BETTER project: IE call#4 Context According to the New Prospective of the EU budget allocation for the 2021-2027 period a “pragmatic, modern, long-term budget reform is necessary”. Together with the policies dedicated to migration and EU Security, both Technological transformation and Digital Agenda for Local Governments represent the main pillars of the next EU 20121-2027 achievements. Indeed, European city administrations are undergoing far-reaching and comprehensive transformations in their governance and processes. Information and Communication Technologies are crucial in ensuring that citizens have easy access to local government information, services and decision-making processes as well as in helping and improving participation and consultation of citizens towards local governments. At the same time, the provision of online high-quality services delivered in the most effective and secure way to citizens is a key factor for efficiency, transparency and accountability of local governance in Europe. Interregional cooperation between European partners sharing these challenges enables them to fully exploit latest outcomes and developments of the Information Society and to facilitate the “eEurope” principles as part of their regional and social development. Overall objective The project is designed to support local eGovernment initiatives, actions and strategies through the exchange and dissemination of information, best practices and successful technical innovations experienced by the EU partners. The partners will enhance the capacities, management skills and technical knowledge of local policymakers, officials and experts responsible for eGovernment actions to design, manage and evaluate local technology-based public services of the highest quality. This goal is supported by: - promoting innovative approaches in establishing partnerships between public and private sectors - encouraging the use of electronic payment systems (ie cashless payments, paperless procedures, e-invoicing, cloud-computing infrastructures etc ) - improving citizens' participation in the democratic processes through Internet. Themes Project partners will exchange good practices with the aim to improve the efficiency, transparency and accountability of local governments and public services. The exchange of good practices will be focused on the following policy themes : 1) innovative e-Management systems for city administrations (ie B2A and B2B e-Invoices, e-Receipts, etc) 2) online public services for citizens with web-based and mobile applications (ie cashless & paperless initiatives, e-procurement) 3) new e-Participation services with interactive consultative applications (ie e-vote, edemocracy etc) 4) Professional & well-performing institutions (Modern HR policy and management, Leadership and managing for results). Main points of attention: • a small project consortium of max 5 project-partners, each from a different EU Member State for a focused and intense cooperation • focus on the pre-agreed and specific themes (see above) on which to develop an in-depth exchange of Good Practices through thematic events, training programmes and Study Visits. • a Panel of Experts comprised of a number of highly distinguished, international experts from a wide variety of fields offered by the partners and led by a possible advisory partner offering expertise on different themes of the project • a very strong “stakeholders group” formation in each partner area implementing the policy improvements • development of a Regional Action Plan in each partner area. • inter-partner capacity building Contacts: Enrica Spotti, Municipality of Genoa: espotti@comune.genova.it Mariagiovanna Laudani, Studio Laudani: mg@studiolaudani.eu