European telecommunications ministers expressed optimism about the recovery of the electronic communications sector based on the continuing strong growth in broadband and the imminent launch of new wireless data services. During a meeting this week in Brussels, the ministers highlighted the importance of a mobile, on-line and inclusive information society to drive growth and deliver new jobs and improved productivity across the EU.
Erkki Liikanen, the EC’s Enterprise and Information Society Commissioner, said the returning confidence of the industry must be matched by a new political commitment to push forward with the eEurope plan, including “the full and effective implementation of the new regulatory framework for electronic communications in all new and existing Member States.”
During the meeting, the European Commission outlined its electronic communications agenda for the first half of 2004. Key goals include:
- Defining with national regulatory authorities in the Member States the range of remedies which may be applied to ensure effective competition in electronic communications markets.
- Identifying with stakeholders in the Mobile Technology Platform research priorities and developing a debate about the interoperability priorities for the sector.
- Creating a High Level Group to look at digital rights management and a new Forum on the Digital Divide.
- Reporting in May 2004 on the Member States’ national broadband strategies and in July 2004 on the challenges to 3G deployment.
- Working with partner countries and other stakeholders to pursue international action against spam and, in relation to the global information society, to actively prepare the second stage of the World Summit on the Information Society.
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- The European Commission expects the market for Information Technology and Telecommunications (ICT) in Western Europe to grow by more than 3% in 2004, far outstripping the level of 0.8% in 2003. The worldwide ICT market is expected to grow by well in excess of four percentage points. According to the latest report by the European Information Technology Observatory (EITO), markets in France and Germany are still performing below the ICT average, while Spain is predicted to enjoy the strongest growth.
- However, the report also cautions that constraints – among them a weak economic recovery, budget restrictions, and a lack of skills and technology culture – will inhibit ICT investment.