At least 20 local civil society associations and the FGBT (the Belgian socialist trade union) expressed their concern on Wednesday about a draft ordinance by the Brussels government that aims to digitalise various administrative procedures.
The unions argue that the document in its current form would be "unacceptable"; they say that despite “40% of Brussels residents having problems with digital technology, this text aims to accelerate the dematerialisation of regional and municipal public services."
The proposal put forward by regional minister for the Digital Transition Bernard Clerfayt (DéFI) seeks to streamline public administration. However, the union and civil groups fear that it fails to "guarantee the maintenance of physical counters and telephone lines with humans at the end of the line." They insist that such a measure would exacerbate digital inequalities and therefore social inequalities.
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In a group statement, the groups push for assurances of an alternative to having to carry out any administrative procedure via online forms. The say that so far they have yet to see an alternative that they would find satisfactory.
“We urgently demand an ordinance that would make physical counters accessible to all, including with humans who answer the phone”.
