FEDERATIVE REPUBLIC OF BRAZIL

MINISTRY OF PLANNING,

 BUDGET AND MANAGEMENT

EXECUTIVE SECRETARIAT

ELECTRONIC GOVERNMENT: THE BRAZILIAN POLICY

PEDRO FARIAS

DEPUTY EXECUTIVE-SECRETARY 

DOCUMENT PRESENTED IN III GLOBAL FORUM –

FOSTERING DEMOCRACY AND DEVELOPMENT TROUGH E-GOVERNMENT –

NAPLES, ITALY, 12-15 MARCH, 2001 

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, GOOD MORNING. 

FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE THE ITALIAN GOVERNMENT AND THE COMUNE DI NAPOLI FOR THE ORGANIZATION OF THIS THIRD GLOBAL FORUM – FOSTERING DEMOCRACY AND DEVELOPMENT THROUGH E-GOVERNMENT.

FOR THE BRAZILIAN GOVERNMENT, WHICH HAD THE HONOR AND SATISFACTION OF RECEIVING REPRESENTATIVES FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD LAST YEAR IN BRASíLIA ON THE OCCASION OF THE SECOND GLOBAL FORUM, THIS NEW EDITION REPRESENTS THE CONSOLIDATION OF AN IDEA TO WHICH WE ARE FIRMLY COMMITTED. 

MOREOVER, THE MAIN TOPIC OF THE EVENT, ELECTRONIC GOVERNMENT, IS ONE THAT IS TRULY SIGNIFICANT FOR US.  

I WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT AN OVERVIEW OF THE BRAZILIAN E-GOVERNMENT POLICY, WITH A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ITS PRESENT SITUATION AS WELL AS FUTURE ACTIONS, AND A SPECIFIC FOCUS ON THE INITIATIVES AIMED AT OVERCOMING THE “DIGITAL DIVIDE”.

1. THE NEW INFORMATION SOCIETY AND THE STATE IN BRAZIL

MODERN SOCIETY IS WITNESSING A GLOBAL RESTRUCTURING FROM AN INDUSTRIAL MODEL TO AN INFORMATION BASED MODEL, WHICH FORMATS A NEW TECHNOLOGICAL, ECONOMIC, POLITICAL AND INSTITUTIONAL ARCHITECTURE.  

THE IMPACTS ON SOCIETY’S STRUCTURE WILL BE MULTIPLE, AND WILL AFFECT STRONGLY THE TRADITIONAL INSTITUTIONS, WHICH HAVE BEEN PROGRESSIVELY ENDANGERED BY THE GLOBALIZATION AND FRAGMENTATION PROCESSES.

WHILE THE PRIVATE SECTOR HAS BEEN RAPIDLY ADAPTING ITSELF TO THESE CHANGES, THIS NEW CONTEXT REQUIRES GOVERNMENTS TO PERFORM NEW ROLES IN ORDER TO ASSURE AN ENVIRONMENT THAT STIMULATES INCREASING COMPETITION AND EFFICIENCY.  

AT THE SAME TIME, THERE IS A DEVELOPING PROCESS OF CYBERNETIC EXCLUSION, WHICH  MUST BE FOUGHT BY UNIVERSALIZOMG ACCESS TO INFORMATION AND THE INCREASING INTERACTIVITY BETWEEN GOVERNMENTS AND THEIR CITIZENS.  

THE NEW MODEL OF THE STATE, STILL BEING SHAPED, HAS TO BE ABLE TO ARTICULATE THE LOCAL, REGIONAL, NATIONAL AND SUPRANATIONAL GOVERNMENT LEVELS WITH THE CITIZEN. FREE AND ABUNDANT ACCESSIBLE PUBLIC INFORMATION WILL BE ONE OF THE MAIN GOODS GOVERNMENTS SHOULD OFFER TO CITIZENS. 

ON THE OTHER SIDE, INFORMATION GROWTH THROUGH NETWORKS, THE INCREASE IN TRANSPARENCY AND, CONSEQUENTLY, THE DECREASE IN STATE BUREAUCRACY, WILL INTENSIFY SOCIAL CONTROL OVER THE STATE.  

THIS WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE DEMOCRATIZATION OF THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS AND TO AN IMPROVED EFFECTIVENESS IN GOVERNMENTAL ACTION. 

EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE BENEFITS WITH THE NEW TECHNOLOGIES, THE NEW INFORMATION-BASED MODEL IS YET TO DEMONSTRATE ITS CAPABILITY TO REDUCE EXISTING ASYMMETRIES BETWEEN RICH AND THE POOR COUNTRIES AS WELL AS TO DIMINISH SOCIAL DIFFERENCES IN EACH COUNTRY.

BRAZIL IS A CONTINENTAL NATION, RANKED AMONG THE TEN LARGEST ECONOMIES OF THE GLOBE. NEVERTHELESS, IT IS ALSO MARKED BY PROFOUND SOCIAL INEQUALITIES. AS AN EXAMPLE, AROUND 21 MILLION BRAZILIANS LIVE UNDER THE POVERTY LINE.  

IN THE LAST 30 YEARS, THE ILLITERACY RATE HAS DROPPED 50%, EVEN THOUGH THIS IS STILL AROUND 14 % AMONG THE POPULATION ABOVE 14 YEARS OLD.   

THE INFANT MORTALITY RATE, ALTHOUGH CONSTANTLY DECREASING, IS INCOMPATIBLE WITH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STAGE OF THE COUNTRY. INEQUALITIES HAVE ALSO A DIGITAL FACET: THE NUMBER OF INTERNET USERS IN BRAZIL IS AROUND 10 MILLION, IN A POPULATION OF 170 MILLION.

THESE FIGURES DEMONSTRATE THE HUGE SOCIAL GAP TO BE BRIDGED AND THE RESPONSIBILITY OF GOVERNMENT IN PROMOTING EFFECTIVE POLICIES TO FIGHT THE SOCIAL EXCLUSION.  

IN THIS CONTEXT, INVESTMENT IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IS STRATEGIC AND MUST CONSTITUTE AN INSTRUMENT OF SOCIAL INCLUSION.  

AS OF 1995, PRESIDENT FERNANDO HENRIQUE CARDOSO’S ADMINISTRATION IS REFORMING THE BRAZILIAN STATE AND PROMOTING THE COUNTRY’S COMPETITIVE INSERTION IN THE NEW INTERNATIONAL ORDER.  

IN THIS CONTEXT, PUBLIC MANAGEMENT HAS DEFINITELY ENTERED INTO THE POLITICAL AGENDA.  

THE GOVERNMENT MADE CHANGES TO STRENGTHEN ITS CAPACITY TO IMPLEMENT PUBLIC POLICIES THAT GUARANTEE EASIER ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY SERVICES.  

THE PILLARS OF THE OVERALL STATE REFORM PROCESS ARE THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE STATE APPARATUS ON A DEMOCRATIC, DECENTRALIZED AND TRANSPARENT BASIS, ALONG WITH MECHANISMS OF SOCIAL CONTROL, AND A FIRM RESOLVE ON THE QUALITY OF PUBLIC EXPENDITURE. 

THE INITIAL FOCUS OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE REFORM WAS THE CREATION OF NEW ORGANIZATIONAL AND FLEXIBLE MANAGEMENT MODELS, WHICH ARE RESULTS-ORIENTED. 

SINCE 1999, THE FOCUS OF THE REFORM HAS EXPANDED TO THE FIELD OF PUBLIC POLICY MANAGEMENT, WITH THE INTEGRATION OF PLANNING, BUDGET AND MANAGEMENT FUNCTIONS.  

NOWADAYS, WE ARE EVOLVING TO THE ADOPTION OF A MANAGEMENT MODEL FOR PUBLIC POLICIES THAT IS ABLE TO INCORPORATE THE BENEFITS OF TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGES, WHILE BEING FOCUSED ON IMPROVING ACCESS AND THE QUALITY OF THE SERVICES RENDERED TO CITIZENS.  

THIS TRANSITION REQUIRES INCREASING INVESTMENTS IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND IN TRAINING OF PUBLIC MANAGERS AND CIVIL SERVANTS, AS WELL AS NEUTRALIZING THE TRADITIONAL BUREAUCRATIC STRUCTURES. 

