Brussels, 17/09/2001 (Agence Europe) - Speaking at the 3rd Annual Conference of the GBDe (Global Business Dialogue on e-commerce) (see EUROPE of 14/9/2001, p.11), the European Information Society Commissioner Erkki Liikanen focussed his intervention on the need to ensure greater internet access, feeling that practical measures run by public/private partnerships should be rapidly implemented in order to facilitate electronic access for developing countries. Mr Liikanen felt that information should be provided in a more accessible form to the public, in particular by providing training on how to make full use of the opportunities presented by the internet. He also stressed that "governments and business groups should work together to ensure that the internet can be embraced indiscriminately by all part of our societies and its access and use in schools and universities should be encouraged world-wide". The Commissioner felt that the GBDe had an important role to play, along with the governments and organisations it works with, in ensuring these challenges were met.