eNorway Action Plan 2.0

The eMinister’s introduction

B2B – or not to be, is today’s version of Shakespeare. The developments in the electronic market now occur almost with the speed of thought, to quote Bill Gates. We must act quickly to keep up! We have no time to lose! Those who do not see Internet as a possibility will in a few years’ time experience it as a threat.

Internet and globalisation make the world both more global and more local at the same time. We become increasingly part of the international community, with all that that implies in new impulses and increased competition for the Norwegian economy.

At the same time we become increasingly aware of our own identity and local culture, even if we have long been familiar with pizza, wok, pesto and taco. For us the challenge is to enjoy the variety and at the same time to be able to display friendliness and not chauvinism in meeting new and foreign cultures.

Information and communication technology gives us in addition great possibilities for suiting the solutions to the individual. People will demand more self-government and tailor-made solutions. 24-hour electronic administration is one answer to this demand.

Norway must lead the way into the digital society. We must make some hard choices. The old days must give way to the new. Everyone must join in, so it will not be easy.

The government invites the whole community to take part. The challenge is first and foremost to our industries and to the Norwegian people. More of us must take responsibility so that we can achieve the revolution.

In eNorway 1.0, industry and organisations were invited to co-operate. In version 2.0 we can present in a special appendix a total of 49 actions under the auspices of NHO, KS, HSH and LO. In the next version we shall challenge more organisations in addition to the local authorities.

The technology in itself does not create a better society. Each and every one of us must contribute to that. We shall use the technology to develop a more environmentally friendly society. An inclusive society in ecological balance. We must therefore take care of each other. The government’s objective with eNorway is therefore to create:

A green knowledge economy and an information society for all.

Oslo, 11 December 00

Grete Knudsen

Minister of Trade and Industry

Introduction

If we are to achieve our objective of an information and knowledge society for all, three basic pre-requisites must be taken care of: Access – knowledge - confidence.

• The government will help to ensure that everyone has access to the new technology.

• The government will increase the people’s knowledge and understanding so that the individual will be capable of using ICT as a tool according to their own needs and desires.

• The government will implement actions that increase confidence. ICT must be secure and available for all – regardless of the level of expertise.

We assume various roles. As individuals, citizens, students, employees, company managers, or public-service customers. The eNorway plans’ five main areas are based on these user roles:

• Individuals, culture and the environment
• Lifelong learning
• Industry
• Workforce
• The public sector

eNorway is an operative plan that describes where we are, what has to be done, who is responsible and when the actions are to be implemented. It is to be revised every six months, and must give us an unadorned report on progress with the individual measures. In addition, the government’s eEnvoy will report regularly to the Prime Minister. So far three reports have been submitted in which the main themes have been ICT in the school, ICT security and vulnerability, and storing of electronic information. A total of sixteen ministries now contribute to the plan 1The eNorway plan has been prepared by the Ministry of Trade and Industry in co-operation with the Ministry of Labour and Government Administration, the Ministry for the Child and Family Affairs, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Fisheries, the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Justice and the Police, the Ministry of Education, Research and Church Affairs, the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Affairs, the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of the Environment, the Ministry of Transport and Communications, the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs..

The plan’s first version which was launched on 29 June was well-received on many sides. In particular, that the plan is a firm commitment that will be constantly updated. It is therefore a pleasure to report that 18 actions have already been implemented and that 37 new actions have been added. A rolling plan must be continually updated in line with identified needs. In eNorway 1.0, for example, inadequate actions for the preservation of the Sami language were pointed out, as was the inadequate attention given to the local authority sector. In version 2.0, we have tried to redress these failings.

