Hacking for EU democracy

It’s hackathon time in Brussels. Applications are open now here for the fourth annual EUhackathon. Apply before October 2. This year’s event, scheduled for December 2 and 3, 2014, focuses on increasing democratic participation and how to increase European citizens’ involvement in the European Union policy-making process.



Previous EUhackathons also addressed pressing policy issues and built bridges between policymakers and the world of coders. The 2011 edition aimed to enhance transparency around broadband Internet access; the 2012 edition created child safety solutions; and the 2013 edition promoted transparency around government surveillance of online communications.



This year’s Hackathon entrants will be asked to produce apps that increase democratic participation. They might allow citizens to participate in public consultations or in policy-making debates held at EU (and possibly national) level. They might promote transparency, enable the mining and analysis of responses and positions published in the public consultation process or legislative debate.

Selected applicants will be invited to Brussels for the two day event. Sponsors will cover their travel and accommodation costs. The winner will receive EUR 5,000. European Parliamentarians Eva Paunova (EPP, Bulgaria), Julia Reda (Greens/EFA, Germany) and Marietje Schaake (ALDE, Netherlands) will host the award ceremony.

Posted by Marco Pancini, Senior Counsel, Brussels

Calling for entries to the EU Hackathon

The European Union Hackathon is back. For the third straight year, Google is supporting two days of serious fun in September for programmers to code an application that shines a light on an important policy issue. This year’s theme is privacy - and contestants are being asked to work on products that visualize government government access to citizens’ private communications online.

Entries are now being accepted via this online application unti June 15, 2013 at noon CET. Complete information about the event is available on this website. Help us spread the word to attract talented applicants, or apply yourself!



The hackathon will take place on September 24th-25th, with programming sessions held in the Google Brussels office. MEP Petru Luhan is hosting the event’s awards ceremony on WednesdaySeptember 25th from 16.15 to 18.00 at the European Parliament. European Commission Vice-President Viviane Reding is scheduled to join the ceremonies.

In addition to Google’s support, a broad network of civil society groups are working on the event. They include Access Now, the Center for Democracy & Technology, Digitale Gesellschaft, the European Digital Rights initiative, the Electronic Frontier Foundation , Google, the Net Users’ Rights Protection Association, the Open Knowledge Foundation, quintessenz, Transparency International, and visualizing.org.

EUHackathon participants will build data visualizations using data sets from network analysis, corporate transparency reports and Freedom of Information Act requests. Greater transparency and awareness are critical to ensuring government surveillance is only used when necessary and proportionate.

Selected applicants will have their travel and accommodation costs covered and the winner or winning team will be awarded EUR5,000, courtesy of our sponsors. Not to forget, there will also be free food and WiFi.

We look forward to seeing you in September.

Posted by Marco Pancini, Senior Policy Manager, Brussels

Hacking for child safety online

Fri June 22, 16:00, correction made in final paragraph, names of MEPs added.

The EUhackathon is back in Brussels - and this time, it’s about online child safety.

A year ago, we hosted an inaugural EU Hack4Transparency, bringing together crack coders from all over the world with the goal increasing transparency on the Internet. Today and tomorrow, programmers are at the Google Brussels office for 30 hours of continuous coding. Entries this year come from 11 countries: France, the UK, Romania, Poland, Finland, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Germany, Sweden and even Cambodia.

The new hackathon is part of the European Commission’s Better Internet for Kids initiative. Five civil society organisations: eSkills, Family Online Safety Institute, European Schoolnet, eNACSO and Missing Children Europe, are lending their support. Corporate contributors include Facebook, Orange and Vodafone, all of whom have dispatched engineers are to assist.



The coder’s task is to develop the best tools, websites or applications that will enhance children’s safety and creativity online. Our goal is to raise awareness of child safety and online creativity - and generate innovative ideas and solutions. European Commission Vice President Neelie Kroes is a keen supporter.



Children are central to this latest EUhackathon and are being given the opportunity to participate in the competition. Our youngest hacker is 13 years old! A total of 25 teenagers from the European schools in Brussels, aged between 12 and 15, will assist, participate and get first hand experience of computer coding.

These children and their teachers - ultimately, the people who will use the tools created during the hackathon - will get to vote for their favourite entries, and their opinions will be taken into account by the jury in their deliberations. On 16:15 on 21st June, MEPs Sabine Verheyen, Róża Maria Gräfin von Thun und Hohenstein, Sean Kelly and Petru Luhan will hand out EUR 5,000 prizes to the first prize-winning teams at an award ceremony in the European Parliament.

Posted by Marco Pancini, Senior Policy Manager, Google Brussels