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Smart city must be democratic and contribute to solving major challenges

51 parties sign City Deal "A smart city, that's how you do it

Digitisation and technologisation will change regions, cities and villages all over the world in the coming years, and therefore also in the Netherlands. In response to this transition, on Thursday 3 December 2020 State Secretary Knops of the Interior and Kingdom Relations (BZK), together with Minister Van Nieuwenhuizen of Infrastructure and Water Management (IenW) and Minister Grapperhaus of Justice and Security (JenV), signed the City Deal 'A smart city, that's how you do it'. They are doing this together with administrators from 16 municipalities and 2 provinces, a water board, 15 companies (including Argaleo) and 14 civil society organisations. Over the next two years, the partners will tackle twelve complex issues to take the smart city further.

Why the City Deal? "A smart city, that's how you do it.

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The Internet and technological applications connect objects and their users in physical space to form an intelligent network. Everything and everyone can communicate with each other. This makes distance less relevant and society much more flexible. This creates new opportunities to make cities more sustainable. But it also brings with it risks in terms of privacy and democracy. In order to take advantage of opportunities and avoid risks, good agreements are made in this City Deal and new working methods are developed. The deal focuses on changing the processes that regions, cities and villages use in designing, setting up, managing and governing. The City Deal is therefore also mentioned in the National Environmental Vision.

Instruments for the smart city

The City Deal develops at least twelve new instruments with the aim of changing processes by which regions, towns and villages are designed, arranged, managed and governed. The instruments are feasible, scalable and divisible so that other cities can use them as well. And comply with European democratic values and contribute to a liveable city as set out in Sustainable Development Goal 11, adopted by the United Nations, which states that cities must become inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. The instruments are collected in a toolbox. According to Wim Willems, chairman of the administrative theme group Smart City of the G40 and alderman in Apeldoorn, this is one of the reasons why he is so enthusiastic about the City Deal: "If municipalities want to take full advantage of the opportunities that digitization offers, they must work together and not all invent the wheel themselves. The City Deal offers every opportunity to do so".

Partners City Deal "A smart city, that's how you do it

The following authorities, companies and civil society organisations sign the City Deal: municipality of Almere, AM, municipality of Amersfoort, Amsterdam Smart City, municipality of Apeldoorn, Arcadis, ArgaleoMinistry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations, BNA, BNSP, BPD Ontwikkeling, municipality of Breda, BTG, municipality of Capelle aan den IJssel, Civity, municipality of The Hague, municipality of Deventer, DHM, Economic Board Utrecht, ELBA\REC, municipality of Enschede, FIWARE Foundation, FME, Future City Foundation, municipality of Heerlen, Heijmans, municipality of Helmond, municipality of 's-Hertogenbosch, ICTU, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, the Ministry of Justice and Security, Land Registry, Kennedy Van der Laan, Municipality of Maastricht, NVTL, Province of Overijssel, Over Morgen, Phbm, Platform31, National Police, Rijksvastgoedbedrijf, City of Roeselare (Belgium), Municipality of Rotterdam, Municipality of Sittard-Geleen, VodafoneZiggo, Waterboard Vallei en Veluwe, We-Consultants, WeCity, Province of South Holland, Municipality of Zwolle. This City Deal is also supported by VNG and the Data- and Kennishub Gezond Stedelijk Leven.

City Deals

The City Deals are part of Agenda Stad, the inter-governmental programme in which cities, social partners and central government work together to strengthen the innovation of Dutch cities. City Deals aim to drive innovation. In City Deals, the parties involved make concrete agreements with each other. This approach focuses on content and the various parties work together on the basis of equality. For more information, visit www.agendastad.nl.

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