Actions are marked thus:

AIactions implemented

APactions in progress

NAnew action

ABaction transferred from the action plan for broadband communication

(October 2000)

Ddate of most recent update

Some primary challenges in ICT policy

Removal of obstacles to electronic communication

The government’s aim is that electronic communication will be as accepted and have the same legal validity as paper-based communication. The ministries have now reported on approximately 300 laws that may contain obstacles to electronic communication. The ministries and their agencies must change the existing legislatory framework as quickly as possible. The ministries must send out hearing papers with their proposals for amendments by 15 January 2001. The aim is to submit one common bill to parliament (Stortinget) by 1 August 2001.

ICT vulnerability

The development of ICT creates new possibilities, but also challenges in the matter of vulnerability, security and emergency planning in the community. We have become very dependent on ICT. Even minor failures can have serious consequences for important sectors such as energy supply, telecommunications, health, payment transactions, industry and defence. The further spread of ICT in Norway is dependent on confidence in the systems.

The government therefore wants to take actions to secure an ICT infrastructure, which is robust enough that important social functions are not brought to a standstill in normal circumstances. It must be possible in a crisis or in war for vital functions to be maintained. Co-operation between industry and the authorities is a foundation stone for most of the measures. Research and development is included as a vital element.

Broadband

The government’s plan of action for broadband communications was published on 11 October. The government wants to see a rapid and wide extension of the broadband network by the players in the market. The whole country will be covered. Competition in the market must therefore be strengthened. In addition, public sector demand will be stimulated so that it can contribute to new investment by the market players. This will also help to renew the public sector. Special government actions must be considered to ensure access in areas where the market cannot establish a system at acceptable prices within the desired deadline.

24-hour access to administrative services

One of the aims of the government’s renewal programme is 24-hour access to the administration, and improved efficiency, with the help of ICT. People must have easier access to the administrative functions. Public services must, for example, be arranged to provide do-it-yourself facilities via Internet so that users can obtain the services in a quick and secure way when they themselves need them. The aim of 24-hour access will also help to improve the efficiency of core functions with the use of ICT, so that more resources can be transferred from administration to the performance of services. The government requires all the civil services to work out strategies and firm plans by May 2001 in order that a 24-hour and user-friendly administrative service can be achieved as quickly as possible. The actions must also ensure access for blind and partially sighted users.

VAT Reform

From 1 July 2001 the sale of all goods and services will in general become liable to value added tax. The reform means that the sale of services will become VAT-able, including those delivered digitally/electronically.

It is a basic international principle that the value added tax shall normally go to that country where the consumption takes place. However, because services delivered by foreign suppliers do not physically cross the Norwegian border, it is more difficult to demand the tax and indeed to discover that a cross-border transaction has taken place at all. Further work must be carried out to shape the rules for the taxation of services that are sold or delivered across national borders.

ICT-statistics and benchmarking 2Benchmarking can be defined as a continuing, systematic process of comparing performances. Benchmarking is an analytical tool which enables us to keep improving ourselves. Benchmarking is, in short, a learning process.

Relevant statistics are important to keep track of developments in the Norwegian knowledge society so that actions can be taken in necessary areas. Work is in progress on indicators that will, for example, measure attitudes to quality in the educational system and to starting ones own business and to running electronic trade or business.

We must know how policy works in practice. The government has chosen benchmarking as the method for comparing our results, in education, industry and the public sector, for example, and with other countries. Norway is also included in the benchmarking that EU will undertake in connection with the implementation of the eEurope plan.

eEurope

The eNorway plan must ensure that Norway has just as ambitious objectives as those formulated by the EU in the eEurope plan, or even more ambitious. We will follow up all the initiatives that will be undertaken on the basis of eEurope. Therefore the most important aims and actions in "eEurope 2002 - Action Plan" are covered in the eNorway plan. In addition it contains actions that spring from our special challenges.

The individual, culture and the environment

We must lay the foundations for an information and knowledge society for all.

• Public arenas must be utilised so that everyone has access to information and communication technology irrespective of where they live, their age, economy or level of education.

• ICT will be utilised to facilitate access to the knowledge and experience resources administered by our cultural institutions and mass media.

