State Secretary Raymond Knops today presented the Digital Government Agenda (NL DIGIbeter) at the Forum in Zoetermeer. It is an agenda of all governments and connects public and private partners to address opportunities and issues of government digitization.
The Netherlands is digitizing and that offers opportunities to do things better. At the same time, questions arise about privacy and fundamental rights and whether everyone can participate sufficiently in the digital society.
People Central
Throughout the Digital Government Agenda (ADO), the needs and rights of citizens and entrepreneurs are central. On the one hand, the Agenda offers room to work on social issues in an innovative way. On the other hand, it builds on existing facilities to make services better and more personal. For example, by modernizing government portals so that people can arrange matters with the government in one place that is linked to their person.
Furthermore, the Agenda pays close attention to both fundamental rights and public values (for example, in data use) and also the accessibility/understandability of digital services (inclusion). This means that people have the right to digital services, but also that for residents who cannot or do not want to be helped digitally, other forms of contact are possible.
What it means for municipalities
Municipalities are in daily contact with their residents and entrepreneurs and know the world of life in neighborhoods and districts. Municipalities are looking to use new technology to tackle social issues such as debt relief and undermining. The agenda offers opportunities for this.
The municipalities further consider it important to provide services in a good and modern way. This Agenda places great emphasis on integrated service delivery, across individual government parties, by working from life events, for example.
More personalized services
But making services more personal is also very important, for example by giving residents more access and control over their own data. Municipalities therefore play a major role in steering the provisions of the basic digital infrastructure that relate precisely to those services. Think about mijnOverheid and identity tools.
Digital inclusion
Finally, the Agenda can help with questions that many municipalities are also working on around "digital inclusion" (how do we ensure that everyone can continue to participate in the digital age), public values, such as privacy and the European agenda.
Leading role of municipalities
ADO is part of the Dutch digitization strategy. VNG has been closely involved in the creation of this Agenda. As the Rathenau report also showed, municipalities can play a pioneering role in innovation.
ADO also provides frameworks and guidance for the movement of Organizing Together that municipalities are deploying to support municipalities in their primary processes with Joint Municipal Execution (GGU).
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