Brussels, 12/06/2013 (Agence Europe) - Progress was made in the digital agenda in 2012 but, on the ultrafast broadband front, progress has been much too slow. Although Europeans now have basic digital networks and services, they are still not benefiting from the main advantages already provided by the digital revolution. This is the observation made by the European Commission in its most recent scoreboard, which assesses the situation in the EU digital market over the past twelve months. Neelie Kroes, the Commissioner responsible for the digital agenda stated: “The data shows that the biggest problem this year is the lack of investment in very fast networks, and a continuing lack of a real telecoms single market. The problem is clear and our response via a single telecoms market package will be too”. Next autumn, the Commission will present proposals for concrete measures to respond to the European Council's demands for a single digital market to be created by 2015.
So far, the Commission has completed 55 actions of the 101 under the digital agenda, while 10 have been delayed or are at risk of being delayed. The remaining 36 actions, under the responsibility of either the Commission or the member states, are on schedule for completion by their respective deadlines. Key findings in the European Commission's digital agenda (DAE) scoreboard underline that: 1) basic broadband is now virtually everywhere in Europe; 2) fast broadband now reaches half the population; 3) internet access is increasingly going mobile. The problem areas include: - only 2% of homes have ultrafast broadband subscriptions, well below the EU's 2020 target of 50%; - 50% of EU citizens have no or low computer skills and companies recruiting or trying to recruit IT specialists have difficulties in doing so, while the current number of vacancies for ICT specialists has been projected to grow to 900,000 by 2015. Other findings: 1) more and more have tried internet; 2) 70% now use the internet regularly at least once a week; 3) roaming prices in 2012 have fallen; 4) eCommerce is growing steadily, but not cross-border; 5) eGovernment is now undertaken by most firms and citizens and research spending increased slightly despite budgetary restraints. (IL/transl.fl)