Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-12-13-Speech-3-302"
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"en.20001213.10.3-302"2
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". – Mr President, I would like to thank the Members of Parliament for their support for the Commission proposal. This wide participation of parliamentarians in this late debate is further proof of the interest shown in this important proposal. Promotion of European digital content is evidently and rightly a subject of interest to many parliamentary committees. The rapporteur, Mrs Gill, has succeeded in bringing together the different opinions in a balanced manner, with an important contribution from Mrs Fraisse and the Committee on Committee on Culture, Youth, Education, the Media and Sport.
Let me first say a few words on why we launched this initiative. The key role of content first. In order to exploit the strong European position in mobile telephony and digital TV it is key for a new range of services to emerge. European firms are in the best position to localise services geographically and tailor them culturally and linguistically to users' needs. We have to ensure that there is an environment conducive to these changes in Europe. Secondly, the Internet is going mobile. This means the appearance of personalised and localised services that respond to what consumers want, where they want, but the consumers are probably only willing to pay for this content if it is available in a culturally customised format and in their own language. Thus having the right conditions in place for European multilingual digital content production is becoming increasingly important.
In response to this challenge, the Commission has proposed a five-year programme with the aim of accelerating the process of transformation and filling the gap open in the mobile services: three specific lines with the help of strategic studies and input from market actors who are identified in the areas where impact at European level can be maximised, namely, stimulating the exploitation of public sector information, enhancing linguistic and cultural customisation, and supporting market enablers. The budget proposed by the Commission is EUR 150 m over five years. This programme has ambitious objectives and has to have appropriate means to achieve them. I would like to thank Parliament for its strong support for the budget of the programme.
Let me comment on some of the amendments proposed by Parliament. First, on the social and cultural function of digital content, the Commission welcomes the fact that Parliament emphasises the social and cultural dimension of digital content. The Commission supports these amendments which bring out this dimension even more clearly than in its original formulation.
Second, on economic dimension content. The idea of e-content is to marry the social and cultural dimension content with its economic value in order to maximise its expected value. In this respect the report stresses the need to invest in the linguistic and cultural customisation part of the proposal. We welcome these elements.
Thirdly, on the simplification of procedures and payment delays. This is an important point and I agree whole-heartedly with the rapporteur. We have to have put in place fast and simplified procedures for the execution of programmes. In this connection it is worthwhile to notice that as part of the administrative reform, the Commission has recently adopted a communication on the simplification of its decision-making procedures. We intend to make maximum use of these measures and reduce as much as possible the time between the presentation of a project proposal and a decision on its financing.
In conclusion, out of 49 amendments voted by the committee, let me say that the Commission can support 23 as they are, and 15 are acceptable in principle subject to reformulation. The remaining 11 are not directly compatible with the objectives of this specific programme, or would stretch its mandate beyond what can be achieved with the financial means associated with it. Some of them are indeed very valuable in themselves but are better placed in other instruments than in the present decision.
Let me thank you once again for the report. At this stage it is expected that the Telecoms Council of 22 December will reach a political agreement on the proposal. This is necessary in order to start the action early in 2001.
Thank you very much for your attention."@en1
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