This article aims to examine the current and timely situation that has recently emerged as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis by proposing a strategic wake up call in the Basque Country regarding the need to reimagine the international role of stateless nations through a not less urgent techno-political response and standpoint. Despite the fact that European city-regions presents rather distinct and unique compositions, this policy strategic analysis—centred comparatively in the Basque Country—sheds light on a potential roadmap to enhance the way digital transformations, AI, and data ecosystems/governance can provide an opportunity amidst this pandemic crisis for empowering citizens and institutions and opening up a transnational collaboration based on solidarity with other cities, regions, and nations in Europe and worldwide. Given the thorny aftermaths for many European city-regions, this article encourages particularly stakeholders in the Basque Country to take the lead and coordinate a strategic response in close collaboration with other European territorial realities’ stakeholders by suggesting the creation of the Basque algorithmic nation for renewing the national community discourse and the state building old narrative employed so far and thus putting at front the strength of the co-operative active response among city-regional businesses, institutions, civic society, academia, and entrepreneurs/activists to ensure (i) the wellbeing and social justice (life), (ii) a sustainable economic model and platform-driven socio-economic alternatives (economy), (iii) a more transparent AI for social good (techno-politics), and ultimately, (iv) further democratic and less dystopic panopticon (democracy). Hence, this article situates itself in the current data policy debate in the EU reinforcing the role city-regions could play in leading data ecosystems under the post-GDPR policy umbrella in the EU particularly by providing cases, projects, and initiatives about technological sovereignty as a result of the collaboration among stakeholders at the local and city-regional level. This policy article is structured in three main sections: (i) Diagnosis, (ii) Intervention, and (iii) Roadmap. To cite this article: Calzada, Igor (2020), Euskal Nazio Algoritmikoa Sortuz: Subirautza Teknologikoa Post-COVID-19 Gizartean/Setting up the Basque Algorithmic Nation: Technological Sovereignty Amidst the Post-COVID-19 Society. Bergara: TMLab. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.28853.01766/1 Available at/Retrieved from: https://telesforomonzonlab.eus/covid-19-gogoeta-gunea/ (accessed on 17th April 2020).

1. 1
Setting Up the Basque Algorithmic Nation:
Technological Sovereignty
Amidst the Post-COVID-19 Society
Euskal Nazio Algoritmikoa Sortuz:
Subirautza Teknologikoa Post-COVID-19 Gizartean
TM eLab
Euskal Herrigintza Laborategia: Laboratory for Basque state-building
Dr Igor Calzada, MBA, FeRSA
Ikertzaile/Gizarte Zientzilari Seniorra
www.igorcalzada.com/about
igor.calzada@compas.ox.ac.uk
@ICalzada
University of Oxford / European Commission
To cite this article:
Calzada, Igor (2020), Euskal Nazio Algoritmikoa Sortuz: Subirautza Teknologikoa Post-
COVID-19 Gizartean/Setting up the Basque Algorithmic Nation: Technological Sovereignty
Amidst the Post-COVID-19 Society. Bergara: TMLab.
DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.28853.01766/1
Available at/Retrieved from: https://telesforomonzonlab.eus/covid-19-gogoeta-gunea/
(accessed on 15th
April 2020).
Wordcount: 3435

2. 2
Setting Up the Basque Algorithmic Nation:
Technological Sovereignty
Amidst the Post-COVID-19 Society
ABSTRACT:
This article aims to examine the current and timely situation that has recently emerged as a
result of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis by proposing a strategic wake up call in the Basque
Country regarding the need to reimagine the international role of stateless nations through a
not less urgent techno-political response and standpoint. Despite the fact that European city-
regions presents rather distinct and unique compositions, this policy strategic analysis—
centred comparatively in the Basque Country—sheds light on a potential roadmap to enhance
the way digital transformations, AI, and data ecosystems/governance can provide an
opportunity amidst this pandemic crisis for empowering citizens and institutions and opening
up a transnational collaboration based on solidarity with other cities, regions, and nations in
Europe and worldwide. Given the thorny aftermaths for many European city-regions, this
article encourages particularly stakeholders in the Basque Country to take the lead and
coordinate a strategic response in close collaboration with other European territorial realities’
stakeholders by suggesting the creation of the Basque algorithmic nation for renewing the
national community discourse and the state building old narrative employed so far and thus
putting at front the strength of the co-operative active response among city-regional businesses,
institutions, civic society, academia, and entrepreneurs/activists to ensure (i) the wellbeing and
social justice (life), (ii) a sustainable economic model and platform-driven socio-economic
alternatives (economy), (iii) a more transparent AI for social good (techno-politics), and
ultimately, (iv) further democratic and less dystopic panopticon (democracy). Hence, this
article situates itself in the current data policy debate in the EU reinforcing the role city-regions
could play in leading data ecosystems under the post-GDPR policy umbrella in the EU
particularly by providing cases, projects, and initiatives about technological sovereignty as a
result of the collaboration among stakeholders at the local and city-regional level. This policy
article is structured in three main sections: (i) Diagnosis, (ii) Intervention, and (iii) Roadmap.
KEYWORDS:
Pandemic citizenship; Post COVID-19 society; Algorithmic nations; Technological
sovereignty; Basque Country; Strategy; EU; Digital transformations; AI; Data
governance/ecosystems; Post-GDPR; City-regions; Policy