• A uniform policy for a sustainable knowledge society will be prepared, based on environmental information, an increased use of telecommunications to replace transport, a green product policy and green public-sector procurements.

More and more services are becoming available digitally. In order for as many people as possible to be able to utilise the technology, we must ensure that skills are available in the local environment and we must influence the development of new products so that they are simple and user-friendly. We must avoid creating new social gaps between those who have and those who do not have access to the technology.

The Internet provides new opportunities for access to matters being processed by the public administration, and it will increase people's ability to be involved. It may also increase the opportunities for openness and participation in political decision-making processes.

The dominance of the English language threatens our own language. The Sami language in particular is facing challenges, but also new possibilities. There must be co-ordinated efforts to ensure that Sami becomes a functional language in the digital media. This requires a special focus on the problems that Sami orthography creates in using software. The Norwegian mass media must face the cultural and financial demands created by the information society, and there must still be room for programmes that are interesting for others than the large, well-to-do groups. We must make a commitment to the stable production of high quality Norwegian material. The efforts must be co-ordinated in order to safeguard the Norwegian languages.

ICT may result in a better utilisation of resources and decrease the damage to the environment. At the same time, there are significant environmental problems related to the production, use and waste disposal of computer equipment, and it is not certain that the overall environmental accounts will be positive. A deliberate policy of developing a sustainable knowledge society is required. The Internet can provide improved access to environmental information, develop arenas for dialogue, increase insight and make local environmental initiatives visible.

Frequent changes to software and hardware can make electronic archives technically inaccessible unless one takes actions to prevent this. We are thus faced with new and expensive challenges in the work of safeguarding society’s memory.

Lifelong learning

We must invest in education and research so that Norway strengthens its position in the global information and knowledge society.

• ICT must become an integral part of all education. All must have equal opportunities to access ICT in their education, regardless of sex, social background and expectations.
• ICT as an independent subject and as a resource for teaching and learning must be developed and utilised so that the individual’s and the community’s needs for skills can be met.
• An infrastructure must be established that makes it possible to use ICT in all areas where this makes for an improved learning situation.

The concept of education is changing, and learning today takes place not only in educational institutions. ICT is creating new methods of teaching and learning that must be developed and utilised. Internet-based learning and distance education provide opportunities to use the workplace and the home as classrooms. This makes demands on the educational institutions, while also providing new opportunities for growth industries within the e-learning sector. Learning takes place throughout the individual's lifetime and must be offered to everyone.

It is important to strengthen the dialogue concerning an efficient, user-adapted education system that is taking place between research institutions, the education sector and industry. Such co-operation will help to identify the need for new skills and ensure flexible educational choices. Learning and skills are the keys to grasping the growth opportunities and challenges we are facing.

Industry

In order to ensure industry's competitive ability, we must increase our commitment to innovation, upgrading skills and R&D. Norway must be at the forefront in the development of e-commerce and business management.

• The level of knowledge regarding the use of ICT and e-commerce must be increased in industry, the public sector and among people in general.

• The regulatory conditions must be made suitable for effective competition for high-capacity services at a reasonable price, which will contribute to investments and safeguard the interests of the consumer.

• Electronic communication must be just as safe and be regarded as equal to paper-based communication.

• An environment must be created in which technical solutions and skills are developed quickly. Norway must become an interesting test country, using localised software for international companies.

The rapid technological developments, globalisation and increased international competition provide industry with major challenges. Industry itself must accept these challenges and grasp the opportunities presented by the new technology. However, the authorities must contribute to this by establishing good framework conditions and further developing the research sector to an international level. The further development of our national R&D capabilities is important to achieve innovation-driven development and to attract foreign investment to Norway. The Government's objective is to strengthen the Norwegian R&D efforts to the average OECD level in the course of a five-year period, through increased commitment in both the public and private sectors.

