Overall:
Fostering digital transition at local and regional level
Ensuring a transition that is both green and digital in the recovery phase; promoting digital connectivity and solutions at local and regional level in both urban and rural areas, through an efficient and synergetic use of EU funding such as Digital Europe, CEF – Digital, Cohesion Policy and the recovery funds (RRF).
Developing and enlarging the scope of the EC-CoR Broadband Platform to all aspects of a successful digital transition at local and regional level.
Improving the monitoring and measuring of digitalisation at local and regional level to better understands progress, needs and challenges.
Contributing to the implementation of the "Join, Boost, Sustain" initiative.
Promoting legislation to create a level playing field for SMEs and digital platforms in a well-functioning Digital Single Market.
Contributing to a fair and balanced development of the collaborative economy while respecting territorial specificities.
Contributing to improving e-government services.
Specific:
Respond to the following EC communications:
Shaping Europe's digital future (COM(2020) 67 final)
A European strategy for data (COM(2020) 66 final)
Secure 5G deployment in the EU – Implementing the EU toolbox (COM(2020) 50 final)
November 2020 Opinion sent to 30+ stakeholders in personalised emails.
THE EUROPEAN COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS
- stresses that the opportunities offered by digitalisation in addressing societal, climate and environmental challenges and in certain crisis situations, as demonstrated with current COVID 19 crisis, are particularly important for education, working life, the economy and smoothly functioning government;
- underlines the major contribution local and regional authorities make to the practical implementation of the EU Digital Agenda, in particular within Smart Cities and Smart Regions, as well as the important role played by local government in ensuring access to data and its availability;
- draws particular attention to the need to support capacity-building in citizens and businesses, in particular SMEs, as well as in the public sector;
- underlines the need for a comprehensive approach to boosting the security and resilience of 5G networks and points out that a joint approach in the EU is effective and that a common European minimum safety standard generates overall positive results;
- welcomes the Commission's commitment to Europeans' interests and equal opportunities for European businesses on international markets and to European values in international business and data flows.