In order to understand better how the co-evolution of internet and democracy can be improved, the present study investigates the following research questions: (1) does internet-enabled public deliberation have an impact on top-level decision-making and (2) are there discernible patterns or mechanisms by which public deliberation is incorporated into top-level decision-making?

The case developed and tested a novel ICT-driven methodology for identifying and tracing processes of public opinion-forming and mobilization on the internet. Deliberation occurred in the natural environment of participants. It demonstrates how processes of opinion-forming and mobilization on the internet were incidental with changes to the Java governance approach. The methodological approach used a combination of quantitative and qualitative coding techniques to systematically identify and analyze relevant sources on the internet.

Based on the unique combination of codes from each dimension attached to statements, 12 major groups of combinations (themes) were identified. This made it possible to trace the dominance of themes over time as well as the key participants supporting themes at different points in time. Comparing the evolution of themes with key outcomes allowed linking processes of opinion-forming to key decisions and actions by corporate actors. Application and testing using a real-life incident of internet-enabled deliberation and negotiation proved the feasibility of the methodology and ICT-toolset for tracing and structuring internet-content.

DOWNLOAD LINK: Top-level decisions through public deliberation on the internet: Evidence from the evolution of Java governance

ePractice Library

• Yoosk.com: An online question time linking the public with local and central government.
  (Run by Thumbsize Ltd.)
• UK Feedback: An online forum for feedback about public services  
• LocalEyes – The \'Voice\': A web-based consultation tool to enable defined groups to have their say in decision making.
  (Run by The Shire Initiative.)
• All Hansard on TheyWorkForYou.com: To add the pre-2001 Hansard data to TheyWorkForYou.com, and build exploratory tools.
  (Run by MySociety.)
• Policy Slam: Inclusive debate events to get the public and policy makers interacting.
  (Run by nef (the new economics foundation.)
• Tagwagon: A converted campervan to take technology direct to local communities to map and record their opinions. The project works with disadvantaged young people in East London.
  (Run by Bold Creative.) 
•  Young Assets: An East London-based credit incentive system for engaging \'hard to reach\' young people in local politics.
  (Run by Spice Innovations)
• Empowering the blind citizen: Providing training and tools to enable blind and partially sighted people to participate in e-democracy.
  (Run by Screenreader.net Community Interest Company.)
• Cambridge Parliament High Support Needs Committee: To establish a committee to represent the views of over 1,000 people with high support needs in Cambridgeshire.
  (Run by Speaking Up.)

• Full press release on the official website of the UK Ministry of Justice 
• Building Democracy blog 
• Euro foreign exchange reference rates – European Central Bank

• Challenge 1: Pervasive and trustworthy network and service infrastructures;
• Challenge 2: Cognitive systems, interaction, robotics;
• Challenge 3: Components, systems, engineering;
• Challenge 5: Towards sustainable and personalised healthcare;
• Challenge 6: ICT for mobility, environmental stability and energy efficiency;
• Challenge 7: ICT for independent living, inclusion and governance.

The ICT Call 4 seeks proposals in 19 areas which are part of the above Challenges.

Furthermore, the ICT Call 4 promotes research in three new areas of ‘Future and Emerging Technologies’, namely:

• Concurrent tera-device computing;
• Quantum information foundations and technologies;
• Biochemistry-based information technology.

Lastly, the Call includes a number of Coordination and Support actions, with particular emphasis on international cooperation in ICT with partner countries overseas.

The ICT theme has committed a budget of €801 million for this Call. The closing date for proposals is 1 April 2009, at 5 pm CET. It is expected that the first projects funded from this action will be launched in the late autumn of 2009.


Further information:

• Original press release – Europe’s Information Society Thematic Portal 
• Full call details on the CORDIS 

• Commission’s Directorate-General for Communication’s midday briefing of 2 December 2008 
• Action Plan on e-signatures and e-identification to facilitate the provision of cross-border public services in the Single Market – ePractice library 
• Report on the operation of Directive 1999/93/EC on a Community framework for
  electronic signatures

• The Research landscape, directions and foundations;
• research methods, method integration and techniques;
• comparative analyses of eParticipation practices;
• quality and impact of eParticipatio projects inclusive eParticipation;
• understanding online conversation and supporting deliberation;
• representatives and eParticipation;
• social networking and eParticipation;
• cultural and normative differences in eParticipation;
• education, training courses, and curricula;
• governance and eParticipation and toolbox;
• policy modelling, simulation and visualisation.
  

