The influence of e-government on the modernization and growth of public sector initiatives in Europe has been deeply claimed. Little is known, however, about how the so-called shift from e-government to e-governance takes place in European governments. This chapter presents a view of both challenges and advantages of implementing e-governance strategies, by examining how closely and critically intertwined e-government and e-governance are in European countries.
TopE-Government And E-Governance In The European Context
To shed light on the shift from e-government to e-governance in the European Union (EU), an overview of definitions, actors, and main strategies for e-government and e-governance is presented.
E-government is the first form of extensive usage of IT in the public sector, and since mid 1990s it has represented a major concern of public innovation for European governments involved in the implementation of New Public Management-style reforms (Orelli, et al., 2010; Pina, et al., 2010). In 2000, the European Commission launched the i2010 initiative (European Commission, 2007a) aimed at creating a single European information space, strengthening investment and innovation in ICT research, and to support inclusion, better public services and quality of life through the use of ICT.