Brussels, 03/06/2010 (Agence Europe) - Neelie Kroes, the commissioner responsible for the Digital Agenda, presented the European Parliament with ambitious and very clear objectives this week. She set out a detailed road map for MEPs together with precise deadlines to be kept, accepting the risk that she could have her back to the wall if objectives are not reached in time. Although the members of the education and culture committee - who were disappointed by the former competition commissioner's “over economical” vision when she took on the portfolio of Viviane Reding - were delighted by the more consensual speech delivered by Neelie Kroes, members of the internal market and consumer protection committee for generally somewhat sceptical about whether commitments could be kept. “I agree to take risks. We need ambition!”, the commissioner said in response.
Neelie Kroes explained to MEPs the seven points underpinning the European Commission's digital strategy adopted on 19 May this year, and the objectives set (see EUROPE 10142). These are: - (1) Creation of a digital single market with online availability of goods and services in all member states. The Commission will continue to promote online cultural content (Europeana). It foresees a framework directive on copyright and crossborder licenses and a Green Paper on the online distribution of audiovisual and creative content. (2) Standards and interoperability of products and services. This condition is essential for creation and innovation. The Commission will propose legislative measures by the end of the year in order to speed up the process. (3) Confidence and security. The Commission will make a proposal in September for a European information security agency, protection against cyber attacks and data protection. (4) Rapid and very rapid access to internet. By 2013, broadband should be available for all. There must be no more “digital virgins”, Kroes said. After that, it will be necessary to move on to ultra-rapid internet access. Political priorities in terms of radio-electric spectrum should be reached by 2015 in order to reach more flexible and reasonable frequency management. (5) Research and innovation. The budget must be increased by 2020 and the Commission will put forward measures for better access to research for young research workers and SMEs, the commissioner underlined. (6) Digital knowledge. At present, 30% of Europeans do not use the internet and nearly 700,000 jobs calling for specific digital skills will be lacking by 2015. Media education must be improved together with lifelong digital learning so that skilled Europeans may update their knowledge regularly. (7) ICT potential must be released so that society enjoys the benefit. This is the most international aspect of the strategy, i.e. using information and communication technology (ICT) to raise societal challenges such as the fight against climate change and population ageing. The commissioner also mentioned the following initiatives relating to the digital strategy strictly speaking: - publication of a report this summer on digitalisation of cinematographic heritage, assessment of how universal service principles have been adjusted to electronic communications (the Commission is analysing observations that were given to it during the public consultation exercise that ended on 7 May) and assessment of the roaming 2 regulation in order to see whether it is necessary to continue with regulation.
Members of the education and culture committee placed emphasis on respect of copyright in seeking a solution regarding crossborder licenses (Helga Trüpel, Greens/EFA, Germany), citizens' security on the internet and in particular that of minors (Maria Badia i Cutchet, S&D, Spain), the digital divide to be filled between young and older persons and disadvantaged people (Catalin Sorin Ivan, S&D, Romania; Marie-Thérèse Sanchez-Schmid, EPP, France; Silvia Costa, S&D, Italy), and corporate liability when it comes to training employees in ICT (Mary Honeyball, S&D, UK). Petra Kammerevert (S&D, Germany) said the cultural aspects are not sufficiently represented, especially on spectrum management.
Members of the internal market and consumer protection committee were certainly delighted by the ambition shown by Neelie Kroes but somewhat sceptical about the possibility of reaching the results hoped for in 2015. The digital single market will come up against problems of a linguistic and legal kind for the creation of a common payments area on the internet, warned Andreas Schwab (EPP, Germany). The importance of the Net's neutrality was evoked by Christian Engström (Greens/EFA, Sweden) and Philippe Juvin (EPP, France). (I.L./transl.jl)