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?)
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!
Neelie Kroes to spice up European ICT
Kroes is held in high regard in Brussels for her work as competition commissioner in the outgoing Commission. She would have liked to continue in that capacity, but it is known that Commission president José Manuel Barroso is not in favour of commissioners succeeding themselves.
The NRC calls it a step down for this experienced liberal politician. We believe it will be an interesting challenge nevertheless, since there remain many monopolies in member states in the telecom domain. Her experience in the competition regulation will no doubt be of great value in tackling the issues ahead successfully.
Prime minister of the Netherlands Jan Peter Balkenende told public broadcaster NOS:
“She will have a portfolio that’s important for the future of Europe; she will be dealing with e-commerce, digitalisation, mobile telephony, broadband, all kinds of things that have to do with the new technological reality”.
Kroes (68) belongs to the right-wing liberal party VVD, which is currently in the opposition. Two weeks ago she complained that “party politics” were standing in the way of her being nominated for a second term as commissioner.