Brussels, 01/06/2015 (Agence Europe) - During his visit to the Brookings Institute in Washington on 28 May, the Commission Vice-President for the Digital Single Market, Andrus Ansip, explained that creating a genuine digital single market was an essential priority for the European Commission.
He emphasised that “our focus is firmly on creating economic growth, employment and making the most of the digital age”. The Vice-President recalled the unique historical and political links between the US and Europe and highlighted the high levels of trade between the two continents which would be further stimulated by the digital single market. Ansip stated: “This will provide opportunities for trade, investment, innovation not only for Europe but globally and also for the United States”.
The Commission Vice-President briefly explained the three pillars underpinning the strategy presented at the beginning of May and emphasised the advantages of standard rules for business and consumers. Ansip also said that the digital single market had absolutely no protectionist agenda and that “our doors are open, not closed. There's no anti-American agenda and no fortress Europe, as I continue to read in some media”. He also dismissed the claims circulating in the US media whereby the strategy is unjustly targeting US businesses. He stressed that out of the 81 companies targeted by an anti-trust procedure between 2010 and 2014, only 21 were against the US. He concluded: “The best answers come when we work together, deepening the digital connection between Europe and the United States (…) Let us take this great opportunity to work together for a bright digital future”. (Isabelle Lamberty)