Presentation from the Seminar for Watchdogs held in Warsaw, 11-12th March 2010.

1. Seminar for Watchdogs Warsaw
11th-12th March 2010
Where there is a will there is a way, how watchdog activities change the world!
Does e-participation change anything for watchdogs?
The EU context
Simon Delakorda, M.Sc.
Institute for Electronic Participationje
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2. Are you interested in...

E-participation capability to generate e-democracy
outcomes for watchdogs?

E-democracy outcomes assessment of European
Commission and Slovene NGOs e-participation
initiatives?

Discussing e-participation state of play for watchdogs
and future directions at the EU level?
Regardless what your answer is, you are already into it :-)
Inštitut za Elektronsko Participacijoje
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3. 1. In theory e-participation is...

Providing added value for watchdogs when using
information-communication technologies (ICTs) for:
→ participating in policy-making / engaging with
decision-makers
→ generating / mobilizing public support

(More at: E-participation - a new sphere of NGO
activity? http://csf.ceetrust.org/paper/19/)
Inštitut za Elektronsko Participacijoje
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4. 2. In practise e-participation is...

Implemented as supporting tool for watchdogs (3
examples):
→ providing inputs to policy documents drafts (EC
Interactive policy making)
→ informing decision-makers and public on their
positions (on-line Citizen's forum)
→ mobilizing public / putting an issue on the public
agenda (e-petition Act now!)
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5. Inštitut za Elektronsko Participacijoje
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6. Consultations with MEPs
Results:
540+ posts
20.000+
visitors
3 consultati.
6 debates
3 reports
12 MEPs
feedbacks
Debates with MEPs
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7. Signatures
Results
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8. 3. What about e-democracy outcomes?

a) EC Interactive policy making:
→ 45% of consultations focused to internal market, enterprise and
transport
→ 22% of consultations was open to general public
→ 0% of consultations provided feedback with arguments which proposals
were included / exluded into consultation report (an issue with EU2020
consultation report mischaracterising Social Platform's position, source:
Delakorda, 2009)

b) On-line Citizen's forum:
→ Slovene member of the European parliament has acknowledged the
environment NGO's positions but there is no transparency how it will be
adopted

c) E-petition Act now!:
- 1 from 3 NGOs demand fulfilled, declaration adopted by the National
assembly
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9. 4. E-participation is shaped by the
power relations

Which policy fields are subject to participation?
(policy question)

Which institutions / actors are participating?
(polity question)

Which rules and procedures are in place?
(politics question)
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10. 5. Watchdog's e-participation challenges

Questioning e-democracy effects makes issues of
participation, openness and transparency more visible

Connecting on-line and off-line participation

Top down and bottom up e-participation

Personal data protection

Sustainable e-participation projects

Motivating other players to follow watchdog's practices

Hot topic for the EU: 1 million EU citizens initiative to the
European Commission (on-line solution?)
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11. Thank you!
Institute for Electronic Participation - INePA
Povšetova ulica 37, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
P: +386 41 365 529
www.inepa.si / www.inepa.eu
Simon Delakorda
simon.delakorda@inepa.si
to
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