THE NEC APPROACH
Numérique en Commun[s] is working to build a community of professionals who are taking practical action to ensure that the public interest is taken into account in the roll-out of digital technology, both in France and across Europe.
How do we operate?
The approach brings together those who make decisions, develop, roll out, coordinate and support digital initiatives.
It documents progress, maintains a catalogue of open-licence resources and organises networks of experts that can be called upon by the entire sector by carrying out four types of initiative.
1.
An annual event that brings people together.
12 and 13 January 2027, in Rennes
2.
Support for organising local NEC events.
Calendar of upcoming events
4.
Organising community meetings.
Coming soon
Co-leadership of the initiative
Launched by the ANCT in 2018, the ‘Numérique en Commun[s]’ initiative is now run jointly with the Inria Foundation.
The French National Agency for Territorial Cohesion (ANCT) advises and supports local authorities and their groupings in designing, defining and delivering their projects, particularly to improve access to digital technology. It implements public policy on digital inclusion, regional development and equipping local authorities.
For nine years, ANCT has led the NEC initiative to provide spaces for dialogue and reflection that bring together grassroots actors, local ecosystems and national organisations. In particular, ANCT relies on NEC to build everyone's capacity to seize the opportunities of digital technology and to promote digital technology that serves local areas.
NEC's local roots and the mobilisation of ANCT's networks (prefectures, local authorities, public digital service operators, territorial hubs for inclusive digital technology) are a strength of the national NEC and of its local editions.
The Inria Foundation is backed by Inria, the French National Institute for Research in Digital Science and Technology. It brings together public research, grassroots actors, businesses and civil society to think through and build digital technology in the public interest. Its priorities are to foster a European ecosystem of actors committed to shared innovation, digital sovereignty and democratic digital infrastructure.
By joining the initiative as co-lead, the Inria Foundation confirms that its ambitions are aligned with those of NEC.
Through its involvement in major digital projects (Software Heritage, the OCaml community, Pl@ntNet...) and its promotion of Inria's computer science research institutes, the Inria Foundation is a long-standing, expert player in the digital field. It champions knowledge sharing and science outreach to build responsible, trustworthy digital technology.
What are our principles?
In order to strengthen the way Numérique en Commun[s] operates, we have set out seven principles that ensure consistency in our actions and our direction as we champion digital technology in the public interest.
HARMONISE
Ensure that new initiatives complement existing schemes and enable those already active in local communities to work together.
DEBATE
To create democratic spaces for discussion on the role of digital technology in our society and in our lives.
EDUCATE
To support skills development, help people take ownership of digital tools and raise awareness of the socio-political issues surrounding digital technology.
MODERATE
Reducing the digital sector’s environmental footprint whilst recognising the role digital technology plays in accelerating the ecological transition.
OPEN
Make data and resources accessible, document developments and open up governance.
IMPROVE
To drive the development of digital services through the ongoing assessment of all their impacts.
WORK TOGETHER
To co-develop digital services with all those concerned, in line with identified needs.