Statement by Carlo Trojan on the Implementation of the Information Society in the EU

Summary: July 3, 2002: Statement by H.E. Mr. Carlo Trojan, Head of Delegation, European Commission, at the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) PrepCom 1, on the "Implementation of the Information Society in the European Union" (Geneva, 1-5 July)

Introduction

Over a period of some 15 years, the European Union has gained valuable and extensive experience in the implementation of the Information Society which it is happy to share with countries and regions world-wide. Although very successful at the moment, the path has proven to be of considerable complexity and it has had its fair share of ups and downs. With the benefit of hindsight, it is now possible to analyse more clearly what elements have contributed to its success.

A historical perspective

The EU started early in the 80's to focus in on the importance of Information and Communications Technology as it became clearer that its use could help to improve economic productivity and wealth as well as people's life. Although originally a research and development activity, it quickly transpired that the impact of technology was more profound than anticipated and later in the 80's, the policy aspects became of increasing interest.

With the publication of the European Commission's Green Paper on the Telecommunications sector, a policy debate started which has not seized to end. Following an initial, careful liberalisation of the sector with the aim to introduce competition, increase investments, lower prices, and improve quality of services, full competition in the sector was introduced in 1998. At the centre of the discussions have been, and still are, the benefits for consumers in terms of access, choice, price, and quality. The universal service concept was introduced to provide EU citizens with a right to an affordable telephony service and a number of related consumer rights were provided for in EU legislation.

Along with discussions on the appropriate measures, technological developments advanced at high pace and with increasingly, clear impact on economy, social fabric, and cultural values. The introduction of Internet and subsequently of e-Commerce were causes for more deliberations with less and less focus on the technology as such but more and more on the impact on society as a whole and on individuals.

Over the years, a comprehensive set of EU policies have been developed and implemented by the EU Member States which address Information Society aspects in areas like education, health, transport, environment, culture, regional development, trade, research, enterprise and SME policy, taxation, etc.

A balanced approach

The careful balance in the EU policies is present at a number of dimensions:

The liberalisation of the telecommunications sector is balanced with a harmonised approach across the EU Member States to ensure that all citizens can draw on the same benefits and that private sector players are treated equally;
Common policy objectives and a single EU legislative framework are balanced with implementation and reinforcement as closely to the marketplace as possible, at national level;
Stimulating private sector lead initiatives and providing market freedoms are balanced with clear consumer rights;
Economic policies are balanced with social, employment and cultural policies.

This approach has proven its value, substantially increased the acceptance of these policies among the private sector and consumers alike, and provided for a suitable and credible way in continuing to address new developments.

Some essential elements in the EU approach

The development of a coherent and focussed e-strategy, coupled with commitments at the highest political level, has proven to be essential. The fact that the EU Heads of State and Government have addressed the eEurope initiatives over the last years at each of the European Summits has provided for a level of attention and clear show of commitment without precedent. The policy guidance from the top allowed the national ministries and the European Commission to move forward in a coherent fashion and pursue common goals and objectives, which recently resulted in the adoption of the latest phase, the eEurope2005 Action Plan. It provides the private sector with confidence that their investment decisions are supported by clear policy positions, and shows to the public at large that the impact of new technologies is taken seriously by the policy makers. The EU Candidate Countries as well have found this approach to be attractive and their Prime-Ministers have successfully launched the so-called eEurope+ Action Plan, similar to eEurope and equally ambitious in scope. Recently, the South Eastern European countries of the Stability Pact have agreed to embark on a joint political undertaking of this kind.

Close cooperation between public sector, private sector, civil societies, academic world, and other interest groups has allowed for the synergetic energy to be brought to bear on the development of policies, on the investment decisions, and on the local implementation. The complexity of the interaction of the technological, economic, and social elements is such that none of these entities on its own can expect to develop the expertise to deal with the questions and issues arising. It has become fully recognised that all of the stakeholders are required to bring together the necessary expertise in a timely fashion to address the continuous wave of new challenges brought about by the ever-lasting developments of technology and markets.

Although brought about by political will rather than economic necessity alone, the regional co-operative approach of the 15 EU countries has proven to be important and helpful in mastering all the different elements and dimensions, providing for a large, coherent internal market with economies of scale and scope for both business and consumers, and allowing for a mutual exchange of experiences and benchmarking that helped to determine the most optimum policy approaches. Moreover, the monitoring of policy implementation in the cross-border, transactional environment between a limited number of countries has helped to develop mutually compatible policies in the wider context of the global market place.

Opening up of markets, full liberalisation, and the development and rigorous reinforcement of a pro-competitive regulatory framework for the telecommunications sector is a cornerstone policy. Without competitive supply, lower prices, increased quality of telecommunications services, the Information Society cannot, and will not, take off. A key consideration is that proper functioning of the telecommunications sector is not a goal in its own right, but an economic necessity to allow economic growth and competitiveness of a country's economy as a whole.

Continuous evaluation of the policy approach, experimentation with new governance methods (e.g. acceptance of forms of private sector self-regulation), simplification of regulation, and full transparency of the decision-making processes are essential if Information Society policies are to keep up and reflect properly the realities of the market place. Particularly developments surrounding Internet and eCommerce have created a need to evaluate existing practices in the off-line world and to evaluate them on their practical application in the on-line world.

Full recognition that national, regional, and local elements of economic, social, and cultural diversity need to be reflected in the policy approach has overcome some reluctance in accepting a broader, regional EU approach.

Ref: PRES02-204EN
EU source: EU Presidency
UN forum: Other
Date: 3/7/2002

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