Digital Europe: urgent action required
Digital Europe needs urgent action to become one and drive the economy
Datanews reports the Lobby group DigitalEurope calls out the clock is ticking to create the digital agenda, the action field of Commissioner Kroes. The Digital agenda, scheduled for May 18th, needs to be a strong message, to push agenda forward. "With a mere 7% of e-commerce across borders and each country still maintaining local rules, there is a lot of work to be done", says Erkki Ormala, President of Digital Europe in Brussels, where the lobby group presented ‘A Transformational Agenda for the Digital Age’. The association unites ICT-companies such as IBM, Intel, Apple, Nokia, Alcatel-Lucent, Cisco en Siemens.
The world is at a turning point. So is Europe. These are no ordinary times. What Europe needs is a transformational agenda. José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, "A Vision for EU 2020" October 2009
Digital agenda is urgent and important
Gerard De Graaf, Head of Unit, Strategic Objective Prosperity of the European Commission, admitted there was a ‘sense of urgency’ is, but says he doubted that Europe is fully aware of this. “The importance of broadband is still underestimated", he stated. Anthony Whelan, Head of Cabinet of Neelie Kroes confirmed that on May 18th the document on the ‘Digital Agenda’ as part of the ‘EU 2020’ vision would be ready. He added the key is not technology, but people.
Poke – poke back
The DigitalEurope document can be a supplementary source of inspiration, with a series of quick wins in varied sectors.This is a serious 'poke', as they say on Facebook, where friends give each other a little "push", to confirm they're still there and show they care. Barroso II clearly wants to make ICT a spearhead of policy for the years to come. And rightly so. The poke will be seen as welcome, and no doubt will receive a "poke back". ICT is one of the cards to play in the transformation of Europe, and true, the tide is high, with the Bric countries knocking ever louder at the door (and who knows soon after the world cup BricS, with South Africa joining the world growth leaders?)
Europeana, a great idea but will it work?
Europeana?
Have you ever heard of Europeana? It is the ambitious plan to make Europe’s entire scientific and cultural heritage freely available at a single web site. Not just books, but also papers, sound recordings, images, paintings and videos … What an exciting, fantastic tool this can be for schools, scientist and the regular citizen, would'nt you say?
Let's type in 'Derain' in the search field and see what the library offers. Derain was Matisse's colleague painter involved in discovering the art of "Wild painting" labeled Fauvism, so he surely deserves a space in this library. Not bad… today you find 1 text, 456 images, 5 videos and 2 sound bytes. Excellent! Matisse has even 14 video links, one leading to a debate with French book guru Bernard Pivot.
After 15 months, the mark of 10 million documents is approaching, Euronews says. Good news. In an update report, they indicate that France has been the best student in the class by far, adding up to 47 % of the material to the digital library. Germany is second, with 16%, then the Netherlands and the Uk with 8 percent each. In all 5 % of European books are in the database, the report says.
One for all, all for one?
Still, in order to make the engine successful, all European member states have to do their bit, or the database will remain a lesser god in search engine land, falling short to the Google monopoly. Also, the intellectual property rights and the harmonizing of the European royalties are on the agenda and need to be settled.
This seems to be a typical EU story. A great idea, with lots of wonderful positive energy. But without the real commitment of all countries in the EU, many good initiatives fall short of delivering spectacular results they could generate. And with legal restrictions to boot, to further decreasing attractiveness (but all according to the book). Google first moves then looks behind (facing… Europe for sanctions).
Could national and regional pride make it work? Hugo Claus, the Flemish author, poet, screen writer, painter, enfant terrible who died last year does not exist in Europeana, while he has 412.000 hits on Google. The Flemish might want to correct that… And with them all the other nations for their cultural heritage!
As the three musketeers of Alexandre Dumas said "One for all, all for one!"
Iceland, new media safe haven?
Björk, Iceland's sirene.
Will her country lure media to her shores with their Song of Freedom?
Iceland for decades was the cold and far away place on the map of Europe. Besides alternative rockband the Sugarcubes, Björk and Sigur Ros, only the handball and soccer team seemed to warm the hearts of people around the globe. The country recently implemented free trade in the European Economic area, diversifying from agriculture and fishing to new economy, finance and industry. But with the financial downfall and the Kaupthing bank disaster, the Nordic country was put to shame as a "foolish little nation" and its positive image was destroyed.
