Brussels, 27/09/2000 (Agence Europe) - The Kangaroo Group held its annual conference on 18 and 19 September, this time devoted to barriers to the development of the multimedia, electronic commerce and the Internet. This non-governmental organisation is fighting for free movement in Europe, and brings together members of European institutions - notably Parliament - of national governments and the social partners (industry and trade unions). Its Chairman, Karl von Wogau, introduced the meeting, emphasizing to what extent "the establishment and development of a new generation of mobile phones, as well as new technologies, represent a world event, which creates opportunities for employment, trade and growth, but also carries a certain number of risks".
During the first session, on barriers for consumers, Commissioner David Byrne, responsible for consumer policy, expressed concern at the fact that "too few consumers are on-line, and among those who are, too few undertake genuine research or are prepared to do more", and this, "despite the advantages of electronic commerce: very low prices, greater choice, better information". Data security and protection are for him the main causes of concern. To reassure consumers, he spoke of the Commission's three-stage initiatives: i) fair practices on the market; ii) private arbitration, or "ADR" (Alternative Dispute Resolution); iii) if need be, appeals to one's national jurisdiction. He recalled that the Commission had recently begun consultations on its first draft code of conduct, which is a compilation of best practice, that could become a recommendation. He hopes that these principles will become world standards for Internet users, with, among others, the American Administration rallying around. A recommendation is also being prepared to adapt the Alternative Dispute Resolution system, that dates back to 1998, to Cyberspace. For him, the method used to achieve these instruments, in cooperation with the circles concerned, is innovative.
The Commissioner for Competition, Mario Monti, who spoke at the second session on practical barriers, stressed that the Internet included many more advantages than just electronic commerce. The Internet is "a unique and global instrument of communication, larger and more important than electronic commerce itself", especially from the point of view of the rules that apply to it. "It's obvious," he explained, "that competition rules are more than ever necessary in the era of the Internet". Its rapid growth could lead to the emergence of dominant positions of telecommunications companies, and it is also linked to technological choices made by television, as well as the control of the market for personal computers. Mario Monti underpinned the interest of looking more closely at the structure of industries, like those of music and publishing, to see whether the interest of the parties in sticking to the status quo is impeding the development of the Internet.
Bernard Vergnes, Chairman of Microsoft Europe, called on participants for the "practical and regulatory barriers to Cyberspace not to be seen as walls that separate them, but as challenges for seeking improvements". He highlighted the need to focus efforts on research and development, to fill the skills gap that, he said wais slowing Europe down. He pleaded in favour of governmental intervention in limited areas, and, especially, the defence of intellectual property and the adaptation of contract-law to the new electronic environment.
At the third session, devoted to regulatory barriers, Erkki Liikanen, Commissioner responsible for the information society, recalled the Commission's approach through the eEurope initiative. He spoke of progress made in liberalisation, urgent regarding the Internet, but slowed down at the level of the local loop. He sees convergence of telecommunications towards the Internet as a key-factor of the current evolution, to which the Commission's response is the new package on electronic communications, adopted in July 2000. He explained his objectives: i) adapt the existing framework to the needs of the telecommunications industry; ii) step-up competition for access to local networks; iii) ensure users a high level of private protection.