The regions, smaller cities and rural communities in this project are mainly located in the northern fringes of Europe. These areas share characteristics that are well documented in the NPP Operational Programme, i.e., remoteness, low population density, limited transport opportunities, lack of suitable services, and ageing population coupled with youth out-migration. On the other hand, the work force is well educated and the area has potentially better access to the information society than other parts of Europe.
Information and Communications Technologies, now have the potential to play a critical role in improving the future development of NP communities by improving their inherent attractiveness and strengthening urban-rural relations. This can help for example knowledge economy workers to remain, locate in rural communities within the NP. Visitors and citizens can receive tourism and cultural information via mobile devices. Public sector workers spend a great deal of time” in the field” and would benefit from mobile access to work related information such as client/citizen. In addition, the public sector has the possibility to provide real-time environmental information to increasingly aware citizens.
This consumption of a basket of work, leisure and public information by workers, visitors and citizens while on the move gives rise to the concept of the “Mobile Community”
The CMC@NPP Project is funded by the Northern Periphery Programme http://www.northernperiphery.net/