On 31 May 2010 at the Transport, Telecommunications and Energy meeting of the Council of the European Union (EU), the Ministers of the EU Member States welcomed the Digital Agenda for Europe, the European Commission's proposed set of actions for the next 2-3 years for maximising the potential of ICT to address Europe's key challenges.

The Ministers endorsed the seven main areas for action identified in the Agenda, emphasising the importance of digital technologies for employment and economic growth. Several delegations highlighted support for the development of a digital Single Market with fast Internet and interoperable applications, as well as the environmental added value of the Agenda.

In the Council conclusions of the same day on the Digital Agenda for Europe, the ministers acknowledge the importance of the Agenda in economic, social and cultural contexts. They endorse the establishment of an ambitious action agenda for instance to create a fully functioning digital Single Market to the benefit of European businesses -in particular SMEs- and European consumers and to take coordinated measures on network and information security in order to increase trust and confidence in cyberspace.

The Council conclusions invite the Commission and the Member States "to seek ways to enhance horizontal coordination between concerned institutions both at the EU and national level in order to improve the implementation of the Digital Agenda for Europe."

The Digital Agenda for Europe is the first of the seven flagship initiatives of the Europe 2020 Strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. Concrete proposals still have to follow as the Commission will report annually on the implementation of the agenda

 

Further information: 

• Source - Europe's Information Society Thematic Portal
• Related ePractice publication - Digital Agenda for Europe
• Council conclusions on Digital Agenda for Europe
• Related ePractice news article - A Digital Agenda to put the virtuous circle of the digital economy in motion