The Commission has disclosed the first annual report on the implementation of the i2010 strategy - ''A European Information Society for growth and jobs'' - and has called on Member States to improve broadband access, facilitate the Community-wide circulation of digital content, free up radio spectrum for new applications, integrate research and innovation and modernise public services, giving a new impetus to national policies within the scope of information and communication technologies (ICT).
The Commission notes that, following the adoption of the i2010 strategy, all Member States identified research and innovation policies as a strategic priorities in the scope of their national reform programmes; notwithstanding, such programmes were not found to give a new impetus to information society policies or to cover drivers of growth such as the convergence of digital networks, content and devices.
According to the EU Commissioner for the Information Society and Media, while first good results of the Community policy have been achieved as regards the promotion of competition and investment in the telecommunication markets, it is worrying that, as far as ICT research is concerned, Europe does not invest as much as its largest competitors (about half as much as the USA) and that this sector contributes today less to the productivity growth of the European Union (EU) than it did 10 years ago. Nevertheless, the ICT sector has achieved above-average growth and is still the EU's most innovative and research intensive sector, having generated at least 45% of EU productivity gains in 2000-2004.
Some positive trends are also mentioned, such as investments in networks and an increase by 60% of broadband use, reaching 13% of the EU population. Moreover, the development in the offer of new services by operators, such as ''triple-play'' or web TV, is strongly encouraged by the Community policy in this matter. The new eGovernment Action Plan, proposed by the Commission in April, is also expected to bring about new impetus to the sector.
Further information:
- ICT for growth and jobs: most EU Member States need to be more ambitious, criticises Commission's first annual progress report http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/06/654&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en
Related information on ANACOM's website:
- EU - European Union https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?categoryId=66653