2. OBSTACLES TO BE OVERCOME 

IN SPITE OF ALL THESE ACTIONS, THERE ARE STILL MANY OBSTACLES TO BE OVERCOME.  WE HAVE YET TO FIND EFFECTIVE WAYS TO BRING INTERNET ACCESS TO ALL BRAZILIANS. 

IN BRAZIL, THE TOTAL NUMBER OF TELEPHONE LINES IS ABOUT 62 MILLION, OF WHICH 39 MILLION ARE FIXED LINE AND 23 MILLION ARE MOBILE  PHONES.  

DESPITE THE GREAT INCREASE OF PHONE ACCESS IN THE PAST FEW YEARS, SINCE PRIVATIZATION OF THE SECTOR, INDIVIDUAL SERVICES STILL REACH ONLY 39% OF THE POPULATION. 

THUS, LOW LINE ACCESS REMAINS A LIMITING FACTOR FOR INTERNET EXPANSION, BOTH FOR INDIVIDUAL USERS AND SERVICE PROVIDERS. 

MOREOVER, THE HIGH COSTS OF CONVENTIONAL TELEPHONE SERVICES REPRESENT ANOTHER BARRIER TO INTERNET ACCESS. CONNECTIONS BETWEEN LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL BACKBONES ARE VERY EXPENSIVE.  

IN ADDITION, INTERNET ACCESS PROVIDERS DO NOT OFFER LOCAL-LINE INTERNET CONNECTION IN MANY SMALL TOWNS, CONCENTRATING THEIR SERVICES IN THE LARGER CITIES. 

THE PRICE OF HARDWARE REPRESENTS ANOTHER DIFFICULTY FOR THE EXPANSION OF INTERNET USE, ESPECIALLY IN THOSE REGIONS WHERE INCOME PER CAPITA REMAINS VERY LOW. THIS STRUCTURAL LIMITATION IS WORSENED BY THE LACK OF LOW-COST FINANCING AND BY THE ABSENCE OF SIMPLE HARDWARE AT LOWER PRICES. 

FURTHERMORE, THE LACK OF TRAINING AND FAMILIARITY WITH NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND THE PREVALENCE OF ENGLISH-LANGUAGE CONTENT ON THE INTERNET CONFINE ACCESSIBILITY TO A VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE POPULATION. 

3. USE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN PUBLIC    ADMINISTRATION 

IN SPITE OF THESE PROBLEMS, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ALREADY OFFERS A WIDE RANGE OF SERVICES ON THE INTERNET. THESE SERVICES ARE COMPLETELY INTEGRATED INSIDE A GOVERNMENT PORTAL, CALLED REDE GOVERNO. THIS PORTAL OFFERS MORE THAN EIGHT HUNDRED SERVICES AND FOURTY EIGTH HUNDRED TYPES OF INFORMATION.  

SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT INTERNET SERVICES FOR THE CITIZENS ARE: 

• INCOME TAX DECLARATION (AROUND 11 MILLION IN 2000 AND 13 MILLION FORECASTED FOR THIS YEAR).
• TAX PAYMENT CERTIFICATES (ABOUT A THIRD OF THE TOTAL CERTIFICATES EMITTED).
• REGISTER OF GOVERNMENT SUPPLIERS.
• PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL ENROLLMENT.
• FOLLOW-UP OF JUDICIAL PROCESSES.
• INFORMATION ON RETIREMENT FUNDS AND OTHER SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS (WHICH REGISTERED 5,7 MILLION TRANSACTIONS LAST YEAR).
• DISTANCE-LEARNING PROGRAMS.
• E-MAIL SERVICES AT PUBLIC BOOTHS.

ANOTHER AREA WORTH MENTIONING IS THE ADVANCE IN ELECTION AUTOMATION IN BRAZIL. LAST YEAR, ALL 92 MILLION VOTERS USED ELECTRONIC BALLOTS AND THE RESULTS WERE BROADCAST IN LESS THAN 24 HOURS. 

DESPITE THESE REMARKABLE ADVANCES, INTERCOMMUNICATION AMONG THE VARIOUS SYSTEMS IS STILL VERY LIMITED.  

A FURTHER PROBLEM IS THE LACK OF A LEGAL FRAMEWORK TO ENSURE THE AUTHENTICITY OF ELECTRONIC DOCUMENTS, PARTICULARLY ELECTRONIC PAYMENTS TO THE GOVERNMENT. 

