Brussels, 08/07/2014 (Agence Europe) - Over the next six months, the Italian Presidency will pay particular attention to the European Union's digital agenda. This will be one of its major priorities, as made clear by Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi himself, the high point of which is expected to be the adoption of a Council agreement on the “Connected Continent” package at the end of the Italian presidency in December. On Monday 7 July, the Digital Venice event opened in Venice, organised by the Italian Presidency, with the support of the European Commission. This seeks to underline the paramount importance of the single digital market for meeting contemporary economic challenges. The event will run until 11 July and will close with the “Declaration of Venice”, which will sum up the vision and recommendations developed during the course of the event. The Italian Presidency will use this document as a basis for preparing December's Telecoms Council. Five workshops will be held over the five days, during which more than 300 inventors and innovators, government representatives, experts and researchers will take part. Prime Minister Renzi and Digital Agenda Commissioner Neelie Kroes will also be taking part in the event and have met at a round table event to discuss the action that Italy could take to push forward the single digital market during its presidency. The commissioner said that the Italian Presidency was particularly important because it is making the link between the old and new Commissions and was delighted that “this sends out the right message: that the government is eager to seize the opportunity for creating a stronger economy, for Italy and throughout Europe”. (IL)