The government intends to support the further development of the ICT sector as an independent and strongly growing industry. The necessity of internationalisation and the need for skilled workers is particularly important in this sector, which provides a professional base for the application of ICT throughout industry.

Technological developments, increased competition and the convergence of the telecommunications, media and ICT sectors make a constant review of the regulations necessary in order to adapt them. It is important for Norway to have a world-class telecommunications infrastructure, which can form a basis for the profitable running of businesses and the development of new products and services. It is important for the communications networks to be secure and for people to have confidence in them.

Workforce

We must ensure that all groups have the same right to work in the knowledge economy and employees must be ensured the right and opportunity to update their knowledge in line with the new requirements.

• The skills reform must take care of the new knowledge requirements that are necessary in the rapidly changing working environment.

Information and communication technology brings new ways of organising work, and it makes greater demands on our knowledge. In the new economy, a company's most important capital will be its employees´ skills. The skills reform is therefore an important tool for making employees as suited as possible to face these developments.

In the current tight labour market, the need for more employees with ICT skills cannot be solved simply by establishing more student places or by importing labour. There will be a need for actions that provide experience of how ICT expertise can be developed in the work situation. The new technology also makes it possible for new groups to participate in working life. New technology can drastically improve disabled people's chances of gaining paid employment.

Public sector

With the help of ICT, rapid, individually adapted, cost-effective services are to be developed. Solutions must be developed that integrate the entire administrative value chain and which provide good results for all sectors and administrative levels.

• The public administration system must be open 24 hours a day, and users must have access to information and services on their own terms.
• ICT must be utilised to strengthen the public administration system´s adaptability and cost efficiency, including freeing resources to strengthen the delivery of services.
• ICT must be used to provide better and more efficient health services.

The public sector must provide services to a more complex, demanding group of users. The Government has implemented a programme for renewing the public sector, in which ICT is one instrument, in parallel with changes to organisations and regulations. The public sector must also be a demanding, expert customer and help to strengthen the competitiveness of Norwegian industry. The public sector must be a driving force in this area by being itself in the forefront.

A modern public administration system

ICT must improve the quality of the public administration system´s production and provision of services. This must take place within the framework of the protection of personal privacy, the rule of law and documentary requirements. In order to stimulate an active, vital democracy, this technology must be used to provide increased insight into the public administration system´s work. The Government will work towards making public services available over the Internet with the aim of creating a public administration system that is open 24 hours a day. In order to ensure local participation and efficient public services, it is important to have access to information that is updated, reliable and nationwide.

The health sector

The health sector is greatly in need of restructuring. New technology is an important means of improving the services available and can also contribute to increased efficiency through a better exchange of information and improved co-operation. An important area of commitment over the next three years will be to further develop the regional health networks, link these together to form a national health network, provide secure access to the Internet and establish a system of national information services.

A new ICT plan for government action in the health and social services sector for the period 2001-2003 is being prepared. The actions will be included in the eNorway plan.

The transport sector

ICT provides major opportunities for customers, companies and the authorities as regards more efficient systems for information, ticketing, positioning, collection of data for traffic managers, planning and communication systems.

The authorities, transport companies and customers have to a great extent the same challenges and requirements when it comes to transport telematics. In order to achieve more efficient transport of people and goods, data must be co-ordinated, standardised and recycled more effectively.

Foreign and developing countries policy

Technological development helps to improve communications between states and international organisations. So that we can continue to promote Norwegian interests internationally in an efficient way, it is therefore necessary for the Norwegian foreign service to commit itself to building up ICT in its own organisation. Moreover, ICT creates challenges, but also great opportunities, for poor countries. Unless active measures are taken, many of our third world partners risk being further marginalised. Norway will therefore work for ICT to become a central dimension in development work through systematically integrating ICT in Norwegian multilateral and bilateral aid.

