to Education and Training Art. 3 “Any citizen of the European Union will have the right to acquire the basic skills for an effective use of services and information through ICT” Art. 4 “Any citizen of the European Union will have access to personalisedassistance when accessing public and ICT-based equipment and facilities”

CHAPTER III: Rights to Online Information Art. 5 “Any citizen of the European Union will have access to lifelong eLearning platforms to benefit from all the available resources generated by communication-technology facilities and thus take part in the knowledge society” Art. 6 “Any citizen of the European Union will have access to the best quality information produced by public administrations” Art. 7 “Any citizen of the European Union will have access to online information regardless of disabilities”

CHAPTER IV: Rights to Online Participative Democracy Art. 8 “Any citizen of the European Union will be ensured the right to participate through ICT platforms in the decision making processes of his or her local government” Art. 9 “Any citizen of the European Union will receive public administration feedback on any online consultation results”

Signing Process in Barcelona The Charter of eRights has been submitted and approved by the municipal plenary council past 18th March 2005 Following the local context of Barcelona in the Information Society, the City Council has included additionnal issues in Chapter III : “Any citizen of the European Union will have the right to address local public administration via digital means and to be answered via digital means” “Any citizen of the European Union will have access to electronic contents and will address local public administration via digital means, in his own national language, in our case the catalan language”

Charter indicators Each Charter article will be matched with a list of indicators (based on eEurope indicators), allowing… To monitor the Charter implementation at local level To measure the impact of the framework’s Charter on local policy and analyse its implementation To collaborate at EU level to exchange global strategic policy and visions To benchmark cities’ evolution in the field of the Information Society

What’s next? Promote the Charter of eRights amongst European local authorities Develop additional indicators and gather cities projects providing Charter Focused Projects Knowledge database Organise the Official “Signing Ceremony” during the TeleCities Summer Event in Manchester, early July Additional promoting events, like conferences, presentations to European Parliament, EU Directorates, World Summit…

Contact If you are willing to sign up or to promote the Charter at your local level Please, contact EUROCITES Office Maurice Paulissen Tel : +(32) Visit