The European Commission (EC) has presented a set of measures to help European industry, SMEs, researchers and public authorities make the most of new technologies.
As regards the digitisation of industry, EC considers that a comprehensive approach at European level is needed and announced that it will come forward with measures such as the investment of €500 million in a pan-EU network of digital innovation hubs, the set up of large-scale pilot projects to strengthen internet of things and the adoption of future-proof legislation. The European cloud initiative also forms part of this package, particularly aiming to provide researchers and science and technology professionals a virtual environment to store, manage, analyse and re-use large amounts of research data.
The Commission proposes also concrete measures to speed up the standard setting process for five priority areas (5G, cloud computing, internet of things, data technologies and cybersecurity, and also to co-finance the testing and experimentation of technologies to accelerate standards setting.
This set of measures also includes an e-government action plan that aims to modernise digital public services, which namely integrates the set up of a digital single gateway and of a pilot project with administrations to apply the "once-only" principle, and the provision of support to EU Member States to develop cross-border e-health services.
Further information:
- Commission sets out path to digitise European industry http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-16-1407_en.htm
- Digital Single Market - Digitising European industry Questions & Answers http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-16-1409_en.htm
- European Cloud Initiative to give Europe a global lead in the data-driven economy http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-16-1408_en.htm
