The document summarizes the local e-government context in Groningen, Netherlands. Key drivers include the EU Services Directive, INTERREG IVB North Sea program, and the Dutch National Urgency Program. At the national level, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Municipal Association shape e-government strategies. In Groningen, projects like the Groningen Accord and Smart Cities aim to improve services, innovation, and efficiency through collaboration between the city, universities, and other organizations.

1. Understanding e-government
in Groningen
Summary & Context
The local e-government environment varies tremendously across the Project Context Map
North Sea Region of the EU, with municipal strategies being shaped by
very different national, regional and local policy contexts and political No.2
and technological agendas. This series of reports summarises the local
e-government environment in six municipalities from six different countries
who are participating in the Smart Cities Interreg IVb project. The reports
allow project partners to review their local e-government context, and helps
us identify to common factors across project partners, along with areas of
difference between partners. This report summarises the e-government
context in Groningen, based on interviews with staff from the city, and
identifies factors that they feel shape their local e-government context and
their involvement in the Smart Cities project.
As well as a narrative description of the context, this report contains two
diagrams and a supporting table:
• The main policy drivers for Groningen
• Those projects most relevant to Smart Cities in Groningen
• Details of the entities mentioned including links to source material, in
English where available.
Key Facts:
The information in this document is derived from publically available
descriptions supplied by Groningen, supplemented by desk-based research. Groningen
City Council (Gemeente) within
The Smart Cities Project Groningen Province, in the
Netherlands (a unitary state).
Figure 1 illustrates the organisations that City of Groningen has identified
as being significant to the City’s involvement in the Smart Cities project. Populations:
There are two aspects of European Union (EU) policy that are impacting City – 182 000
Groningen’s involvement in the Smart Cities project. The first (along with Province – 574 000
all project partners) is INTERREG IVB North Sea; the second explicitly Netherland – 16 592 000
identified item is the Services Directive.
The INTERREG initiative is designed to strengthen economic and social
cohesion throughout the European Union, by fostering the balanced
development of the continent through cross-border, transnational and
interregional cooperation. A principal aim of the Programme is to expand
the scope of territorial cooperation and focus on high quality projects in
innovation, the environment, accessibility, and sustainable and competitive
communities.
The 2007-2013 Programme connects regions from seven countries around
the North Sea, incorporating policy level planning and the long lasting and
tangible effects of projects. The North Sea Region Programme 2007-2013
works with cutting edge policy areas in regional development through
transnational projects.
Smart Cities is one of the projects funded through the programme. The
general aim of the Smart Cities project is to create an innovation network
between governments and academic partners leading to excellence in the
domain of the development and take-up of e-services.

2. Regional Development
Europe
INTERREG IVB
European Union
Services Directive
Legal Obligations
Digitisation
Efficiency
Deregulation National Urgency
Programme
Netherlands
Ministry of
Internal Affairs Antwoord voor
bedrijven
VNG
Municipal Association KING eGov
agency
Groningen
Province
Province
Universities Groningen
& Hospitals Accord
Vision
Points of ECLIC
2014
improvement
Customer focus
Efficiency
Smart Cities
City of Groningen College Programme
City
Departments for
Urban Planning &
Development
Information &
Admin
Fig 1:
Main drivers underpinning Groningen’s involvement
NB All items are linked to or supporting Smart Cities

