The awards ceremony formed part of the EU Ministerial e-Government Conference in Manchester on 24 November 2005. There were organised by the European Institute of Public Administration.
The plan was announced as part of the European ministerial declaration of 24 November 2005. It was made public at the EU Ministerial e-Government Conference in Manchester.
- What is the division of responsibilities between the European
Commission and the 25 Member States concerning eGovernment?
Under the EU Treaties, the organisation of e-government as such, falls within the sphere of national competence. This means that eGovernment measures are also primarily the responsibility of national governments. This said, the European Commission is itself a public administration and as such, has its own responsibility to implement and to reap the benefits of on-line eGovernment services. Further steps towards putting into practice the “eCommission” have been achieved with the adoption on 23 November of the “e-Commission 2006-2010” framework, which renews the commitment of the Commission to lead by example by applying to its own administration the European information society policy in the e-government field.
In general, eGovernment measures taken at national level can have effects on common EU policies. For example, rules on public procurement and on the use of electronic communications for this purpose can have an important effect on cross-border trade and the single market.
Making government services more efficient and friendlier to business and citizens is part of Europe’s overall drive to strengthen competitiveness, and the “Lisbon” strategy for fostering growth and jobs. All EU Member States share this aim, and the European Commission plays a key role in encouraging, promoting, coordinating, monitoring, facilitating, supporting, and benchmarking all efforts to boost growth and jobs in the 25 EU Member States.
KSI ZUS, EID, Kadaster-on-line and ROS are the successful four, representing the most outstanding projects benefiting European citizens and businesses. Of the 234 submissions, 76 projects have been granted the European Commission 'Practice Label', 52 had been selected as Finalists, and 15 were short-listed 'Nominees'. In addition, one case out of the four theme-groups received a 'Honourable Mention'.
Read more: Winners announced: eEurope Awards for eGovernment
The joint declaration was announced at the EU conference on transforming public services, hosted by the UK in Manchester. It sets out four key challenges for EU member governments, including working together on secure electronic identification for access to public services.