Bio
Noud Hooyman studied applied mathematics and information technology at the Technical University of Delft, the Netherlands. He leads the department for geo information within the Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment, which is the coordinating Ministry in the field of geo information in The Netherlands. He is therefore responsible for the geo-information policies in The Netherlands. Important programmes for which Noud is the senior responsible owner are for example the Key Geo Registers, INSPIRE, the national distribution facility for geo-information (PDOK), the catalogue National Geo Register (NGR) and the programme for open data regarding the domain of the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment.

Abstract
The Netherlands and the European Digital Agenda
The ambitions in the European Digital Agenda and the Dutch ambitions on geo-information match very well. The ambitions of Ms. Neelie Kroes have raised the awareness of the necessity of properly organized digital information. Calculations and statements that around 80% of all information has a geo-component make clear that there is an important relation between the Dutch policy on Geo-information and the European Digital Agenda. In the Netherlands the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment is the coordinating ministry in the field of geo-information. The Dutch Vision and Implementation Strategy on Geo-information (GIDEON) states the goals in the field of Geo-information in the Netherlands. With programmes on Key Geo Registers ((Addresses, Buildings, Cadastral Information, small- and large scaled Topography and Subsoil) the ministry contributes to standardized national datasets on important and broadly used themes. These Key Geo Registers are also part of the National E-Governent programme. With the programme on the implementation of the European Directive INSPIRE and the realization of the national distribution facility PDOK and its catalogue NGR (National Geo Register) the availability of geo-information is improved and by additionally making data in the domain of Infrastructure and the Environment as open as possible, barriers to use the data are removed even further. In the presentation the Dutch policy on Geo-information and its relation to the European Digital Agenda will be explained.

Bio
The European Citizen is reshaping democratic society and expresses itself through digital platforms. The Digital Agenda is underlining the role of ICT in moving forward in increasing the civic participation through internet and social media. Public sector is reshaping itself to allow citizen to interact on democratic processes. Te presentation will focus on the ICT tools, including geo, in the hand of citizen to shape and direct also cross boundary challenges in Europe.

Bio
A.A. Kwitowski, The Netherlands, Present: Director AKADIS b.v. and Senior Consultant for ICT, Geo-Informatics BGT, Land Registration and Cadastre; Former: Manager Geo-Informatics and Senior Expert by DHV (Leading Consulting Company from NL) , Manager of various World Bank / EU projects especially in the field of E-Government/Land Registration and Cadastre; Individual ICT World Bank consultant; Working experience in more then 20 countries, incl. Netherlands, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Ethiopia, Hungary, Guatemala, El Salvador, Kirgizstan, Lebanon, Lithuania, Macedonia, Montenegro, NL Antilles, Poland, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan etc.

Abstract
“Barriers, Benefits and Conditions for successful implementation of E-Government solutions”
The paper discusses the following topics:
The new ICT technology creates new E-Technology solutions, like E-commerce, E-Government, E-economy, etc. The EU societies demand the new style of governmental services, especially “One Stop Shopping” approach, therefore many governmental organizations facing the need of development and implementation of E-Government. Definitions of E-Government:

“E-government is the transformation of public sector internal and external relationships through Internet enabled operations and information and communication technologies to optimize government services delivery, constituency participation and internal government processes.” (Source: Di Maio, 2002)

Demand for E-Services

Does the societies demanding any E-governmental solutions?

Barriers
Barriers as experienced by the organizations: e.g. security and confidentiality, and high set-up costs. From the individual user’s perspective: like: use ability of the websites – navigation and incomplete information.

Benefits
The benefits of implementation are real available, but they are requesting more especially fundamental reorganization processes. Factors affecting benefit realisation: with focus on measuring and managing benefits. Lessons learned from successful implementations: various lessons as well from the management point of view as from the technology point of view are presented. The key conclusions: as consistent methods of demand and value assessment; mechanisms for tracking e-government service delivery, etc. are listed.
Check list for successful E-Government implementation There is no checklist that will guarantee 100% success of E-government project development and its implementations, and it will be never available.

However, it is important to follow the 10 important conclusions:

• “Many ways how to go to Rome”
• Redesign of the working processes
• Transparency, Knowledge sharing;
• Users/employees involvement;
• Use of the standards;
• Co-operation, Co-operation, Co-operation
• Financing;
• ICT Technologies and the “serving the user principle”;
• Training of employees/users;
• Necessary investment in marketing;

Final note
Finally, analyzing, planning, doing, learning and improving is always good for the E-Government implementation strategies.

Bio
Ingrid has served as an adviser to several Belgium Cabinet Ministries and before taking up her current role at the Belgium National Mapping Agency, she was the Director of the Christian Democrat parties’ Centre for Political, Economic, and Social Studies (CEPESS). She started her career as a scientist at the Leuven University, Belgium, entering public service in 1989 as an agricultural engineer for the Department of Land Use Development in the Flemish Region.

Lobbying for Digital Earth through the Digital Agenda for Europe: challenges, prospects and proposals
In 1998, former US VP Al Gore presented a farsighted Digital Earth concept, whereby detailed geo-spatial information could be accessed from any place, at anytime, by anyone. Subsequent scientific and technological developments have made this vision a reality today. I argue that to meet the needs of society and stimulate further development in the geospatial sector, strong vertically integrated, Digital Earth education and training developments are necessary. European policy makers have to be made much more aware of these needs and then actively encouraged by stakeholders to respond to them in policy terms. This presentation explores how activities undertaken by an education network project (digital-earth.eu) and the work of a European association (EUROGEO) led to political engagement with the European Commission Digital Agenda for Europe initiative. It identifies a four point plan if Europe is to take full advantage of initiatives like the INSPIRE Directive and calls for support from geospatial stakeholders to help us create “Digital Earth education for all”.

Abstract
The digital agenda for Europe is the leading policy document for the digital single market, openness, interoperability and access to information. At the national level this agenda has been transposed into an national digital agenda for the Netherlands. At the same time the Cadastre, Land Registry and Mapping Agency of the Netherlands has been engaged in digital registration, data, services and transactions for almost a decade. Part of these developments originated from our tradiditional domains (land market and mapping) or newly developed services as the cables and pipeline information centre. Many of these services are embedded in the national eGovernment program. This presentation discusses the issues we have encountered in implementing in first implementing our cadastral digital agenda, our national eGovernment agenda and now the European digital agenda. The question arises whether is digital agenda is the driving force for these and future developments or that is conditional in realising our objectives. We will go into how the elements and concepts of the Digital Agenda for Europe are of help for achieving benefits for our customers and society at large and vice versa how our current developments shape the outline of the realisation of the Agenda. What is the driving force in achieving our goals?