4. BRAZILIAN GOVERNMENT POLICIES 

IN ORDER TO FACE THESE PROBLEMS, THE BRAZILIAN GOVERNMENT POLICIES FOR COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY WITHIN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION ARE PRIORITIES. THESE POLICIES SHOULD HELP IMPROVE ORGANIZATION, INTEGRATION, EFFICIENCY AND TRANSPARENCY THROUGH NEW MECHANISMS OF ELECTRONIC INTERACTIVITY.  

THE COORDINATION OF SEVERAL PROJECTS CURRENTLY BEING DEVELOPED IS A MAJOR CHALLENGE. 

THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE OF THEM IS THE INFORMATION SOCIETY PROGRAM, LED BY THE MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY. THIS PROGRAM CARRIES OUT ACTIONS AIMED AT MAKING BRAZILIAN ECONOMY MORE COMPETITIVE AND EXTENDING ACCESS TO THE BENEFITS OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC.  

THE ACTIONS INVOLVE GOVERNMENT, BUSINESS AND THE SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL COMMUNITIES IN A DIVERSE SET OF ACTIVITIES INVOLVING INTENSIVE USE OF INFORMATION AND TELECOMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES, TO, FOR EXAMPLE: 

• REGULATE E-COMMERCE
• STIMULATE NEW COMMUNICATION CHANNELS AND COMMUNITY ACCESS TO THE INTERNET
• ENCOURAGE USE OF NEW EDUCATION TECHNOLOGIES
• PROMOTE SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL RESEARCH WITH ARTISTIC, CULTURAL AND HISTORIC INTEREST
• FOSTER AND REGULATE THE USE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY BY THE PUBLIC SECTOR, AND
• IMPLEMENT A BASIC INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, INTEGRATING GOVERNMENT, PRIVATE SECTOR AND ACADEMIC NETWORKS.

NEW MECHANISMS,PUT IN PLACE WITH THE PRIVATIZATION OF THE TELECOMMUNICATION SECTOR, ARE FUNDING INITIATIVES FOR THE UNIVERSALIZATION OF ACCESS TO INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY.  

THESE RESOURCES CONSTITUTE A FUND TO EXPAND THE TELECOMMUNICATION NETWORK IN PLACES AND MARKET SEGMENTS THAT DO NOT OFFER NORMAL COMMERCIAL VIABILITY, PARTICULARLY IN REMOTE COMMUNITIES. 

ANOTHER IMPORTANT ONGOING INITIATIVE IS THE “BRAZIL TRANSPARENCY”, WHICH PROMOTES ACTIONS IN THE LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE AREAS IN ORDER TO ENCOURAGE SOCIAL CONTROL OVER THE PUBLIC SECTOR.  

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS ALSO ESTABLISHING STANDARDS FOR ELECTRONIC CERTIFICATION AND AUTHENTICATION AS PART OF AN INFORMATION SECURITY POLICY.  

5. THE E-GOVERNMENT PROGRAM 

MOST OF THE MENTIONED ONGOING ACTIONS ARE BROUGHT TOGETHER AND COORDINATED IN THE ELECTRONIC GOVERNMENT PROGRAM.  

THIS PROGRAM IS SUPERVISED BY AN INTER-MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE UNDER THE PRESIDENCY OF THE REPUBLIC.  

THE ACTIONS ARE TARGETED TO DEVELOP THE PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION, BY MEANS OF ENHANCING PUBLIC SERVICES DELIVERY, IMPROVING ACCESS TO INFORMATION, REDUCING COSTS AND ALLOWING SOCIAL CONTROL OVER GOVERNMENT ACTIONS.  

