The DANS cluster connects three projects funded under the Priority 1 - namely Creative City Challenge (CCC), Smart Cities and E-CLIC. These three projects will combine their expertise, contacts and networks and thereby build a base upon which the 'Digital Agenda for Europe' (DAE) can be implemented within the North Sea Region. The project will focus on the link between the local and regional strategies to the DAE, identify implementation barriers and will point at synergies. This will lead to a number of strategic outputs (e.g. an implementation strategy, the 'DANS model', 'Good Practices Guide') and dissemination activities by modern means of communication.

Related projects:

• Creative City Challenge
• Smart Cities
• E-CLIC

Aim:

The aim of the DANS cluster is to provide a solid basis upon which the ‘Digital Agenda for Europe’ (DAE) may be implemented within the North Sea Region. The project will not limit itself to repeating any of the approaches developed in the three NSR projects. Rather, it will capitalise on the main lessons learnt and experiences gained from them, use and expand their networks and undertake additional activities to achieve greater, high impact results.

Background:

The fields of creativity, innovation, digital services and e-government are central to the economic development of the European Union as well as to its future policy until 2020. The Digital Agenda for Europe(DAE) in particular is a key element of European policy - a so-called Flagship Initiative - , which is of strategic value to the North Sea Region as well due to the fact that services related to the DAE continuously generate employment, fight social exclusion and contribute to economic development and territorial cohesion. Furthermore, the DAE helps the EU to promote modern communication technologies for increased access to services and is hence improving life quality in the NSR.

The cluster project will focus on 5 of the 7 priorities of the DAE – namely (a) creating a digital Single Market; (b) greater interoperability; (c) better investment in research and development; (d) enhancing digital literacy skills and inclusion and (e) applying information and communications technologies to address challenges facing society like climate change and the ageing population.

• Furthering and promotion of the so-called ‘Citadel Statement’ (Citadel Statement 2.0)
• Promotion of the Smart Cities ESD toolkit (basis of a joint EU government service list)
• ‘Good Practices Guide’ (selected results from the three projects CCC, Smart Cities and E-Clic) linked to the implementation of the Digital Agenda for Europe
• Development and Promotion of the ‘DANS model’ (model for translating the DAE to the local and regional level, based on transnational cooperation and regional triple-helix partnerships)