First Digital Government Congress promotes a public administration “closer” to citizens

The 1st Digital Government Congress organised by the Catalan Government and the Open Administration of Catalonia consortium (AOC) will take place on Wednesday and Thursday at the Palau de Congressos de Fira de Barcelona. The main aim of this summit is to develop through the use of new technologies the public administration into an “open and innovative administration” that will be smarter, more efficient and effective in order to give “real answers to the demands and expectations of society”, according to Àlex Pèlach, the Managing Director of the AOC consortium.

A citizen participation point set up through an AOC programme last spring in Avià, in Central Catalonia (by L. Busquets)
A citizen participation point set up through an AOC programme last spring in Avià, in Central Catalonia (by L. Busquets) / ACN / Pau Rodríguez

ACN / Pau Rodríguez

January 21, 2015 12:58 AM

Barcelona (CNA).- The Fira de Barcelona’s Palau de Congressos , located at the Montjuïc trade fair venue, will host this week the 1st Digital Government Congress organised by the Catalan Government and the Open Administration of Catalonia consortium (AOC). The summit will take place on Wednesday and Thursday with the objective of generating a debate about the infrastructure that will allow “good governance” and “efficient public management” through new technologies in order to develop a “more agile and efficient” administration, “closer to the citizens”.


The 1st Digital Government Congress will be structured around seven issues: public innovation, governance and changing management, digital agenda, regulatory framework, transparency and open government, digital identity and services to companies.

This will be the main meeting of the heads of the different departments of the Catalan public administration, the leading businessmen working in the new technologies sectors and governance management, and the most important experts in the field. The organisers of the congress expect attendance to reach 800 people.

The General Director of Telecommunications and Information Society, Jordi Puigneró, was optimistic last week at the presentation of the congress. Puigneró predicted that “the congress will define the steps and the direction that the administration has to follow to become smarter, more efficient and effective, improving procedures to offer a better service to our citizens”.

Besides, the Managing Director of AOC consortium, Àlex Pèlach, explained that the aim of the congress is to “inspire and be the engine room of new projects” that will make the Catalan administration “an open and innovative administration” and will give “real answers to the demands and expectations of society”.