Paper submission is now open and further information on submission guidelines can be found here. Additional details about call for proposals are available in the call pages.

The event is co-located with the eighth international EGOV conference 2009. It is free of charge and open to all.

Event email: a.macintosh@leeds.ac.uk, ePart@uom.gr

This workshop will gauge the status of current research both conducting actual eDemocracy and eParticipation experiments and in studying (observing) various aspects of such activities. The latter includes studying and identifying the barriers to greater online citizen engagement in policy-making.

Topics of interest include but are not limited to:

• Direct democracy examples such as eVoting,electioneering and polling.
• eParticipation experiment design.        
• Assessment of impact and comparative research.
• Tools and practices for eConsultation, ePetition, conflict resolution and mediation, eDeliberation and others.
• ICT for argumentation support, collaboration and content management.
• National policy issues and initiatives.
• Risks associated with eDemocracy.
• Two thirds of the workshop's duration will be devoted to presentations and one third to discussion on future research issues. The detailed agenda will be made available to all participants once contributions by perspective speakers have been received and finalised.

Additional information can be found in the workshop's call for participation. 

The workshop is open to all eGovernment stakeholders and in particular to:

• Representatives of eGovernment research projects in FP6 and FP7.
• Researchers, interested practitioners and promotion experts.
• The event is open to all, but places are limited. Short abstracts of no more than 150 words from those wishing to give a presentation are accepted. All submissions are to be sent via email to eGovR@eurodyn.com not later than the 29 May 2009.

Event email: eGovR@eurodyn.com

On the negative side, misuse of this same technology entails serious risks in various aspects, such as privacy violations, advanced electronic crime, cyber terrorism, and even enlargement of the digital divide. In extreme cases it may even threaten basic principles and human rights.

The aforementioned issues raise an important question: Is society ready to adopt the technological advances in ubiquitous networking, next generation Internet, and pervasive computing? To what extent will it manage to evolve promptly and efficiently to a Next Generation Society, adopting the forthcoming ICT challenges?

The e-Democracy 2009 conference is dedicated to this issue. Through a comprehensive list of thematic areas under the title "Next Generation Society: Technological and Legal issues", the 2009 conference will try to stimulate discussions, create awareness, and provide information on the technological, ethical, legal, and political challenges ahead.

The list of topics that will be addressed is as follows:

• Identity management
• Privacy, trust and dependability
• Cyber-crime and organized crime
• Digital surveillance, tracking, and monitoring
• Social networking, blogs
• Education and training
  
• Online security
• Pervasive, ubiquitous, and intelligent computing
• e-Participation and Local e-government
• Digital divide
• Web-mobile ethics
• Cyber-economics
• Virtual communities

The event is open. There is a registration fee for participation. The expected number of participants is around 200 people. Additional details on important dates and deadlines may be viewed online.

Event email: secretariat@scis.aua.gr

In order to facilitate the discussions, abstracts of maximum 1 page are called for. The abstracts should summarise one's ideas on the topic and may include scenarios on the possible application of the technologies described in Objective 7.3 in the domain of Governance & Public Services.

The Consultation Workshop will follow the Workshop organised at the same venue by the Information and Communication Department of the Hellenic Technical Chamber (e-TEE) titled “e-Governement for Transparency and Democracy”. Participation to the event is free of charge, but pre-registration is required by sending an email to Yannis Charalabidis or Costis Christogiannis. Due to logistic constraints participation is limited to 50 persons. Early registration is therefore recommended.

Event email: yannisx@epu.ntua.gr or christ@telecom.ntua.gr.

• Learn about the European research funding opportunity;
• Be able to assess the relevance of this opportunity to their own needs;
• Meet others who have interest in this domain;
• Hear about a specific example relevant to the current opportunity, and how to find out about further opportunities.

The event will include a buffet lunch and opportunity to network.

Registration is free and can be done on the event website.

