[eccr] eEurope 2005 to revitalise growth of Information Society in Europe

Title: eEurope 2005 to revitalise growth of Information Society in Europe

Spanish Presidency puts weight behind eEurope 2005 to revitalise growth of Information Society in Europe

Interview granted to the www.ue2002.es editorial team by Spain's Minister for Science and Technology, Anna Birulés, regarding the informal meeting in Vitoria (21-22/02/2002)

ue2002: The meeting is to examine the results of the eEurope 2002 Action Plan approved two years ago at the Lisbon Summit. Going by the information available, how does the Presidency view the results so far?


A.B. The future of this initiative and the action we need to take to revitalise it is a key issue for the Spanish Presidency of the EU. This meeting will look at the future of the eEurope initiative, and to that end a Commission communication on the extent to which the eEurope Plan has been implemented will be presented for discussion. The results of the meeting will be submitted to the Barcelona European Council, where the Heads of State and Government are due to lend political impetus to the growth of the Information Society in Europe. The meeting will be an opportunity to move ahead with defining guidelines for the new eEurope Action Plan for 2002-2005. The Spanish Presidency is putting its weight firmly behind eEurope 2005 to give fresh impetus to the development of the Information Society in Europe and incorporate the improvements which have become apparent with the experience gained over the last two years.


ue2002: What priorities and changes need to be taken into account in the new Action Plan or strategy being drawn up for the next few years? Which issues are still unresolved?


A.B. The eEurope 2002 Action Plan has been highly important in promoting and focusing the development of the Information Society in Europe. It incorporates three main strategic lines: a cheaper, faster, secure Internet; investing in in people and skills, and stimulating the use of the Internet. It set a series of goals (64 in all), in each case establishing a deadline for meeting the goal and indicating who was responsible for achieving the task. At the same time, 23 indicators were established to give a general idea of the progress of the Information Society in Europe. This made the Plan a practical and effective tool, facilitating the task of assessing and quantifying the results objectively. The goals laid down in the Plan are due to be attained this year.


Within this framework, the key lines of action for the Spanish Presidency are:

·    to adopt the requisite measures and formulate the plans needed to complete the ³eEurope, an Information Society for all" initiative adopted at the Lisbon European Council, to connect the Network and usher in the digital era as quickly as possible for all the people of Europe regardless of where they live,

·    rapid implementation of the Spanish Government¹s programmes and actions, and of the measures Spain will be taking as part of the EU¹s initiatives based on eEurope "An Information Society for all",

·    to continue to play a growing leading role in the Community¹s eEurope initiative.

On the basis of past experience, an assessment will be made of whether or not we need to continue or renew the Plan and, if we do, an initial examination will be made of which elements of the Plan could be used again, and which would need to be improved, removed or replaced.

ue2002: One of the Spanish Presidency¹s priorities for the Information Society is cooperation with the countries of Latin America. What practical initiatives are being planned?


A.B. Latin America is a community to which both our history and our sympathies attach us, and whose future we need to build on a foundation of cooperation and dialogue. It is in our interest that it be a world player with growing weight in the international context. As our futures are bound together, we have an all-round strategy on Latin America, embracing politics, the economy, trade, culture and cooperation. At the same time, we will broaden the political dialogue and institutional relations between the European Union and Latin America with a view to intensifying our relations in the cultural and educational fields, within the framework of the Information Society.


Under the policy of creating ³More Europe², a greater presence will be sought for Europe on the international stage. To this end, relations with Latin America and the Caribbean will be one of our Presidency¹s priorities. A meeting has been organised of EU and Latin American Ministers for Telecommunications and the Information Society, together with the European Commission and representatives of the sectoral industry and of civil society, who are to meet in Seville on 26 and 27 April, capitalising on the synergies of the first Meeting of Latin American Ministers for the Information Society, which took place in Madrid on 27 and 28 September 2001, and the forthcoming Summit of Heads of State and Government of the European Union, Latin America and the Caribbean, due to be held in Madrid on 16 and 17 May 2002. The debate will focus on the two regions¹ strategies to promote the Information Society, recent changes in the regulation of the sector, and Electronic Administration. The 
results of the meeting will be submitted to the Summit of Heads of State and Government of the European Union and Latin America. The Alliance for the Information Society Programme, known as @lis, is to be officially presented during our Presidency.

Source: www.ue2002.es