Poland

[PL] ePolska-Plan adopted

IRIS 2001-10:1/33

Małgorzata Pęk

National Broadcasting Council of Poland

On 11 September 2001 the Council of Ministers adopted a document "ePolska - Action Plan for the development of the Information Society in Poland for the period 2001 - 2006", which was based on partial strategies prepared by the respective institutions and that followed the action plan included in "eEurope 2002 - An Information Society for All", a document issued by the European Commission (see IRIS 2000-6: 5 and IRIS 2001-7: 4). The programme ePolska deals with a number of issues connected with the implementation of the Information Society, taking into consideration developments and realities in Poland. An absolute precondition for realising the aims enshrined in the programme ePolska is a broadband, universal, affordable and safe access to new electronic communication networks.

The programme comprises the following aims: preparing society for fast technological changes in the social and economic sphere due to the emergence of the Information Society (e.g. the adaptation of Polish educational programmes to the needs of a science-based society), education of adults in the area of information technologies, promotion of professions connected with the application of these technologies. It foresees the adaptation of the legislative framework to the standards of rapid technological progress and the Information Society age. Moreover, ePolska aims at being adaptable to the requirements of the electronic economy. This could be achieved by introducing legal regulations on electronic signature (see above), electronic transactions means, legal protection of databases, providing universal information technologies' service, and on electronic commerce. An additional advantage for the development of the Information Society in Poland would be the implementation of an electronic procedure in public procurement, facilitating on-line access to public administration, enhancing participation of small- and medium-size enterprises in e-commerce as well as the elaboration of models for digital media in Poland.