Event email: ict@fp7uk.co.uk

• 14:00 - Introduction and Welcome
• 14:10 - Presentation from the Commission on Objective 7.3: ICT for Governance and Policy Modelling
• 14:30 - Open discussion - Introduction of the participants and their ideas (2 mn each)
• 15:30 - Individual discussion with the Commission staff (on a case by case) *
• 17:00 - End of meeting

* Individual discussions can be continued the day after, during the ICT Proposers' Day 2009

Event email: AGabor@corvinno.com

• European Union priorities in ICT research for over €2 billion of funding available in 2009-2010;
• The major current technological trends which impact upon strategic research planning;
• Public research policies to stimulate research and innovation.

The event will feature a conference, an exhibition and networking sessions.

Registration is to be performed online at the event's website. The early bid registration fee, applicable to payments received prior to 31 October 2008, is €450. For payments received between 1 November and 20 November 2008, the registration fee is €550.

Event email: N/A

• Research theories and frameworks for public sector modernization with the support of ICT;
• Research methods, method integration and technique;
• Analysing and assessing contemporary research in eGovernment and eGovernance;
• Designing systems for the public sector: innovative cases and systems;
• Studying ICT usage, acceptance and performance of technology-supported public sector activities: methods and contemporary case analyses;
• Future directions in research and practice of ICT in the public sector;
• Innovation management, change management and complexity management in shaping public sector advancements;
• Transformation, customer-driven public sector reengineering and change management;
• Mass collaboration of stakeholders in government modernization: participative governance, simulation, animation, gaming and policy modeling;
• Customer-driven public sector reengineering;
• New ways of innovative developments: crowd sourcing, grid computing, social software etc;
• Economics, evaluation and stakeholders;
• Theories, concepts and solutions to deal with specific challenging topics in the application field: complexity, system dynamics, evolution, change management, mobile technologies, information preservation, trust and privacy, information management, ICT4D, information quality, adaptability and agility, integration and interoperation, systems and enterprise architecture, domain-specific social networking cases and solutions, semantic technologies, etc;
• Crises management, emergency and disaster response, public-private cooperation, transnational government;
• Education, training courses, and curricula.

The EGOV Conference Series is open to all and free of charge. It hosts four distinct formats of contributions: Scientific papers (distinguished between completed research and ongoing research); project presentations, and workshops. The conference also includes a PhD student colloquium providing doctoral students with an international forum for presenting their work, networking opportunities and cross-disciplinary inspiration.

Online submission is now open for EGOV 2009 contributions.

The deadline for completed research papers, ongoing research, project cases and papers on general issues has been extended to 15 March 2009.

Submissions of workshops, panels and PhD projects is open until15 April 2009.

Details about the submission guidelines , review criteria and deadlines are available on the event official website.

Moreover 2009, EGOV will be co-located for first time with ePart, the new International Conference on eParticipation, which will be dedicated to topics on eParticipation and eDemocracy. ePart will start right after EGOV, 3-4 September 2009 at the conference venue.

Event email: office@dexa.org

The event aims to connect key industrials and R&B actors, research institutes and universities, large science and technology based multinationals, high-tech SMEs. About 2500 participants are expected.

It will be organized as information fair and therefore no formal agenda is set. There are no structured sessions or panels, however, there will be:

• seven scenes dedicated to the seven challenges of the 2009-2010 work programme (to learn more about the challenges and objectives go to 2009-2010 priorities),
• additional scenes dedicated to horizontal and other activities,
• series of 'networking booths', each corresponding to the objectives of one of the challenges,
• other large areas, snack bars and cafeterias to facilitate a more informal way of establishing partnerships,
• a 'library' provided by the Commission to supply information on relevant topics.

Registration is open and free of charge. Further information on how to register as well as for submitting comments and proposals ideas is available online.

Event email: INFSO-ICTPROPOSERSDAY@ec.europa.eu

This document is an attempt to describe, but not yet solve, the variety of issues and challenges faced by governments in their efforts to apply 21st century capabilities to eGovernment initiatives. Detail and useful examples of existing, applicable open Web standards are provided. Where government needs in the development of eGovernment services are not currently met by existing standards, those gaps are noted. This publication as an Interest Group Note represents the culmination of the first year of the W3C eGovernment Interest Group work.

Number of pages: 44