International collaboration allows Socitm members to:

• share ideas and experience of e-government
• adapt successful solutions pioneered elsewhere
• avoid reinventing wheels
• make comparisons where these are meaningful
• get the best use of scarce resources and finance

Already, Socitm's international exchanges have demonstrated that:

• whilst the structure of local service delivery is different, the services delivered are less so
• British local authorities seem generally bigger and provide more services than other countries
• freedom of information in the USA has very different influences from Data Protection in the UK
• the UK's concern about the introduction of ID cards and national databases is not always shared abroad
• looser central government control over local government can increase innovation

Socitm has formed partnerships and links with a number of similar professional associations around the world. Their details can be found on these pages.

Socitm's partner associations collaborated on Local e-government Now: a worldwide view, the first definitive international study of local e-government which was launched as a report in August 2002.

Please contact enquiries@socitm.gov.uk for information regarding the International Group.