European Commission: eEurope 2002 Draft Action Plan Presented

IRIS 2000-6:1/8

Francisco Javier Cabrera Blázquez

European Audiovisual Observatory

On 24 May 2000, the European Commission presented a Draft Action Plan titled "eEurope 2002 - An Information Society For All". This is the Commission's response to the request made by the Heads of State and Government at the Lisbon European Council on 23-24 March (see IRIS 2000-4: 3-4). On that occasion, both the Council of the European Union and the Commission were asked to draw up a comprehensive eEurope Action Plan for the European Council's June meeting in Feira (Portugal).

The Commission has modified the key areas initially identified in its eEurope initiative, to ensure that the targets set in Lisbon are reached by means of adequate implementing measures. The Commission also takes account of the numerous reactions it has received concerning the eEurope initiative, especially from the European Parliament and Member States and of comments made during the Informal Ministerial Conference on the Information and Knowledge Society held in Lisbon on 10-11 April.

The Draft Action Plan sets out three key objectives:

A cheaper, faster and secure Internet, with a new pro-competitive regulatory framework, and special emphasis on researchers and students and multifunctional secure smart cards throughout Europe;

Investing in people and skills, to lead the European youth into the digital age and enable anyone to participate and work in the knowledge-based economy;

Stimulate the use of the Internet, accelerating e-commerce, electronic access to public services in "Internet time" and the promotion of European digital content.

Three main methods will be applied to achieve the identified targets: accelerating the setting up of an appropriate legal environment, supporting new infrastructure and services across Europe and applying the open method of co-ordination and benchmarking.

Due to the need to undertake urgent action in this field, the Draft Action Plan proposes that all targets should be achieved by 2002. It also stresses the need for political commitment of the Member States, the European Parliament and the European Commission to achieve the targets addressed.