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W-SPES and EU
W-SPES is the perfect example of what matches eTEN deployment targets, in that:
- the basic ideas for the applications were validated on a European scale (done under SPES)
- there will be deployment of these ideas in local city markets, with or without W-SPES
- there is a clear will to bring about a European co-operation, but market constraints present a barrier
It is clear that without European support there will be progress, but delayed,
on a smaller scale, and probably without a clear trans-European value. The timing
of the business planning and deployment requires EU support at this particular
moment.
The public sector partners lack the funding, expertise, and (political) motivation
to bring about such complicated trans-European cooperation.
The fundamental effect of EU funding is that it contributes to accelerate processes,
which, particularly in the public sector, often suffer from delays and complacency
if left to local authorities alone.
It improves the quality of the process by favouring the exchange of experiences
among partners addressing similar problems. Normally, local authorities have few
incentives to look beyond the reach of their own administrative boundaries.
Furthermore EU funding is necessary to help in creating and verifying a trans-national
approach and full compliance to the European Commission directives.
The advantage of a transnational approach with financial support from the EU is
that experiences can be shared, and initially deployed approaches can be compared
and merged in different contexts, before full deployment takes place.
This will lead to an overall cost reduction, with the likelihood of costly mistakes
being reduced.
Furthermore, where some have taken the lead (the SPES partners), others can analyse
their experiences and follow. This will lead to a reduced entry cost for others
to join in and add value to the process, with a cost and risk reduction for other
European entities.
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