Riga, 18/03/2015 (Agence Europe) - At a meeting in Riga on Wednesday 18 March, the Bureau of the Committee of the Regions (CoR) debated what the regions of Europe can bring to the creation of the digital single market.
The debate was opened by CoR President Markku Markkula (Finland) who highlighted the opportunity offered by the €315 billion investment plan proposed by the European Commission. This plan, Markkula said, should seek to tackle the digital inequalities among the regions: “A digitally divided Europe will create an economically divided Europe. We need to make investment decisions that reach all Europe's regions”. He also pointed out the importance of local and regional authorities which “play a key role in helping citizens and businesses connect”.
This was a point that was picked up by several CoR members, including Anne Karjalainen (Finland), joint rapporteur on the digital agenda: “Local authorities must be involved in broadband projects, particularly if they do not present any prospect of immediate viability. Municipalities have a role to play in training technicians”. Referring to the digital divide that exists between member states, she noted that “the digital experience is still very national”. The other joint rapporteur, Odeta Zerlauskiene, laid emphasis on operability among the electronic administrations of the various countries of Europe.
Zoran Stancic, deputy director at the European Commission's Directorate General Connect, also acknowledged the importance of Europe's regions for the digital single market. “It is clear that we cannot make it happen from Brussels and the capital. We need to reinforce cooperation between DG Connect and the CoR”. He reminded the conference that it was possible to use European structural funds to finance installing networks and training the people who work in the sector.
The meeting of the Bureau of the CoR also provided the opportunity to debate how well Latvia is doing in all things digital. “We are proud to be in sixth position in Europe in terms of internet speed”, stated Arnis Daugulis, Latvian minister for regional development. He vaunted the quality of the wireless network of Latvia's 800 libraries, and their staff who are “able to assist with the use of digital services”. Several CoR members also spoke of the quality of the online service in Riga. Stancic was more restrained. Drawing his information from the Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI), published by the Commission in February 2014, he acknowledged the country's performance in terms of connectivity but pointed out that there was still more to do, for instance in human capital.
The Digital Assembly, a conference devoted to digital issues, will be held in Riga in June of this year. (Jean Comte)