The DANS cluster connected three projects funded under the Priority 1: Creative City Challenge (CCC), Smart Cities and E-CLIC. These three projects combined their expertise, contacts and networks and thereby built a base upon which the 'Digital Agenda for Europe' (DAE) could be implemented within the North Sea Region.

The project focused on the link between the local and regional strategies to the DAE, identified implementation barriers and pointed at synergies. This led 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.

Aim

The aim of the DANS cluster was to provide a solid basis upon which the ‘Digital Agenda for Europe’ (DAE) might be implemented within the North Sea Region. The project did not limit itself to repeating any of the approaches developed in the Creative City Challenge (CCC), Smart Cities and E-CLIC projects. Rather, it capitalised on the main lessons learnt and experiences gained from them, used and expanded their networks and undertook 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 North Sea Region.

The cluster project focused 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.

Related projects:

• Creative City Challenge (CCC)
• Smart Cities
• E-CLIC

• 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)