3. The EU Services Directive aims to break down barriers to cross border trade in
services between countries in the EU. It will make it easier for service providers,
particularly small and medium sized enterprises, to offer their services to
customers in other EU countries, whether establishing elsewhere in the EU or
providing services remotely from the a member state. EU Member states are
required to implement the Directive by 28 December 2009.
National level – the Netherlands
At the national level, through the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MBZK), the
National Urgency Programme (NUP) provides the motivation for coordinated
improvements in services across the Netherlands, driven by the Services
Directive as well as strategic needs for efficiency, digitisation of government and
deregulation. The NUP (Dutch: Nationaal Uitvoeringsprogramma Dienstverlening
en e-overheid) was established because it was recognised that citizens and
businesses need a government that is fast, efficient and customer-oriented. It is
a government project bringing focus and coherence in the development of basic
infrastructure of the e-government. The basic infrastructure being developed
includes: access to electronic government, e-authentication, information numbers,
and electronic information based registration and has set up Six sample projects
to make the improved e-government infrastructure visible.
Central government in partnership with VNG, the association of Dutch
municipalities, has established Antwoord voor bedrijven to provide a central
point of information for entrepreneurs: laws and permits in The Netherlands. The
organisation works closely with ministries, other national governments, provincial
authorities, water boards and local councils. Antwoord voor bedrijven is part of
the Antwoord@ initiative to link the various sources of government information.
Groningen
The City of Groningen has a corresponding NUP project as shown in Figure 2.
In January 2010, a new national Quality Institute KING started up: its mission is to
add to sustainable improvement of quality for local governments and services of
municipalities. The idea is that municipalities need a strong and focused national
body.
Figure 2 illustrates the involvement of different organisations in projects associated
with (or impacting) Smart Cities. The drivers behind the organisations’ involvement
can be read from Figure 1. For instance, the business information partnership
(described above), Antwoord voor bedrijven, with its Entrepreneurs Front
Office project provides further motivation for involvement with Smart Cities WP3
and its contact-centre workstream.
The City of Groningen’s strategies of Customer Focus, Points of Improvement
and the need for efficiency (at least as far as Smart Cities is concerned) is
expressed through three strategies. First, there is the College Programme which
coordinates economic development between province, city and civil society.
The Groningen Accord is an agreement between University of Groningen (RuG),
Hanzehogeschool and the municipality of Groningen. It covers projects including
a drastic renovation of the Zernike university complex to the north of the city
including modern architecture and first rate public transport. Housing for students
is also being given a powerful boost. Contributions are also being made to four
innovation clusters that Groningen has nominated (energy, IT, life sciences and
nanotechnology) and to the development and support of knowledge-intensive
economic activity. It is this which is the main driver behind the involvement with
WP4 (Wireless city).

4. NUP
Antwoord@
bedrijven
Province
College
Programme
Groningen Accord
Programmes &
Universities and
Hospitals Projects
Strategy
Wireless City
Unit Smart Cities WP4
City Of Vision 2014
Groningen Programme
BoSs
Smart Cities WP3
Urban Planning
and Economic Efficiency NUP
Development
Multi Channel
Information and
Administration Entrepreneurs
Points of
Improvement Front Office
Customer Focus
Fig 2:
Projects in Gemeente Groningen linked to Smart Cities Within the municipality of Groningen, Programme BOSS works across all eight
departmental silos on central themes like improving customer services and the
conduct of business, including change management and cultural change. It has
clear links to involvement with Smart Cities WP3 workstreams.
BOSS has defined a vision on customer services (decided on by the city council
in October 2009) which includes what has to change within the organisation to
really improve the customer service. More digital services, more process-thinking,
establishing a mid-office within the valid ICT architecture, standardised ways of
working within front- and back-offices etc. The plan (Vision 2014) will take about
four years to establish and to succeed.

5. Source information
The table below gives descriptions of projects and bodies related to Groningen
City’s involvement in Smart Cities, together with links for further information
(some may be in Dutch).
Table 1
Name: Smart Cities
Details of significant entities
www.smartcities.info
The project aims to understand which e-services services work best and why; it
will facilitate transfer of e-Government successes across national borders; it will
identify and support the real transformational impacts of such transfer of good
practices on local government; it will equip decision makers with the knowledge
and ambition to achieve further innovation in the delivery of e-enabled public
services; and will engage national authorities in this ambition. At the European
level, the project will support the creation and growth of communities of practice
across the NSR building organisational commitment to and capacity for inter-
regional government service sharing. Smart Cities will raise the bar in many
aspects.
Name: EU Services Directive
The EU Services Directive aims to break down barriers to cross border trade in
services between countries in the EU. It will make it easier for service providers,
particularly small and medium sized enterprises, to offer their services to
customers in other EU countries, whether establishing elsewhere in the EU or
providing services remotely from the a member state. EU Member states are
required to implement the Directive by 28 December 2009.
Name: INTERREG IVB North Sea
www.northsearegion.eu/ivb/home
The Interreg initiative is designed to strengthen economic and social cohesion
throughout the European Union, by fostering the balanced development of the
continent through cross-border, transnational and interregional cooperation.
The North Sea Region Programme 2007-2013 works with cutting edge policy
areas in regional development through transnational projects.
A principal aim of the Programme is to expand the scope of territorial
cooperation and focus on high quality projects in innovation, the environment,
accessibility, and sustainable and competitive communities.
The 2007-2013 Programme connects regions from seven countries around the
North Sea, incorporating policy level planning and the long lasting and tangible
effects of projects.
Name: MBZK
www.rijksoverheid.nl/ministeries/bzk
The aim of the Ministry of the Interior (BZK) is a well-functioning public
administration, a safe society and a government in which citizens can rely on.

