Implementing Information Society in the enlarged European Union: eEurope, eEurope , and beyond

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Implementing Information Society in the enlarged
European UnioneEurope, eEurope, and beyond
Paul VerhoefHead of Unit - International
Aspects DG Information Society
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EU Economic Growth lags behind the US


EU
US
Source Eurostat
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The Lisbon Agenda

• to create the worlds most dynamic, competitive
  and socially inclusive knowledge-based economy by
  2010
• strengthened economic co-ordination
• fostering the knowledge based economy
• improved the European social model
• New methods open method of co-ordination, best
  practice, monitoring and benchmarking
• agreement to develop ways of actively involving
  the candidates in the goals and procedures of the
  Lisbon strategy

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Key objectives 1. Cheaper and faster
Internet 2. Faster Internet for researchers and
students 3. Secure networks and smart cards 4.
European youth into the digital age 5. Working in
the knowledge-based society 6. Participation for
all in the knowledge-based society 7.
Accelerating e-commerce 8. Government on-line
electronic access to public services 9.
Intelligent transport systems 10. Health
on-line 11. Digital content for global networks
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• Information society has developed considerably
• internet penetration has grown significantly
• almost every second worker using a computer at
  work
• e-commerce between companies is growing, forcing
  them to adapt faster
• Continuing structural reforms are needed to
  realise the potential of the new economy
• rapid development of IS technologies increases
  the risk of digital divide
• the public sector must lead, not trail in the
  take-up of new technologies
• new framework for electronic communications
  services

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Internet Europe is advancing
Source European Commission, Eurobarometer

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However, Inequality still remains a problem in
Europe

Internet penetration in households () (December
2001 / October 2000)
December 2001
EU average 37.7
October 2000
USA
Source Eurobarometer USA Gartner
Dataquest (2001 June)
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Market growth increased substantially
Source Eurobarometer
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Cost of international calls decreased
significantly
Source Eurobarometer
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(No Transcript)
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Security Internet users who have encountered
viruses (October 2000-June 2001)
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Use of security products (as of EU-Internet
users)
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Benchmarking eGovernment

• The four stage model
• 1 Information online information about public
  services
• 2 Interaction downloading of forms,
• 3 Two-way interaction processing of forms, incl.
  authentication,
• 4 Transaction case handling decision and
  delivery (payment)

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Benchmarking eGovernment
12 Public services for the citizens

• Income taxes declaration, notification of
  assessment
• Job search services by labour offices
• Personal documents (passport and driver's
  licence)
• Application for building permission
• Announcement of moving (change of address)
• Corporation tax declaration, notification
• Registration of a new company
• Submission of data to statistical offices
• Customs declarations

8 Public services for businesses
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Using e-government services online in , June
2001)
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Income tax declaration online
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New framework for electronic communications
servicesProblem with current legal framework

• Long and complex individual licensing procedures
  in some Member States
• Not enough flexibility to cope with rapidly
  changing markets
• Not enough consistency in how rules are applied
  in Member States
• Designed for a newly liberalised market, not one
  moving to a fully competitive market without
  sector specific rules

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Policy objectives for the new regulatory package
of telecommunications
Legal certainty Technologicalneutrality Minimu
m required regulation Harmonisation
Framework Authorisations Access
Interconnection Unbundled local
loop Universal service Data protection
Flexibility
Simple marketentry Clear obligationsfor
dominant players More competition Cheaper
fasterInternet access Consumer rights Privacy
protection
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The new telecoms package
Services Directive (90/388/EEC) extended to
Satellite (94/46/EC) Cable (95/51/EC) Mobile
(96/2/EC) Full competition (96/19/EC) Cable
ownership (1999/64/EC) ONP Framework Directive
(90/387/EEC amended by 97/51/EC) Licensing
Directive (97/13/EC) GSM Directive
(87/372/EEC) ERMES Directive (90/544/EC) DECT
Directive (91/287/EEC) S-PCS Decision
(97/710/EC) UMTS Decision (99/128/EC) European
Emergency Number Decision (91/396/EC) Internationa
l Access Code Decision (92/264/EEC) ONP leased
lines Directive (92/44/EEC amended by
97/51/EC) TV standards Directive
(95/47/EC) Interconnection Directive(97/33/ EC
amended by 98/61/EC) Voice telephony Directive
(98/10/EC) Telecoms data protection Directive
(97/66/EC)
Liberalisation Directive
Framework Directive Authorisation
Directive Access Interconnection Directive
Unbundled local loop Regulation Universal
service Directive Data protection Directive
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• Reasons for adopting an eEUROPE-like Action
  Plan
• Candidates face the same economic pressure,
  compete in the same environment as Member States
• Candidates are committed to adopt the acquis,
  align their economies to the Internal Market
• Candidates can achieve substantially higher
  growth rates through fostering IS technologies,
  accelerating the real-convergence process to the
  EU

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• Events leading up to the Göteborg Summit
• European Ministerial Conference, Warsaw (11-12
  May 2000)
• Candidate countries decided to launch an
  eEurope-like Action Plan
• objectives and targets agreed and set by and for
  the Candidate Countries
• eEurope launched officially in Göteborg (16
  June 2001)

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• Key objectives
• establish the basic building blocks of the
  digital age
• cheaper, faster, secure Internet
• invest in people and skills
• stimulate the use of the Internet
• Implementation is up to national governments

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• Additional objective to stimulate the
  implementation of IS related acquis
• New target for environment on-line
• Similar indicators as those selected by EU-15 to
  enable comparison
• Deadline of overall plan extended to 2003 to
  reflect the need for network development

Comparison with eEurope
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Next Steps

• First meeting of the Statistical Working Group
  ( 25-26 February 2002)
• First eEurope Progress Report (by May
  2002)
• Next Ministerial-level conference in Ljubljana,
  Slovenia (3-4 June 2002)

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What role Beyond 2003?

• First wave of enlargement in 2004
• New initiative eEurope 2005, in which new member
  states will participate.

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Developing the Knowledge Economy

• A commitment at the highest level ?
• An e-Strategy ?
• Integration in National Development Plans ?
• Involvement of the private sector, civil
  societies ?
• Building up the institutions and capacity ?

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Considerations for the future

• Knowledge Economy / Information Society is here
  to stay
• important to integrate Knowledge-Economy-
  thinking into all areas of policy making
• high quality data collection and assessment is
  needed which feeds into the policy making
  processes on a permanent basis
• technology push is likely to remain strong in
  ICTs and will continue to drive the broader
  policy agenda in all areas of policy making