3. 3
Euskal Nazio Algoritmikoa Sortuz:
Subirautza Teknologikoa Post-COVID-19 Gizartean
ABSTRACT:
COVID-19 krisi pandemikoaren ondorioz Euskal Herrian berriki sortu den egoera aztertzea du
xede nagusi artikulu honek. Bereziki, estaturik gabeko nazioa izanik, premiazko esnaldi
estrategiko bat beharrezkotzat jotzen du artikuluak erantzun eta begirada tekno-politiko batetik
nazioartean bere rola berrirudikatzeko. Europako hiri-eskualdeen mosaikoa anitza izanagatik,
konparatiboki Euskal Herrian zentratzen den politiken analisi estrategiko honek, eraldaketa
digital, adimen artifiziala (AI), eta datuen gobernantza eta ekosistemek, hiritar eta erakundeak
ahalduntzen lagun dezaketeela argudiatzen du balizko bide orri bat aurkeztuz bukaeran. Bide
batez, Europako eta nazioarteko hiri, eskualde, eta nazioekin lankidetza transnazionalari
irekiera emango ziolarik. Korapilatsuak diren ondorio lazgarriak ugariak izanik Europako hiri-
eskualde askotan, artikulu honek Euskal Herriko eragileak animatzen ditu erantzun bateratu
eta estrategiko bat kolektiboki lidera dezaten Europako beste lurraldeetako eragileekin
elkarlanean. Zehazki, artikulua, orainarte hegemonikoak izan diren nazio-komunitate eta
estatu-eraikuntza bezalako narratibak eguneratzen saiatzen da euskal nazio algoritmiko baten
sorkuntza proposatuz. Horretarako beharrezkotzat jotzen du euskal enpresa, erakunde, gizarte
zibil, akademia, eta ekintzaile/aktibisten arteko erantzun aktibo eta kooperatibo indartsu bat.
Euskal nazio algoritmikoak lau palanka estrategiko izango lituzke aktibaziorako: (i) gizarte
ongizatearen bermea eta justizia soziala (bizitza); (ii) eredu ekonomiko jasangarriak eta
plataforma bidezko alternatiba sozio-ekonomikoak (ekonomia); (iii) gizarte onurarako adimen
artifizial gardenagoa (tekno-politika); eta azkenik, (iv) demokratikoagoa eta ez hain distopikoa
den panoptiko bat (demokrazia). Hartara, artikulu hau egun Europar Batasunak (EB) darabilen
datu politiken debatean kokatzen da. Debate honen arabera, hiri-eskualdeen rola potentzialki
berrindartu liteke, berauek EB-ren post-DBAO arautegiaren pean, datu ekosistemen lider
bilakatuko balira. Horretarako, subirautza teknologikoan oinarrituak egon beharko luketen
kasu, proiektu, eta egitasmoak burutzea ezinbestekoa litzateke eskualde eta tokian-tokiko
eragileen artean. Politiken artikulu hau hiru ataletan banatua dago: (i) Diagnosia, (ii)
Interbentzioa, eta (iii) Bide orria.
HITZ-GAKOAK:
Hiritartasun pandemikoa; Post-COVID-19 Gizartea; Nazio Algoritmikoak; Subirautza
Teknologikoa; Euskal Herria; Estrategia; EB; Eraldaketa digitalak; Adimen artifiziala; Datu
gobernantza/ekosistemak; Post-DBAO; hiri-eskualdeak; politikak