A new and bright initiative might be an original and welcome step towards a better, more positive view on the Snow Land, as its first name was. The Icelandic Modern Media Initiative creates "A vision of Iceland as a haven for journalists". The plan that will be debated in parliament this week wants to make Iceland a world leader in journalism protection. The initiators of the whistle blowing website Wikileaks.org assisted in the creation of the initiative.
If accepted, this idea will be a strong counter potion for the negative and secretive image Iceland has brought upon itself, with its shady bank affairs. The concept is simple as the egg of Columbus. Where companies relocate to the Cayman Islands or Switserland for legal shields for their bank accounts, media could do the same for their publications and/ or servers.
The proposal is a bright move: while creating a much needed new economical climate change (taking some Ice out of the Iceland), it brings an image boost toward open and responsible government and management. Two birds with one stone! This initiative merits at least close attention of media managers across the globe. If it is accepted, it will create a real safe haven for those in media who wish to speak up and are under attack by forces wishing to silence them.
Eva Jolie, MEP introduces the project on the special website of the Incelandic Modern Media Initiative:
I am proud to advise the Icelandic Modern Media Initiative's proposal to create a global safe haven for investigative journalism. I believe this proposal is a strong way of encouraging integrity and responsive government around the world, including in Iceland. In my work investigating corruption I have seen how important it is to have have robust mechanisms to get information out to the public. Iceland, with its fresh perspectives and courageous, independent people seems to be the perfect place to initiate such an effort towards global transparency and justice.
—Eva Joly MEP
Microsoft and EU Commission make peace
Neelie Kroes said she had an early Christmas present for hundreds of Millions of Eu citizens: Europeans will get to pick their browser after Microsoft agreed to offer Internet users a choice to avoid fresh fines. "Millions of European consumers will benefit from this decision by having a free choice about which web browser they use.", Kroes said.
Microsoft’s Windows operating system runs more than 90 percent of all computers in the world, so this is an important breakthrough. But also, the fact that the browser wars are over, might open the road for a new era in European technology, where the European household and the American software giant could be partners in building the new digital agenda. So the early Christmas present announced by Neelie Kroes today could result in a much bigger gift to the citizens: a more open, creative, dynamic web and telecom environment for all!
Barroso II portfolios announced
After the buzz and negociations of the last weeks on ‘who will get what’ the President of the European Commission announced his proposal for his Commission team.
On the website of the Swedish European presidency Barroso is quoted:
“I am pleased to be able to present this new Commission and want to thank the Member States for their excellent nominations. I welcome back thirteen of the old Commissioners and think we have achieved a good mix of skills, experience and gender”, said José Manuel Barroso when he announced the new Commission.
Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, representing the Swedish EU Presidency, commented on Mr Barroso’s choice of Commission.
“I welcome President Barroso’s proposed new Commission. It is well composed and balanced, with clear divisions of responsibility within the Commission. Now the European Parliament will hear the proposed Commissioners. I am looking forward to this and I hope the Parliament will give its support to the proposal.” “I am very pleased that the proposal so clearly reflects the new role of the EU, which the Lisbon Treaty will bring, both in Europe and in the world. Now it is important that the new Commission can quickly begin its work to meet the challenges still facing the EU.”
Barroso nominated Connie Hedegard, Denmark’s climate minister, in charge of hosting the December UN climate conference in Copenhagen.
Other notable nominations include Joaquin Almunia as the European Union’s antitrust chief, Neelie Kroes, current antitrust chief as EU’s digital agenda commissioner and Karel De Gucht who will manage the trade portfolio.
Simon Taylor at the European Voice heads his article with ‘Big posts for large countries’. France secured the portfolio of internal market for Michel Barnier. who will also be responsibility for financial services. The ‘Voice’ also states the Liberals get their “reward’: Liberals get influential portfolios. Liberal Guy Verhofstadt in a VRT radio interview was pleased and stressed the importance of the fact that ‘all European economical issues will be in the hands of Liberals’.
Before the new Commission can take up its work, the European Parliament must approve the Commission as a whole. These “exam sessions’ might give some unexpected fireworks… to be continued.