THE ELECTRONIC GOVERNMENT PROGRAM IS FOCUSED ON THE FOLLOWING TARGETS: 

• ALL GOVERNMENT SERVICES AVAILABLE TO CITIZENS THROUGH THE INTERNET, WITH BETTER QUALITY, LOWER COSTS AND EASIER ACCESS.
• WIDER AND EASIER ACCESS TO INFORMATION VIA THE INTERNET FOR THE AVERAGE CITIZEN.
• CONVERGENCE BETWEEN GOVERNMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS, NETWORKS AND DATABASES.
• IMPLEMENTATION OF ADVANCED AND HIGH PERFORMANCE COMMUNICATION SERVICES INFRASTRUCTURE, WITH APPROPRIATE STANDARDS OF SERVICE AND SECURITY.
• USE OF GOVERNMENT PURCHASING POWER TO GET REDUCED COSTS AND BETTER TERMS TO IMPROVE ITS COMMUNICATION NETWORK.

THE RELATIONSHIP-BASED STRUCTURE THAT IS BEING BUILT WILL INVOLVE ALL MAIN PLAYERS IN THE PROCESS – GOVERNMENT, CITIZENS, COMPANIES AND NGO’S – IN THE VARIOUS POSSIBILITIES OF ELECTRONIC TRANSACTIONS LIKE E-BUSINESS AND E-GOVERNMENT. 

6. INITIATIVES TO ACHIEVE DIGITAL INCLUSION

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS INSTALLING ELETRONIC POINTS OF PRESENCE TO PROVIDE FREE ACCESS TO THE SERVICES DELIVERED THROUGH THE INTERNET. 

THE MAIN AREAS OF ACCESS POINTS ARE EDUCATION, HEALTH, SOCIAL SECURITY, LABOR AND PUBLIC SECURITY. BY THE END OF 2001, THE SMALLEST VILLAGES, LOCATED ON THE BORDER AREAS AND ALL THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FIELD OFFICES ALL OVER THE COUNTRY WILL HAVE AT LEAST ONE ELECTRONIC POINT OF PRESENCE. 

IN 2002, 62 THOUSAND PUBLIC SCHOOLS WILL BE CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET, AND BY 2006 ALL 200 HUNDRED THOUSAND SCHOOLS WILL BE  ALSO CONNECTED.  

IN THE HEALTH SECTOR, 43 HUNDRED MUNICIPALITIES AND 20 THOUSAND HEALTH UNITS ARE BEING INTERCONNECTED THROUGH A NATIONWIDE NETWORK. FURTHER, PERSONAL MAGNETIC CARDS ARE BEING USED IN THE PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEM. 

ALL THESE POINTS WILL BE USED AS COMMUNITY TELECENTERS OPENED TO PUBLIC.  

PRESIDENT FERNANDO HENRIQUE CARDOSO HAS ESTABLISHED THE CHALLENGING TARGET OF OFFERING ALL FEDERAL SERVICES THROUGH THE INTERNET UNTIL 2002.  

7. CONCLUSION 

AS MENTIONED BEFORE, SOME SOCIAL INDICATORS WEIGH ON OUR MINDS. OUR PRESIDENT FERNANDO HENRIQUE CARDOSO SAID IN 1994 THAT “TODAY, BRAZIL IS NOT A UNDERDEVELOPED COUNTRY. IT IS AN UNJUST COUNTRY”.

THE BRAZILIAN GOVERNMENT IS COMMITTED TO THE TRANSFORMATION OF THIS SITUATION. AS AN EMERGING COUNTRY THAT HAS A COMMON GROUND OF PROBLEMS AND OPPORTUNITIES WITH OTHER COUNTRIES, THERE IS A MAIN MESSAGE WE WOULD LIKE TO LEAVE: 

E-GOVERNMENT MUST WORK AS A SOCIAL INCLUSION INSTRUMENT. 

POLICIES AIMED AT ACCESS UNIVERSALIZATION HAVE TO STIMULATE CREATION AND DIFFUSION OF SERVICES AND OPPORTUNITIES IN ORDER TO FACE THE RISK OF HAVING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AS A FURTHER EXCLUSION FACTOR. 

INFORMATION-BASED DEVELOPMENT, AS WELL AS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ACHIEVE SUSTAINABILITY WHEN THEIR BENEFITS REACH THE WHOLE SOCIETY, IMPROVING THE LIVING STANDARDS OF THE POPULATION.

THIS IS THE GREATEST CHALLENGE TO BE ADDRESSED NOT ONLY BY THE BRAZILIAN GOVERNMENT, BUT ALSO BY ALL OF US HERE TODAY. 

THANK YOU VERY MUCH!