6. Name: VNG
www.vng.nl/smartsite.dws?id=41361
Association of Dutch municipalities, formed to provide expert support to
municipalities in forming their opinions, development of knowledge and
innovation. United in the VNG Dutch municipalities have more influence than
individually. Their association protects their interests, provides products and
services adapted to their needs and provides a joint platform for communication.
Name: Nationaal Uitvoeringsprogramma Dienstverlening en e-overheid
(NUP)
www.e-overheid.nl/sites/nup
Citizens and businesses need a government that fast, efficient and customer-
oriented. This is a government project bringing focus and coherence in the
development of basic infrastructure of the e-government. The basic infrastructure
being developed includes: access to electronic government, e-authentication,
information numbers, and electronic information based registration and has
set up Six sample projects to make the improved e-government infrastructure
visible.
Name: EGEM i-Teams
www.egem-iteams.nl
Electronic government improvement agency. Better service and optimal
business processes to suit the ambitions of modern municipal government
bodies. This is the objective of EGEM i-teams, in collaboration with municipal
governments, and we achieve it by means of developing standards and offering
tailor-made support.
Name: KING
www.kwaliteitsinstituutgemeenten.nl
Kwaliteits Instituut Nederlandse Gemeenten / Quality Institute for all the
Dutch municipalities. Replaced EGEM from 1 Jan 2010. The mission of this
new national institute is: add to sustainable improvement of quality for local
governments and services of municipalities. The idea is that municipalities
need a strong and focused national body. The tasks of the new KING are:
• development ICT standards and ICT architecture
• benchmarks of high standardised quality/ certifying benchmarks
• visits/visitations and quality of management and alderman to meet
new challenges
• facilitating implementation plans and generally.

7. Name: Antwoord@bedrijven
www.antwoordvoorbedrijven.nl
Government information for entrepreneurs: laws and permits in The Netherlands
Antwoord voor bedrijven is an initiative by the Dutch government. We work
closely with ministries, other national governments, provincial authorities, water
boards and local councils. Antwoord voor bedrijven is part of the Antwoord©
initiative to link the various sources of government information.
Name: College programma 2007-2011
www.provinciegroningen.nl/bestuurenpolitiek/gedeputeerdestaten/gspagina
Coordination of economic development between province, city and civil society.
Name: Groningen Accord
www.gemeente.groningen.nl/onderwijs-en-studeren/groningen-kennisstad/
akkoord-van-groningen
The Groningen Accord is an agreement between University of Groningen
(RuG), Hanzehogeschool and the municipality of Groningen. It covers projects
including a drastic renovation of the Zernike university complex to the north of
the city including modern architecture and first rate public transport. Housing
for students is also being given a powerful boost. Contributions are also being
made to four innovation clusters that Groningen has nominated (energy, IT,
life sciences and nanotechnology) and to the development and support of
knowledge-intensive economic activity.
Name: City of Talent
www.cityoftalent.nl/en
Besides being a student city, Groningen is also ahead in the areas of research,
innovation and entrepreneurship: a real city of talent.
In order to make this known to the rest of the Netherlands, University of
Groningen, Hanze University Groningen, the UMCG University Medical Center
Groningen and the Province and municipality of Groningen have joined forces.
Under the common denominator of ‘Groningen, City of Talent’, in conjunction
with Marketing Groningen, they have started a national campaign under the
motto of: ‘Here is space for talent. Space for learning, for working and for
growing. For further personal development and making the best of yourself.
And there is room for living, sports and entertainment. There’s no place like
Groningen.’

8. www.smartcities.info
www.epractice.eu/community/smartcities
The Smart Cities project is creating an innovation network between cities and academic
partners to develop and deliver better e-services to citizens and businesses in the North
Sea Region. Smart Cities is funded by the Interreg IVB North Sea Region Programme of the
European Union.
Smart Cities is PARTLY funded by the Interreg IVB North Sea Region Programme of the
European Union. The North Sea Region Programme 2007-2013 works with regional
development projects around the North Sea. Promoting transnational cooperation, the
Programme aims to make the region a better place to live, work and invest in.
9 781907 576126