Abbreviations

AADMinistry of Labour and Government Administration

BFDMinistry of the Child and Family Affairs

FINMinistry of Finance

FIDMinistry of Fisheries

FDMinistry of Defence

JDMinistry of Justice and the Police

KUF Ministry of Education, Research and Church Affairs

KRD Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development

KD Ministry of Cultural Affairs

LD Ministry of Agriculture

MD Ministry of the Environment

NHD Ministry of Trade and Industry

SD Ministry of Transport and Communications

SHDMinistry of Health and Social Affairs

UDMinistry of Foreign Affairs

NFRNorwegian Research Council

SNDNorwegian Industrial and Regional Development Fund

TAD Norwegian Directorate of Customs and Excise

KSCentral Association of Local Authorities

LONorwegian Confederation of Trade Unions

HSHFederation of Norwegian Commercial and Service Enterprises

NHO Confederation of Norwegian Business and Industry

Relevant links

eNorway on the web: http://enorge.dep.no

eEurope 2002 Action Plan: http://europa.eu.int/comm/information_society/eeurope/actionplan/index_en.htm

Public information and services: http://norge.no/

Environmental information: http://www.miljo.no

Local Agenda 21 http://www.agenda21.no/

Cultural Network Norway: http://www.kulturnett.no

Corporate information: http://www.bedin.no/

ICT in the Norwegian education system: http://www.dep.no/kuf/html/ikt/

UK co-ordinator’s office: http://www.e-envoy.gov.uk/

eNHO

The new economy, also known as the network economy, is to a large extent concerned with new presuppositions for all economic life. It is natural to think of the new IT firms when we talk about the new economy, but the changes are just as invasive for existing industry. The network economy is, among other things, characterised by its use of new technology, by education and knowledge having great importance, by new markets being introduced more easily, by the organisation and operation of businesses having more degrees of freedom, and by changes in the assumptions of economic policy. Politicians and businessmen must work together if Norway is to be the attractive and business-friendly society the government intends through the eNorway plan. It is therefore important that policy is developed as a whole, so that various areas of policy all pull in the same direction. For example, investment in education and research, the shaping of tax regulations and investment in broadband communications must all have the aim of contributing to the strengthening of Norway’s competitiveness.

The EU has launched eEurope, the government has launched eNorway and the Confederation of Norwegian Business and Industry (NHO) has its own eNHO plan. This has been done because we see how strategically important it is for our businesses and also for our own organisation.

eNHO has four overriding aims:

1.NHO must be a driving force and an agent in getting member firms to understand the network economy’s significance for their own businesses.

2.NHO must be the authorities’ most important collaborator in ICT policy.

3.NHO must be the preferred choice as the trade organisation for knowledge and high-technology-based businesses.

4.NHO must be at the forefront in the use of new IT tools and collaborative processes.

We set out below some of the actions NHO has taken to achieve these four objectives:

1. The companies must understand the significance of the network economy for their own businesses

2. NHO must be the authorities’ most important collaborator in ICT policy

3.NHO must be the preferred choice as the trade organisation for knowledge and high-technology-based companies.

4.NHO must be at the forefront in the use of new IT tools and collaborative processes.

eHSH

Enterprises in the commercial and service industries are among those most affected by the new possibilities that are becoming available through the use of technological solutions, including new kinds of ICT. Some businesses within these industries, as for example the big retail chains, have come a long way in introducing such techniques. This has produced business, organisational, working practice and social changes. At the same time this is probably only the beginning of the changes one will see in times to come.

This means that for HSH its own efforts and co-operation with others to promote the use of ICT and e-commerce methods in the commercial and service industries will stand high on the agenda. We shall also work to integrate ICT into education programmes directed at that part of business activity. The mobilisation of businesses to take part in this type of development work will be a central task for us and we believe that this can contribute to:

• Opening up new business opportunities within the commercial and service industries.
• Raising the level of the commercial and service industries in relation to the international competition we must expect in the home market.
• Opening up for international investment that has not previously had a realistic potential.
• Improving logistical and transactional solutions that are of great significance for both business and communal economy (time, cost and quality of service, etc).
• More cost-efficient management solutions and a general improvement in productivity.
• Wider choice for the consumer, including improved service and follow-up.

