1. “ BIRD Project“ 1 Broadband Access, Innovation & Regional Development” Broadband Access, Innovation & Regional Development” Project Description Ulrich Müller, 19th May 2006

2. “ BIRD Project“ 2 Objectives: The BIRD-Project is aiming on the following objectives: 1.Stocktaking of broadband policies and implementation in the NSR Facilitating innovation and transfer of knowledge and technology is one of the main topics of the BIRD project. The effective usage of ICT and technological innovation focused on business processes, better customer relations and successful business is often only possible if the technical preconditions are given. Therefore especially topics like accessibility, effective broadband use in different fields and target groups (private households, public administration, education & SMEs), the impact on regional development and the relation to National Strategies shall be described. 2.Analysis on impacts of Broadband on the spatial agenda for the North Sea Region The impacts of Broadband on the spatial agenda for North Sea shall be analyzed under the scope of fostering geographical cohesion, the use of Broadband as Infrastructure of the information age respective as an innovation strategy and the development potentials. Further the transfer of available knowledge related to the subject to regions in NSR is planned: “Working together allows partners to share knowledge, money and opportunities for improving the quality of life for everyone in the North Sea Region.“ Therefore stocktaking of the broadband situation and formulation of recommendations on a strategic level (programme level as well as local / regional development policy’s level) becomes more and more important. The transnational cooperation together with the exchange of experiences allows results to be implemented quicker, provides new communication links and networking-structures around the NSR and gives a closer connection in spatial development approaches.

3. “ BIRD Project“ 3 Objectives (2) : 3.Identification of Best Practice Identification of Best Practice and making these available on the Portal mentioned under item 4 will be another project objective. Therefore a methodology shall be developed on how to describe best practise in a standardized way. The examples found will be documented as interchangeable case studies. The work carried out so far on EU-level (http://europa.eu.int/IDABC/en/chapter/140) shall be taken into consideration in order to avoid double work and to allow a benchmarking with other European regions. Case studies of regional broadband implementation will be carried out in each participating region.http://europa.eu.int/IDABC/en/chapter/140 4.Creating a discussion forum (North Sea Broadband Forum) An international discussion forum (North Sea Broadband Forum) shall be established on an Internet platform to enable the exchange of experiences and discussion of the practical side of broadband policies in the regions for the whole NSR. 5.Recommendations for Broadband strategies Recommendations for an increased broadband implementation and use on NSR level, regional level and local level shall be developed and used for an awareness raising for stakeholders at each mentioned level.

4. “ BIRD Project“ 4 Objectives (3) : 6.Think- tank A Think-tank of experts from all participating regions shall be implemented to accompany the project, to evaluate the findings and to assist the set up of the recommendations. 7.Identification of new actions under INTERREG IV / ERDF Objective 3 Based on the exchange of experiences and stocktaking new actions under the future INTERREG follow-up (Objective 3) and criteria for the definition of useful projects shall be defined.

5. “ BIRD Project“ 5 Expected results: The project will result in a well funded practice-oriented analysis and description of the present situation (an analysis on national broadband policies and usage in rural areas in the NSR EU countries), a description of best practises available (also as a public website with a good practice library), recommendations for development of cheap and fast local broadband access as a tool of regional development in rural areas in the NSR (local broadband strategies concerning an enhanced internet use for all partner regions; viable business and operation models for locally based internet access). a forum for all rural areas in the NSR interested to invest in broadband infrastructure (incl. development and implementation of new Web-based services in all regions). the state of existing practice and new experiences gathered by jointly implemented local case studies. These will be documented & made available to be spread to other rural areas. For the participating regions they will be concretized in local / regional broadband strategies, operating models, business plans and investment planning. dissemination of the project idea and results as a compendium including the above mentioned results. Target-groups gaining profit are also local and regional (NUTS II) stakeholders & other regions who might be interested to adopt the project results.

6. “ BIRD Project“ 6 Activities (1): To reach the mentioned objectives the following actions shall be carried out: 1. Stocktaking Set up of common methodology Carry out regional surveys in each region involved (7) Drawing a synthesis of findings in form of a NSR Broadband Study Carry out Regional Workshops (7 Regions with each 2 Workshops) Organisation of a international Conference to present good practice on regional broadband development, discussion of the stocktaking results and possible strategies for further development. 2. Analysis on Impacts of Broadband on spatial agenda for North Sea Carry out a comprehensive study on Broadband Accessibility and Strategies within the NSR Organisation of an international Conference to discuss strategic topics on spatial development of the NSR, especially under the scope of the new Spatial Agenda.

7. “ BIRD Project“ 7 Activities (2): 3. Identification of Best Practice Set up of common methodology Set up of regional Case Studies dedicated to the following aspects –Technical Solutions –Administrative & Operation Models (especially PPP models) –Awareness Raising –eCommunity-solutions (incl. the resp. operation models and feasibility studies) –Broadband based new Services & Applications –Funding and Implementation Strategies Arranging Workshops on these topics in two international conferences (see items 1 & 2)

8. “ BIRD Project“ 8 4. Creating a discussion forum (North Sea Broadband Forum) Set up of an Internet Portal (North Sea Broadband Forum) including a virtual internal platform for all project partners, a closed forum for registered users and a subject related library with documents and relevant links to other websites. A public part of the portal shall serve as a Broadband Information Platform for the whole NSR thus helping to build and support networks and to spread information and fostering communication around the NSR. 5. Recommendations for Broadband strategies Recommendations based on a common methodology for an increased broadband implementation and use on NSR level, regional level and local level shall be developed. They will be published in English language. Regional & local versions will be produced in languages of all participating countries. Presentation is foreseen on the 2nd (final) international conference. 6. Think-tank A think-tank of experts from all participating regions shall be implemented to accompany the project, to evaluate the findings and to assist the set up of the recommendations. It is planned to create an interdisciplinary expert pool (1 member per country + 1 additional representative from the lead partner) representing scientific, private economy and governmental institutions. 4 closed international workshops are planned. 7. New actions under INTERREG IV / ERDF Objective 3 A position paper concerning new actions under INTERREG IIIB follow up programmes (ERDF Objective 3) shall be written. The paper shall identify fields of intervention and deliver criteria for actions under the innovation goal. Activities (3):

9. “ BIRD Project“ 9 8. Dissemination Dissemination of results is foreseen through 14 Regional Workshops 2 International Conferences Portal & Forum Regional Press Releases (5 per region) Specialised Press Releases Links on relevant websites Information on Internet Sites of other Institutions 9. Exchange with comparable projects in other INTERREG III B areas Exchange with comparable projects in other INTERREG III B areas (see 2.5) is planned by share of experiences, cross participation in Conferences and exchange of links and results. Therefore other projects also belong to the target-groups of this project. Activities (4):

10. “ BIRD Project“ 10 Project indicators (1) 6.1 Project activities indicators: BaselineTargetUnit 1. Number of organisations involved in the project (all regions) 1740number 2. Number of people involved in the project (all regions) 3560number 3. Number of publications and press coverage (all regions) 035number 4. Number of international conferences (all regions) 02number 5. Number of regional workshops (all regions) 014number

11. “ BIRD Project“ 11 Project indicators (2) 6.2 Output indicators: BaselineTargetUnit 1. Number of best practise models described (all regions)025number 2. Number of case studies (all regions)07number 3. Number of websites or links on partner sites created (new web-addresses) (all regions) 010number 4. Number of publications (physical and virtual) (all regions) 035number 5. Number of project related websites created (all regions) 01number

12. “ BIRD Project“ 12 Project indicators (3) 6.3 Result indicators: BaselineTargetUnit 1. Number of best practise models transferred into other regions (all regions) 015number 2. Number of concepts on strategy and implementation (all regions) 07number 3. Number of compulsory studies (Compendium) written01number 4. Number of recommendations published02number 5. Number of laymen’s reports published01number

13. “ BIRD Project“ 13 Project indicators (4) 6.4 Impact indicators: BaselineTargetUnit 1. Number of regional broadband development concepts (all regions)07number 2.Number of stakeholders involved and sensitized050number