The European eDemocracy Award is an annual award honoring the most valuable European eDemocracy initiative amongst 50 selected websites in EU 27 featuring a wide range of eDemocracy tools and content strengthening eParticipation, transparency, representative participatory democracy and citizen participation in the democratic decision-making processes at the European, national or local levels of governance.

50 eDemocracy initiatives and websites across the EU 27 are selected for the European eDemocracy Award 2008 and analyzed according to 2 combined innovative indices:
The IP-LABEL INDEX is a ratio out of 20 measuring these initiatives in terms of availability and performance over a month period. The POLITECH INDEX is a ratio out of 40 measuring these initiatives in terms of innovation, usability, content and diversity of technology and tools strengthening participatory representative democracy in Europe and reflecting 4 key dimensions.

1. The Political Dimension
2. The Democratic Dimension
3. The Civic Dimension
4. The Technological Dimension

The EUROPEAN eDEMOCRACY INDEX, a ratio in per cent measuring the democratic contribution of a given initiative and its technological performances, combines POLITECH INDEX (weight 40) and IP-LABEL INDEX (weight 20).

Last year winner was…
The European eDemocracy Award 2007 was bestowed upon:
Burger@Overheid – Dutch e-Citizen Programme
POLITECH INDEX: 28/40
IP-LABEL INDEX: 15.1/20
EUROPEAN e-DEMOCRACY INDEX: 71.83%

An initiative of the Dutch Ministry of Interior and being part of the ICTU, the Dutch implementation organization for ICT in the public sector, It’s an independent platform stimulating the development of e-Gov from the citizen’s point of view. It involves citizens, advises government bodies and monitors progress, while regularly conducting surveys with its own People’s Panel and annually granting the Webwise Awards for good practices. It proposes an e-Citizen Charter setting quality standards defining multi-channel relationships between government. This Charter was adopted by both national and local Dutch governments and recommended by the OECD as guidelines.

This year winner can be … YOU!

If you are submitting until 30 July 2008 your initiative of project with a short description of your initiative to the following e-mail address:
rodrigogr@politech-institute.org

The Winner will be invited to the World eDemocracy Forum 2008, Issy-les-Moulineaux, France.