Brussels, 25/02/2015 (Agence Europe) - During the Digital4EU forum on Tuesday 24 February, the Vice President of the European Commission, Andrus Ansip, said that the European Union's success and progress in the digital sector would require completion of a functioning single market, free of discrimination.
The forum was organised by the Commission in view of opening up the debate between stakeholders with regard to the digital priorities of the Juncker Commission.
At this event Ansip indicated the objectives to attain in the years to come that would make the European Union fully digital. The Commission is working on a new strategy in this respect, which it will present in May: 1) eradicating discrimination based on nationality or unjustified geo-blocking; 2) developing a single contract law for online transactions to provide clear and safe rules for buyers and sellers; 3) devising a single data protection regime and a clear system for data access; 4) establishing a copyright and licensing regime to benefit creators, publishers and consumers alike; 5) working out simple rules for small and online businesses, to allow them to start operating across the EU with just “one click”; 6) building a proper single market in telecoms, at affordable prices and no roaming fees; 7) facilitating full portability of users' data over platforms and systems across the EU, and full interoperability of public and private e-services. The Commission Vice President admitted, “It is already quite a long list of challenges to tackle. I am under no illusions. Nobody should be. This will be difficult to achieve”.
Andrus Ansip said that to attain these objectives, three conditions are crucial: 1) building trust about using the internet and online services by consolidating digital contract law, data protection, e-privacy. “ In the single market, there can be no borders for data. Provided that it is protected, data should flow freely”; 2) improving technical interoperability and standards across the EU. This will help to improve access to networks between countries, make public e-services interoperable and enhance cross-border access to media content; 3) connecting “everyone and everywhere” by investing in modern and joined-up broadband infrastructure. (Translation from the original French version)