The Federation of Trade Unions (LO)

The Norwegian Federation of Trade Unions (LO) has been and is a positive collaborator and a force for change and development in work and society. The development and application of information and communication technology affects LO members as employees, consumers and citizens. Restructurings, organisational changes and demands for new skills are some of the consequences they meet at work. Everyday life and leisure is also affected as, among other things, the public sector, the media and the banks design ICT based services that require basic skills.

For LO and society the challenge is on the one hand to try to steer developments in a direction that is positive and desirable for the employees, working life and society, and on the other hand to develop instruments that prevent undesirable technology being brought into use or technology being used in an undesirable way. The following will be absolutely vital for LO:

• That technology does not contribute to the creation of new class barriers
• That the application and influx of technology does not become a threat to our democratic system
• That motivation for education and the raising of skill levels always stands highest on the agenda
• That technology is not applied to the increased control, monitoring and surveillance of the employees
• That technology contributes positively to the development of working conditions and the nature of the work.

(Central Association of Local Authorities, KS)

The local authorities are responsible for the major part of public administration and the provision of public services in Norway. District and county council activity has great significance both in the national economy and as part of welfare policy. District and county councils ought to use the new technology in all areas where it can be advantageous for efficiency and quality. Good examples and experience from successful projects and actions must be communicated and exploited.

The technology can contribute to the strengthening of local democracy. Solutions must be found for negotiating with citizens in matters that affect the development of the local community. Internet and electronic post must be actively used to create better contact between elected representatives and the electorate and between local authorities and citizens.

New IT-based forms of performing services ought to be used in communicating with citizens and businesses. Methods should be developed for virtual "service offices". Case handling systems and professional systems must be integrated so that it becomes possible to exchange information seamlessly between the systems. Quantitative and qualitative key information should be made the basis for electronic planning and control systems.

Electronic communication should be used more between offices at different levels of administration. This is particularly important in connection with setting up public service offices. The exchange of information within the public sector ought to be based on common principles and rules. Among other things, this applies to the pricing of information. Official data should be treated as public property, both in the local authority and the national domain. Models should be developed for collaboration between the national and the local authority sectors in connection with national information systems.

The use of electronic commerce in public procurement will contribute to reducing acquisition costs and to increasing the quality of the acquisition process. Methods must be developed and brought into use that make it possible not only to order and invoice electronically, but also to integrate this with the financial control system and the storage system, etc. The implementation of electronic shopping in public purchasing also implies necessary changes in behaviour, routines and organisation. The challenges are thus of both a technological and organisational character.

The broadband network will be an important part of future infrastructure for the local authorities. Increased access to the broadband network will make demands for new services, at the same time as district and county councils get a new tool for improving the existing services. Local authorities should bring the broadband network into use in all central areas, preferably in collaboration with both national agencies and businesses in the locality.

There are great advantages to be won by an increased and more determined use of ICT solutions in various sectors. The gains relate both to increased efficiency and the improved quality of the services. The greatest gains can probably be achieved in the health, care and education sectors.

The Central Association of Local Authorities in collaboration with the state wishes to prepare an eCouncil plan as part of the eNorway plan. The plan must be seen in connection with the plan for the renewal of the public sector and various sector plans in the ICT field. An eCouncil plan may cover a range of different actions within, for example, the following fields:

1. Information, motivation and the exchange of experience
2. Democratic development and electronic communication with the citizens
3. Electronic administration, public service
4. Electronic communication between administrative levels
5. Electronic shopping
6. The broadband network
7. ICT in the service fields

In order to plan the actions it is necessary to ascertain IT use in the local authority sector:

The following actions are proposed: