Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-02-11-Speech-2-298"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20030211.12.2-298"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spoken text |
".
Mr President, I am happy to see everyone with an interest in this field here tonight. I dream of a day when we can discuss this issue in the daytime - it may come.
Finally, I would like to stress the importance of 3G in the context of access to open and interoperable platforms. This is to increase consumers’ choice and thus to contribute to the establishment of an information society for all. Inclusiveness is an overriding principle in eEurope 2005.
The Commission is committed to pursuing action toward openness and interoperability of platforms, as so clearly requested by Parliament.
Let me briefly reiterate the main objectives of the eEurope 2005 action plan. eEurope sets out to stimulate the demand-supply cycle by, on the demand side, promoting content, services and applications, where there is a crucial role for online public services – eGovernment, eHealth and eLearning – as well as for eBusiness.
This will stimulate and is stimulated by the supply side, by enabling the widespread availability and use of multi-platform and secure broadband.
It is vital to ensure an inclusive information society. Therefore we are promoting multi-platform access which includes digital television, 3G mobile, PCs, kiosks and whatever terminals are available.
I am pleased to see that Mr Paasilinna's report gives such strong support to the main ideas of the eEurope Action Plan. We fully share the view that guaranteeing broadband connections at an affordable price, which is essential for a competitive and dynamic economy, requires decisive actions from Member State governments.
Mr Paasilinna asked how we could accelerate access for the Member States. We continue to carry out rigorous reporting and benchmarking of the activities. At the same time, we have launched two presentations of European best practice in eGovernment and eHealth. We will nominate these best practices and ensure they are widely diffused among the public authorities in all Member States.
In our recently adopted communication on the situation in the telecoms sector we call upon Member States to commit to putting their national broadband strategy in place by the end of this year.
As Mr Khanbhai’s report on the impact of eEconomy notes, SMEs are key drivers of economic growth and should be encouraged actively to engage in the eEconomy. I broadly share the views presented in Mr Khanbhai's report, for example, the need for SMEs to have easy access to legal advice on applicable law and on ICT and eBusiness skills. We agree that European businesses, and especially SMEs, need support in ‘going digital’. The Commission is currently working together with the Member States to set a new policy framework for eBusiness policies for SMEs, including potential quantitative targets.
Network security has become a major policy concern and therefore a central issue in the eEurope 2005 action plan. Parliament’s position on this matter of October last year was very much appreciated. As I mentioned earlier, the Commission today adopted a draft regulation on the Agency.
Information and communication technologies are a powerful source of growth and productivity gains, which contribute to improving our living standards. That is why the recovery of the sector is so important at this point in time.
The Commission is also committed, through eEurope 2005, to promote a wider access to and greater participation in the benefits of the information society, particularly for disadvantaged groups. In addition to the specific measures foreseen by the MODINIS programme itself, the Commission intends to promote and sustain several initiatives which will be organised in the context of the European Year for Disabled and which will follow from its earlier communication on website accessibility.
eEurope 2005 will be implemented in part through MODINIS and, though it is not part of our debate today, I would like also to thank Parliament for the support given to the Commission proposal, in particular as far as the budget is concerned.
Let me now turn to the piece of legislation which we now have on the table: the directive on the re-use of public sector information. As Mr Van Velzen said today and as he underlines in his report, the content is essential for further development of the information society. The message here is clear and it comes at a time when the financial constraints in the sector bring attention to the fact that public sector information is a key content resource throughout information society services. The key elements are transparency of procedures and of conditions for re-use, non-discrimination and fair competition.
The directive will stimulate the creation of information services based upon, or incorporating, public sector information. It is important for the content industries and also for the telecoms sector, which needs to find ways to generate content for 3G services.
I fully share the opinion of Mr Van Velzen that the operators should work together to create a marketplace. We need cooperation and interoperability to create a market which can convince the consumers.
Mr President, I wish to thank all the Members for this important debate and for their contribution to the whole process since we started work on the telecoms framework.
The five reports which the House will deal with today and tomorrow give us the opportunity to keep the political momentum towards the achievement of the Lisbon agenda, as many honourable Members have said today. These reports also contribute to the process of building confidence in the ICT sector.
Allow me first of all to thank all the rapporteurs, Mr Van Velzen, Mrs Auroi, Mr Paasilinna, Mr Khanbhai and Mrs Read, as well as the shadow rapporteurs and political groups for their thorough work on these Commission communications and proposals.
I am also pleased to have the opportunity to inform you that the Commission adopted four important documents today. These are: a communication on the situation in the telecoms sector; a draft regulation establishing a European Network and Information Security Agency, as has been mentioned here; the final report on eEurope 2002 and the Recommendation on Relevant Markets. I hope you find them in your computers when you return to your offices.
Let me reiterate our common commitment to an efficient and timely implementation of the new regulatory framework. The framework will stimulate investment and thus promote facility-based competition, which is, in the medium to long-term, the best guarantee for sustained consumer benefits, innovation, and investment. With the recommendation on relevant markets we aim to give legal certainty and to help restore confidence to the sector.
Let me come back to the themes of tonight and say a few words first on the report on 3G. Mrs Auroi’s report, as adopted by the Committee on Industry, External Trade, Research and Energy, sends an important signal at a time when the first 3G services are about to be launched. At this juncture, 3G deployment is clearly a priority. We need to encourage solutions which favour a quick deployment of networks while also accommodating environmental needs.
In today’s communication on the situation in the telecoms sector, the Commission calls for a series of actions to overcome barriers to 3G deployment. Amongst these is the clarification of network infrastructure sharing, the importance of which was also emphasised in the report.
Information to the citizens on the health aspects related to mobile communications and continued research are important. Scientific findings need to be made broadly available. The Commission will promote the diffusion of information, for example through a specific web site. The World Health Organisation is the leading authority in this area, and we are working closely with it."@en1
|
| lpv:unclassifiedMetadata |
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples