By Martin Banks - 20th May 2010
The text makes very clear that Europe now needs the creation of a digital agenda
Silvana Koch-Mehrin
MEPs and industry have generally welcomed the commission's plans for a "digital agenda for Europe".
The ambitious five-year plan, announced on Wednesday by Neelie Kroes, the digital affairs commissioner, is the first flagship of the commission's much-vaunted EU 2020 strategy.
Crucially, it includes proposals to increase access to superfast broadband.
An estimated one third of EU citizens have never used the internet and Kroes said the commission wants to connect all European citizens to broadband by 2013.
The Dutch official said the aim is also to link up half of the EU's population to superfast networks by 2020.
Failure to do so, she warned, could cost Europe up to 700,000 jobs in the high-tech industry by 2015.
Reaction to the announcement was swift, with German ALDE deputy Silvana Koch-Mehrin, describing the 41-page document as "important and comprehensive".
"The text makes very clear that Europe now needs the creation of a digital agenda," she added.
DigitalEurope, the body that represents the digital technology industry in Europe, also welcomed the plan with director general Bridget Cosgrave saying it was "required reading" for all member states.
"Alongside budget cutting programmes we should be seeing digital agendas for every EU head of state," she said.
Frederic Donck, director of the European Bureau of the Internet Society said, "We particularly applaud the call for member states to apply commitments on interoperability by 2013."
Further comment came from the Business Software Alliance which says the plan is a "positive step" towards "a more secure and interoperable digital environment for Europe".
According to the Association for Competitive Technology, the agenda "lays down the roadmap for smart, sustainable and innovative growth" in the EU through the digital agenda.
A note of caution was sounded by Ross Biggam, director general of the Association of Commercial TV in Europe, who said, "We are cautious about suggestions made to harmonise spectrum policy.
"An introduction of a European approach would simply ignore national circumstances."
Have your say...
Please enter your comments below.