More than half of all Europeans (around 250 million citizens) regularly use the Internet, with 80% of these making use of broadband access. These are some of the conclusions put forward by the European Commission in the Communication ''Preparing Europe's digital future - i2010 Mid-Term Review'', released on 18 April 2008. The Communication presents the results obtained to date with the i2010 initiative, which reflects the strategy of the European Union (EU) for economic and employment growth based on digital technologies.
«It is especially good news that 77% of EU businesses, 67% of schools and 48% of doctors are now benefiting from fast broadband connections», said Viviane Reding, EU Commissioner for Information Society and Media, while warning of the need to correct the distortions in the EU, especially in rural and remote regions.
The EC considers that the i2010 initiative has triggered new community projects on regulation, research and public-private partnerships, which are starting to deliver. According to the Commission, 60 per cent of EU public services are on line and 96% of European schools are now connected to the Internet - two thirds of them to broadband. In the health sector, 57% of doctors now send or receive patients' data, compared to 17% in 2002; and 46% of clinics receive results from laboratories electronically (11% in 2002).
Although it considers that the EU is well positioned to reap the economic benefit of information and communication technologies (ICT), the EC identifies a series of challenges for 2008, highlighting the following:
- Develop a broadband performance index and invite Member States to set national targets for high-speed Internet usage to reach a 30% penetration rate among the EU population by 2010;
- Help prepare the information society for the future Internet economy by issuing a Communication on the future of networks and Internet;
- Facilitate the transition to new networks by issuing a recommendation on Next Generation Access;
- Promote the Internet of Things through a Recommendation on RFID, focusing on privacy and security issues;
- Propose a set of actions to facilitate the transition to IPv6;
- Encourage the use of ICT by publishing a guide that explains users' rights and obligations in the digital environment.
Further information:
- More than 250 million Europeans regularly use Internet, says Commission's ICT Progress Report http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/08/605&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en
- i2010 Mid - Comunication from the Commission to the European Parliament http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/eeurope/i2010/docs/annual_report/2008/com_2008_199_en.pdf
- Volume 1: i2010 - Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/eeurope/i2010/docs/annual_report/2008/sec_2008_470_Vol_1.pdf
- Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament - Vol. II http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/eeurope/i2010/docs/annual_report/2008/sec_2008_470_Vol_2.pdf
- i2010 Mid- - Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament - Vol. III http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/eeurope/i2010/docs/annual_report/2008/sec_2008_470_Vol_3.pdf
Related information on ANACOM's website:
- Commission's annual report on the digital economy https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?contentId=472389
