SFERA European ICT SF Council Sustainability Strategy

1. Improving the Deployment of Innovative Broadband Networks in European Regions SFERA European ICT SF Council Sustainability Strategy George Sharkov/ Tsvetelina Marinova/ Sara Múñoz ICT-SF Council Secretariat SFERA Annual Conference 2009

2. CONCEPT • Council sustainability strategy  a model for the post-project period. • Aim: to examine possible means to maintain communication channels, operational capacity and funding sources to ensure the sustainability of the European ICT Structural Funds Council. • Items to discuss: 1. Communication: 2. Council membership 3. Management model: 4. Viable strategy for dialogue and identification of synergies 5. Background material and tools 6. Possible sources of funding SFERA Annual Conference 2009

3. Communication 1 • Project website: www.sferaproject.eu: • commitment for hosting and maintaining the website active even after the project end. • Document repository - upload/download • useful links and/or references to other related websites and projects – e.g. the European Broadband Platform. • Password-protected area • to guarantee security and protect information, • Council section on the website • extra-guarantee for the quality of information, and its reliability as only qualified/authorized members are able to post information and data.. • Online discussion forum • Interactive • further developed and promoted because of being cost-effective and efficient. SFERA Annual Conference 2009

4. Communication 2 • Free platform/s (google, yahoo) and/or social network(s) • e.g. linkedin.com, facebook.com etc. - good for networking purposes as the Council intends to push co-operating between many stakeholders in many European countries • a way to open the council discussions to even hundreds of people interested in its matter, and gather their opinions and ideas too.. • Online secretariat • as much of the work will be carried out via the online discussion forum, compilation of inputs, exchange of opinions, even voting can be done online. • support by administrator(s), who could be also the respective Working Groups/topics coordinators SFERA Annual Conference 2009

5. Membership • Multidisciplinary profile: • Policy-makers • Academia • State/Regional authorities partners • Business/ industry • NGO • Becoming a member • Invitation by the Secretariat • Invitation by another member • Own initiative • Attraction of new members • Involving the whole supply chain (from providers, including SMEs representatives, to users/end-users - farmers’ associations, cultural/educational bodies, consumers’ associations, etc.) • Decision-makers SFERA Annual Conference 2009

6. Management • Presidency  chairman • Rotation principle: • to ensure coherence • but also a wider participation in the management & pro-active approach • figure of ‘honorary chairman’ • Other options – e.g. country/ regional managers, etc. SFERA Annual Conference 2009

7. Identification of Synergies • Cooperation, dialogue and synergies • Coordination (instead of overlapping) of activities and joining efforts  better results based on higher efficiency and added value • Permanent interactive dialogue with the financial stakeholders: EC, ESA, EIB etc. and tracking of political changes , PPPs - collect the regional needs and report findings to the EC/ESA/EIB • Regular exchange of documentation with ETPs, DG REGIO, etc., cooperation with ESOA, NEREUS, etc. • Regular meetings - along withrelevant events (EU meetings, seminars, conferences and/or other relevant activities) SFERA Annual Conference 2009

8. Materials and Tools • Documents and materials: • comparative analyses , knowledge-base support , position papers • Selection of topics • directly related to SFERA objectives (initiative by SFERA consortium • suggested by the working groups Council members themselves • Working groups • Permanent and/or ad-hoc • Initiated by individual and/or a group of Council members • ‘interest-driven’ – will reflect the motivation and commitment of the initiator(s) to work on the topic chosen, promote ideas and recommend actions • WG leaders – to take up some coordination work performed by the Secretariat so far - work on Council documents, compilation of inputs, suggestion of topics, promotion of recommendations etc. SFERA Annual Conference 2009

9. Funding sources • No membership fee • Attitude • Administrative burdens • Introduction of paid-services by the Council • ‘Experts’ portfolio’ • Experts submit their short summary – of experience and services they could perform (e.g. consultancy, assessment of projects, business/project plans development, others...) • Database of experts – Council members, providing paid services • operating formally under the umbrella and authority of the Council but contracted individually by clients/users • EU project funding, cooperation SFERA Annual Conference 2009

10. Future Challenges • Expertise coupled by the role of state/regional authorities constitutes the best environment for transforming best practices into sustainable regional development policies & programs - an important role in recommending changes, promoting good practices and influencing regional policies at EU level How to make it more active and keep it sustainable • Achieving coherence: promote the participation of Council representatives into all relevant forums and events; Council meetings take place along with other relevant activities to use the “power” of the European Council to “push” and promote good practices proven to be successful • Mechanisms for ‘recommending’ going beyond promotion: how to ‘officialize’ Council recommendations and make sure they are taken into consideration and put into practice SFERA Annual Conference 2009

11. European ICT SF Council … what next…? TOPICS FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION • SFERA welcomes the EERP and recommends an budget extension to enlarge Broad Band services to more Regions. • Connect to demand aggregation • Involve end users • How SF ICT Council recommendations can be more efficiently considered by Regional authorities? • Open ways to small companies (connection to local autohrities) • Put people in touch (Facebook) also from the same regions (SMEs and decision-makers) • See examples from other parts of the world (e.g.satellite)… but relate always to SF instrument and European reality SFERA Annual Conference 2009

12. European ICT SF Council … what next…? TOPICS FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION • What other issues concern Regional authorities, which SF ICT Council can assist? • Support regional authorities on their decisions (explain them opporunities) • “The handbook” --- EDITORS. • Business plan for “that 10%” . Driven by Portugal • Business/Strategy plan for Demand Aggreation • Define the “perceived quality”… or what the market consider as the basic fruitful service (how much broadband is really needed for 100% coverage?) • Is there a need of WG on Demand Aggregation to assist regions? If yes, who should promote the WG? • Bottom-up.. Starting from the ICT-SF Council • Business opportunities (find). • Define the level of demand. • Ask for EU Commission support (e,g, announcement mechanisims) • Africa??? And other proximity regions – European funding for projects in these regions??? SFERA Annual Conference 2009

13. European ICT SF Council … what next…? TOPICS FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION • How the ICT SF Council can help to make more visible the success-cases deploying wireless technologies or creating hi-tech R&D centers? • “Send” R&D results to the market • Papers on specific technologies • Papers on specific market strategies • How to ensure a mechanism of coordination to involve all the key players of the supply chain? • Link with consumers associations (meetings and discussions) • User awareness • Other bodies? – • Broadband atlas – connect to social networks • Analyze users willingness for a certain system (not as broadband as fiber optic) and translate it to regional SF decision-makers SFERA Annual Conference 2009