Strengths and Weaknesses of e Inclusion Action Line

Strengths and Weaknesses of e. Inclusion Action Line at Northern e. Dimension -Time for Broader Action Aurimas Matulis, Information society development committee under the Government of the Republic of Lithuania

Background of e. Inclusion at Ne. DAP • In 23 April 2004 Information Society Development Committee under the Government of the Republic of Lithuania proposed at the meeting of Senior Officials for the Information Society in the CBSScountries to add to the Northern e. Dimention Action Plan (Ne. DAP) Action Line 8 – e-Inclusion. • 21 June 2004 SOIS confirmed Action Line 8 – e-Inclusion and Lithuania as coordinator.

e. Inclusion as a part of Europe's Information Society Policy • e. Inclusion is one of three priorities for Europe’s information society and media policies embedded in i 2010; – 3 priority - achieving an Inclusive European Information Society that promotes growth and jobs in a manner that is consistent with sustainable development and that prioritises better public services and quality of life. • In i 2010, strong emphasis is given to full participation and to providing people with basic digital competence.

General objective of e. Inclusion AL • Main objective of e. Inclusion AL is to make ICT easier to use for a wider range of people.

Action Line 8: e. Inclusion (Lithuania) Focus areas: • Facilitating Internet access and promoting eliteracy of digital divide part of society • Making sure that services, especially online public services, are available over different terminals such as TV sets or mobile phones • Digital content development • Website accessibility issues • Promoting services to the elderly and disabled through the use of call centre technology.

Scope of the e. Inclusion AL The e. Inclusion AL is complex issue based on three basic pillars: • Access to infrastructure; • Competence development; • Digital content (e-Government services) development;

What kind of activities were since adoption of AL 8 • Meetings with partners in Vilnius – ECDL Foundation Ltd. – Business Alliance “Window to the Future” • Presentation e. Inclusion AL at Baltic IT&T Forum in Riga, 2005; • Elaboration of e. Inclusion WG; • First meeting of e. Inclusion WG was held in Vilnius 9 September 2005;

e. Inclusion Working Group • • Estonia Finland Lithuania Latvia As common rule of procedures at Ne. DAP WG of AL should be represented no less than 5 member states.

Discussed directions for further developments • Promotion of e-literacy; • Encourage of development of local communities network; • Closer collaboration on Website accessibility issues; • Dissemination of good practice; • Survey determining e-literacy, special needs & available technologies followed by a feasibility study

Agreed initiatives for further developments • Baltic IT&T 2006 Conference, e. Inclusion session, Apr 5 -7, 2006 • Book and manifest “E-inclusion: the social use of ICT”, to be presented at BITT ’ 06 • European Computer Literacy Programme (ECDL);

Rapid changes of environment • Fast development of ICT infrastructure; • Development of public services; • New policy guidelines

Strengths of e. Inclusion Action Line at Northern e. Dimension • • Ne. DAP has contributed to creation of synergies, awareness raising, also at political level, facilitation of cross-border co-operation, as well as knowledgesharing and establishment of networks. Ne. DAP has attracted attention from policy makers and business representatives in the participant countries. The Ne. DAP network has proven useful in relation to other ICT activities in the region (such as the Baltic Development Forum, the Baltic IT&T congress, and the Baltic Challenge).

Weaknesses of e. Inclusion Action Line at Northern e. Dimension • Lack of funding (projects, travel expenses, website) is a problem. Tacis funding is not intended to fund Ne. DAP activities and its objectives are not always correspondent to Ne. DAP focus areas. • Establishing sustainable relationships for cross -border cooperation takes time. This is a challenge, as short-term results are not always obvious. • EU policy and programmes, as well as national and regional ICT initiatives, should be taken into account when considering future priority areas.

Next steps for the implementation of the e. Inclusion AL • Working Group for e. Inclusion AL everybody are welcome • 2 nd Meeting of the WG could be held in Vilnius or Riga no later than 2 Q 2006; • 3 nd Meeting of the WG could be held in Vilnius Last decade of 3 Q 2006. All stakeholders of the Northern e. Dimention are invited to participate in e. Inclusion AL.

Aurimas Matulis Information Society Development Committee under the Government of the Republic of Lithuania Address: Gedimino ave 56, LT- 01110, Vilnius Tel: +370 5 2665 161 Fax: +370 5 2665 180 E-mail info@ivpk. lt