A transmission belt with the road map marked by the European Digital Agenda:
awaiting the programmatic document "DigItalia"
The first meeting of the Consult Innovation Stand, organized by the association States General of Innovation, with the participation of the country's main innovation stakeholders: institutions, politics, administrations, businesses, science and technology parks, professional associations, universities, research centres, associations and foundations operating in the social sector.
The topics on the agenda were linked to what was elaborated by the association in the previous months and consolidated in the new eBook "Put the country's future on the agenda”, being published with the publisher Garamond in the new necklace “Let's change the model”, and in particular to the priorities set out there (broadband universal service, culture of innovation and programs of digital literacy, common framework on open data, smart city and smart community, new national industrial policy); to the opportunity to set up at an institutional level some permanent multi-stakeholder technical tables of consultation, according to the method that inspires the Consult and the same initiative of the States General of Innovation; the need to structure projects of change for the realization of the standards already foreseen in the CAD.
The meeting was conducted by Flavia Marzano, president of the association, introduced by Nello Iacono, vice president, and saw as chairman Mario Calderini, adviser to Minister Profumo for Research and Innovation policies, who illustrated the plan of the working groups for theItalian Digital Agenda (with the consolidation of the programmatic document "DigItalia” scheduled for the first ten days of June) and the method chosen to adopt (flexibility by working group and in any case "open", with discussions with the most significant stakeholders, such as the Consulta).
Calderini particularly highlighted, both in the introductory speech and in the dialogue that developed during the meeting, the difficulties that are being encountered in acting with inadequate tools (the rules for tenders, an old procurement logic that does not contemplate a negotiated planning phase), also taking into account that some fundamental issues are not currently included in the scope of action of the "Control room” (net neutrality and copyright), and the need to communicate the results of the work on the Digital Agenda in a completely different way from the past, starting from the needs and finding a "narrative" that allows the involvement of the population, today largely not very attentive or interested. They also spoke from Brussels Mario Campolargo And Franco Accordino of the European Commission, who reaffirmed the importance of initiatives such as that of the Consulta and illustrated the interventions that the European Commission is promoting to support the creation of national digital agendas.
During the meeting, the main aspects of the government initiative in the context of the Italian Digital Agenda and strategies for innovation were addressed: the issue of governance, (discussed especially by the president of Forum PA Mochi Sismondi, by the representative of theUPI Gherardelli, from the CEO of CEFRIEL Fuggetta and by the president of Demo Te Bellucci) which is affected by the lack of clarity on DigitPA, on the Department for Digitization and Technological Innovation but also on the role of the provinces and territorial service centres, the need for a coordination on the various initiatives underway (underlined in particular by Reggi, ANCI representative, from Vianello, director of the Vegas Park, as well as representative of the APSTI, and from barbershop, Director of Key4Biz)especially on the topic "smart cities” where there is the risk of an evolution guided by ICT companies, also tainted by speculative economic interests, and not directed by a vision of Smart City” defined for the whole country and with the possibility of a “via Italiana” to development (Columbus, Agency for Dissemination and Technological Innovation), effective liberalization (the "Open Transport”, with the term used by the president of Assoprovider Bortolotto) of the so-called “local loop”, of condominium conduits, with the possibility of effective entry of small operators into the technological infrastructure market, the need for a profound revision of the organizational networks to be supported, adopting a concept of District by domain and not by technology (Vianello) and recognizing the importance of multi-sectoral networks bringing together the entire supply chain from primary schools to industry (Molina, scientific director of Digital World Foundation), The public procurement, which in a context in which complex projects have to be managed must radically change into pre-commercial logic (Mochi Sismondi), the process transparency (Quintarelli, director of the Digital Area of the Sole24ore group), as the one that must lead to the new appointment of the Privacy Guarantor, the centrality of the territory and the need for an integration that permeates all policies, also supported by a Regulatory Plan of Innovation (theme underlined by Reggi, ANCI representative, and by half, journalist RAI), the need for a policy that gives focus on young people, the dynamics of active participation and the culture of innovation (Infant, president of urban experience And Medal, representative of Glocus, Orlando of the CATTID).
Busetto (director Assinform) presented the proposals of Assinform for the Digital Agenda, while Lion (president ToscanaIn) emphasized the role of school, which must be the protagonist of the change, and introduced the case of the thirty winners of the competition for researcher at the University of Bari in 2008, who have never taken office and who have delivered a letter to Minister Profumo, asking for his intervention. In the end, Save Of OtherTV briefly presented the logic of “WebTV network”.
Among the MPs who attended Palmieri (PDL) underlined the importance of developing a culture of results and enhancing the experiences already achieved, Gentiloni (PD) highlighted the need for a strong government initiative to take clear decisions also given the wait for the works on the Italian Digital Agenda, Lanzillotta (API) urged to move from the "how" to the "when" and emphasized the need to address the organizational problems of project financing in the public sector, Life (PD) reiterated the need to start examining the bill on net neutrality firm to the Senate Commission and finally proposed the establishment of a Bicameral Commission on Innovation, lamenting the low attention still paid to this issue by Parliament and hypothesizing a sort of "questionnaire" on innovation issues for all candidates in the next general and administrative elections.
Various interventions were also made on the process to be followed by the Consulta to deepen and structure the proposals discussed, both with thematic tables and online, with social networks and wikis (in particular Bald, President free free, Berrettoni, president FIDAInform, Brizio, representative of PloneGov).
In conclusion, a meeting that represents the first step in launching the Consulta, which intends to represent a permanent place for discussion and support for mediation and concertation on strategies and policies for the development of innovation in Italy for those with expertise and passion for the innovation and for the rebirth of the country. At this meeting, Iacono stated, “an activity will follow such as to structure the proposals that have emerged and to make systematic the comparison with the government initiative on the Italian Digital Agenda.
The next meeting, scheduled for the month of June, will provide an even wider space for discussion between the various players, the basis for real sharing and collaboration".
Meanwhile, through the Consulta network, the States General of Innovation will be active throughout the national territory and in the various thematic areas, supporting initiatives and re-launching information on social media.
“Responsibility and collaboration,” Marzano said, “they are the basis of any success, but they become essential in our journey that we are building together with anyone who has the skills, passion and willingness to team up with us, towards a country capable of fully experiencing all the opportunities that innovation can offer.”
The Permanent Consultation of Innovation is now a reality. At the service of the country.
