Mr Timo Kietäväinen
Deputy Managing Director
Association of the Finnish Local and Regional Authorities
P O Box 200
FIN-00101 HELSINKI
FINLAND
Tel +358-9-7711
email: timo.kietavainen@kuntaliitto.fi
 
 

Opening Speech - LOCREGIS Seminar, 22 January 1998

 
 

An interest this seminar has risen indicates the importance of our subject today. It is very unfortunate that we had no opportunity to take more participants to the seminar although there would have been many more interested to join us today.

In this context I would like you to pay a special attention not only to the cooperation of local and regional authorities but also to the cooperation with other involved parties in general in arriving at better results than before. On behalf of the LOCREGIS project coordinated by the Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities I would like to take this opportunity and thank again all the involved parties and of those especially the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe for organisation of the seminar. Without the European Commission and time and effort of the Directorate-Generals DG XIII and DGXVI we neither would be here today. Their contribution to this seminar has been essential.

Although a position and tasks of municipalities vary a great deal, also similarities can be found. In discussions with colleagues and representatives of municipalities from different countries I have noticed that our problems often resemble one another. Perhaps mutual understanding is most often found when discussion turns into municipal finances and difficulties in its administration. Also ageing of population throughout Europe will be reflected in demand of public services and in new problems caused by a loss of revenue in taxation. These problems are similar everywhere.

However, I would like to point out also positive European trends of the decade. During great governmental changes in Europe many people might not have noticed that in fact the epoch could have been called the decade of municipalities. The importance of local democracy to development has been recognised throughout the continent and administration in general has been organised carrying in mind a principle of subsidiarity.

We should always keep in mind a right level of our problems. A good example of this is the launch of information society strategy in the region of Northern Carelia (in North-east of Finland): the biggest global threats are overpopulation and scarcity of drinking water. In Northern Carelia a density of population is 5 inhabitants/km2 and a half of the region’s surface area is covered by a lake practically full of fresh water.

In the European Union altogether about 70 000 municipalities and about 250 regions are found. If we count the same figures of the countries belonging to the Council of Europe the corresponding figures must be twice as big. In spite of this incoherency, cooperation between municipalities and between regions has increased and become consistent. On more and more sectors local and regional authorities are considered as an actor whose opinion is important and needed.

In tumult of market forces and strategies of big institutions the significance and responsibility of local and regional authorities in the information society is often forgotten. We have read many reports on the importance of the EU, national states or enterprises in building the information society. Today, I am sure, I am not the only one who has had a sense in recent years that this has happened before. We cannot be sure about that even in our seminar today. However, in my opinion today’s and for some of you also tomorrow’s presentations of the LOCREGIS project and its results represent more practical view of the matter as on the average. And in the world of local and regional authorities abstract words get a concrete meaning every single day.

As already heard yesterday a role of local and regional authorities is essential not only in building the information society but also ensuring citizens participation into it. In the following I give you a few examples on this:
 
Local administration possesses important instruments (such as schools and libraries) through which crucial influence can be exerted on how equally or unequally opportunities to use information society services are shared among citizens.
Given the circumstances of the information society, local administration often has good opportunities to assist in improving the competitive standing of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Internationalisation and centralisation of media business happens very fast. However, citizens and enterprises continue to need information services which are near to them. Local and regional authorities are often needed in creation of these services.
Above examples were reasons why activities of local and regional authorities are central in building the information society. To same extent we can also give reasons why municipalities should be active in the matter, such as
 
The citizens’ opportunities for and skills in using information society services bring numerous direct and indirect benefits to a region.
Local growth in demand for telematic services is increasing supply and thereby creating new jobs.
A number of jobs in information industry is increasing and is often not dependent on geographical location.
Local administration can produce many of its services more efficiently and with better quality by using tools of information society.
The use of the tools provided by information technology will have a positive impact on the structure of municipality. It will also give opportunities for administration to respond more efficiently. You will hear more about benefits of networking later in the seminar.
 
Nordic countries and among them Finland have built up a reputation in being in the forefront of information society. We can present with pride figures like Internet hosts by 1000 inhabitants. At the moment 15 percent of all the Finnish inhabitants living in municipalities use Internet at least once a week. Corresponding figures can be shown for mobile phones and other indicators, too. As we have now started this revolutionary year of liberalisation of telemarket in the EU it is necessary to mention that Finland has never had any judicial of practical monopoly in the field of telematic services since Mr Bell’s time.

So what all this means in local authorities’ point of view. It is of course good that infrastructure gives opportunities for municipalities to concentrate more to the contents of information society. A large scale of Finnish local administration was already yesterday discussed in the seminar. Those in hurry and those left behind can be taken out of the average.

Municipalities rushing into development of information technology have forgotten that 85 percent of Finns do not use Internet weekly. In the other case, with those left behind information technology seems to be the last on the very long list of tasks to be done in distant future. All the structures which slow adaptation of changes are dangerous, also in local administration.

Besides many results related to the contents of the project, I personally think, that one of the most important results of the LOCREGIS project is that it has increased awareness of local and regional authorities and presented concrete examples of actions what municipalities and other local and regional actors should do.