The Smarter States of America
When governors from across the United States gathered in Boston for their 2010 annual meeting, healthcare reform and economic issues dominated the agenda. IBM Chairman Sam Palmisano gave the keynote address, outlining examples of states who were implementing smarter healthcare, social services, public safety and education systems.
Government 2020
This new awareness and collaboration doesn't occur merely by chance or even always by choice. Just as often, it's mandated by necessity.
In its report "Government 2020," the IBM Institute for Business Value identified six worldwide forces that were at work, driving such changes for government at every level. Together, these six forces represent a mix of opportunities and threats. Yet as universal as they are, they require unique responses suited to each nation, region or locality.
Customs 2015
Improving the efficiency and effectiveness of customs operations on a smarter planet
Improved security and revenue through world trade
Just as data has begun to move more fluidly between the parts of government, and between a government and its citizens, smarter governments are participating in new kinds of collaboration and partnership up and down the different strata of government, and even across borders and around the world.
- Canada and the United States are working to align security standards in international trade partnership programs critical to both countries. The goal is to link the various international industry partnership programs to create a unified and sustainable security standard that can assist in securing and facilitating global cargo trade.
- The Excise Movement and Control System (EMCS) monitors movements of alcoholic beverages, tobacco products and energy products (and other excise goods) between EU member states under duty suspension. The system replaces paper documentation that previously accompanied these movements. Member states are developing their own national EMCS applications, and these systems (PDF, 576KB) will be linked to all other member states through a common domain, maintained by the European Commission.
