This week the EU published its strategy document outlining policies that it says will lead EU member states quickly and decisively towards an electronic future. The Action Plan is part of the EU's eEurope Action Plan, which will be put up for agreement at the Feira Summit which closes the Portuguese presidency on 19th and 20th June.
Key aspects of the plan include the encouragement of Internet learning in schools, ensuring the availability of cheap, universal Internet access across the Union by increasing competition and lowering access costs, and the development of a new concept, the World-Wide Grid, which will be a broad-band network aimed at student and research communities. The growth of e-commerce will be supported with consumer-friendly legislation and measures to ensure the acceptance of smart cards everywhere.
It is quite easy to throw mountains of fine words in 9 languages at our e-future, and no-one is better at this game than the EU. It is another matter to turn them into reality. Why is the EU playing around with yet more consumer legislation and expensively-supported uncommercial initiatives? All it needs to do is to stand back, and let the market get on with job unhindered. Fat chance of that in Brussels. The Commission's do-goodery will simply slow down the development of the Internet in Europe, the very opposite of what they say they want to achieve.
The Commission issued a press release as follows:
The European Commission has presented its contribution to the eEurope Action Plan, due to be agreed by EU leaders at the Feira Summit on 19-20 June It sets out a strategy to address key barriers to the uptake of the Internet in Europe and ensure that the conditions are set for a decisive move towards the new economy. It proposes that Member States and the Commission bind themselves to achieving the following three objectives quickly: a cheaper, faster, more secure Internet; investing in people's skills and access; and stimulating the use of the Internet. All key elements should be in place by 2002. The thrust of the plan is to accelerate legislation, roll out infrastructure and services across Europe and open co-ordination between Member States - including benchmarking activities by the Commission.
President Romano Prodi said: "With this document the Commission sets out a focused strategy to address the key barriers to the further uptake of the Internet in Europe and ensure that the framework conditions are established for a decisive move towards the new knowledge based economy."
Mr. Erkki Liikanen, Member of the Commission responsible for Enterprise and the Information Society says, "The key aim of eEurope 2002 is to ensure that Europe benefits fully from the economic and social advantages which the Internet and related digital technologies can bring. Other regions of the world are already experiencing Internet-led growth. The Commission's proposals should ensure that, by 2002, Europe will be at the forefront of this wave."
eEurope is designed to make a significant impact on the speed of uptake of the information society in Europe. However, for eEurope to succeed it must have an impact on peoples lives that is both positive and visible. There are many ways in which eEurope actions will make a difference, but some of the key areas will be:
Internet will be part of every child's education - All school children will use the Internet as part of their daily learning. The Internet will be brought into the classroom for all subjects, with effective training for teachers and the right tools made available to fully exploit its potential.
An end to prohibitively expensive Internet access costs - Increased competition on local networks, together with the growing number of access devices means that the market price for Internet access is falling steadily, enabling people from all sectors of the population to afford access.
European students and researchers will be able to work and learn collaboratively over the Internet - The World Wide Web was born in Europe. It has enabled extensive international electronic collaboration, but it has its limits. Simultaneous collaboration, or video-linking require very high bandwidths. eEurope will support the development of a new concept - the World Wide Grid - which will facilitate new methods of collaboration.
Multifunctional smart cards for easy, secure access to services - eEurope aims to ensure that a single smart card can serve a variety of purposes and can move around Europe as easily as its owner.
Faster Internet for all - Through setting the framework to encourage massive private investments, deploying new Internet technology and exploiting the Structural Funds where possible to ensure that peripheral regions are assured higher quality access.
Greater confidence in on-line shopping - Consumers will have guarantees that their virtual retailer is genuine and has agreed to fundamental principles that protect the consumer against fraud while providing an agreed level of service and redress.
Access to government services in 'Internet time'. Citizens will have the ability to interact with their administration in 'Internet time' not in 'opening times'. New technologies will enable people to avoid frustrating queuing and give them the opportunity to interact with the public service at a time that suits them.
In December last year, the European Commission launched the eEurope initiative with the aim to accelerate the uptake of the Internet in Europe. The subsequent Lisbon European Council in March of this year made significant progress in achieving this aim. In Lisbon, Heads of State and Government recognised the importance of the uptake of these technologies for economic growth and employment and secured firm agreement on some of the key targets set in eEurope.
The full text of the Action Plan is available at:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/information_society/eeurope/actionplan/index_en.htm
Have a stiff drink first.
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