Information Policy

The Digital Europe Strategy

This brings me to my specific answer to the present economic downturn: Europe's digital economy, where private and public investors can expect a particularly good return on investment.

This innovative sector with importance across the whole economy generates already today substantial revenues via the internet and mobile phones, in particular by providing access to news, information, music, books, films, games and other digital content. And Europe's digital economy has tremendous potential: With a mobile penetration rate of 119% (up from 84% in 2004 when the Barroso-Commission took office), there are today more mobile phone subscriptions than citizens in the EU. 60% of households are connected to the internet (up from 41% five years ago). And while in 2004, only 33% of these households had a high speed broadband connection, this has grown to 80% in the five years of this European Commission.

All this is only the starting point. Europe promises to become even more digital in the years to come. A demographic analysis tells us that today, only 35% of the total population in the EU have used advanced internet services in the last 3 months. This is markedly different for people between 16 and 24: 73% of them have recently used the internet for advanced data transmission, in particular for uploads and downloads of content and for social networking. This figure rises to 89% in Denmark, Europe's most competitive telecoms market.

With these young, regular and intensive internet users, there is a whole generation of "digital natives" ready to apply innovations like web 2.0 to business and public life, whether as podcasters, bloggers, social networkers or website owners. It is in this new generation that there is real growth potential for Europe. Very soon, these digital natives will be turning into consumers with important purchasing power. This is one of the reasons why the European Commission believes that the roll out and development of high speed broadband internet – whether via fixed or via wireless connections – could create around one million jobs in Europe, and spur broadband-related growth in economic activity to the tune of €850 billion. Let us not forget that each 10% of additional broadband penetration yields 1.3% extra growth, according to a new World Bank study.

T o seize this potential in our digital economy, Europe will need to create the right framework for ensuring effective competition and sound regulatory conditions in a well-functioning single market as well as incentives for innovation. In view of the commitment to the social market economy, we also need to make sure that, in the end, consumers benefit from the digital economy. This is particularly important if we want to convince the digital natives to become the drivers of our digital economy.

President Barroso has clearly set out our ambitions when he wrote to the Heads of State and Government on 17 June. He said that we now have to bring about “a Europe committed to the radical transformation towards a knowledge-based society.”

To achieve this radical transformation, I have been working with my team in the past weeks on a strategy for a Digital Europe . This plan has two parts: First, action which the EU institutions can take or prepare still this year, under the present Commission, on the basis of work already started. And secondly, action which we believe should become a priority for the next five years.

http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=SPEECH/09/336&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

Forging Partnerships for Advancing Policy Objectives for the Internet

The OECD’s Information and Communication Policy Committee (ICCP) Committee, in its draft outline for the study: “A Focus on Internet Intermediaries,” as part of its work on Forging Partnerships for Advancing Policy Objectives for the Internet Economy, describes the scope of its investigation as being the role of information intermediaries “in achieving economic and social policy objectives for the Internet economy”.

The Civil Society Information Society Advisory Council (CSISAC) is grateful for the opportunity to comment on this draft outline and commends the decision to supplement the OECD’s substantial work on the knowledge economy with special attention to the public benefits of Internet Intermediaries for the Information Society embodied in this project. We offer these comments on proposed areas of specific focus in this research program and make suggestions for further relevant resources with the aim of supporting the public interest emphasis of the report. We welcome further exchanges on the ICCP’s work as outlined in the Principles for the Participation of Non-governmental Stakeholders in the Work of the ICCP Committee and its Working Parties.

The future growth of the Internet and its ability to reach its full potential in the economic, cultural and social spheres depends on OECD countries adopting legal regimes and regulatory frameworks that provide appropriate incentives for investment in the development of Internet technologies and widespread broadband infrastructure deployment, while safeguarding the rights of citizens. We believe that appropriately tailored frameworks for limitations on liability of Internet intermediaries are the key driver of Internet innovation and the freedom and autonomy of individuals in the Information Society.

As CSISAC stated in the Seoul Declaration, OECD Member countries should “maintain a balanced framework for intellectual property protection that is least intrusive to personal privacy, least restrictive for the development of new technologies, and that promotes creativity, innovation, and learning.”

http://csisac.org/2009/07/04/OECD_Intermediary_070109.pdf

Millennium Development Goals Report 2009

Recent gains in eradicating hunger and poverty endangered by economic and food crises UN Secretary-General calls on rich and poor countries to boost efforts and meet aid commitments

More than halfway to the 2015 deadline to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), major advances in the fight against poverty and hunger have begun to slow or even reverse as a result of the global economic and food crises, a progress report by the United Nations has found. The assessment, launched by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in Geneva, warns that, despite many successes, overall progress has been too slow for most of the targets to be met by 2015.

http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/pdf/MDG%20Report%202009%20ENG.pdf

Confronting the Crisis: Its impact on the ICT industry

The report, Confronting the Crisis: Its Impact on the ICT Industry considers how the industry can position itself for recovery in the future.

Confronting the Crisis: Its Impact on the ICT Industry draws on analysis from leading industry experts and international institutions. As the established order is overturned, it says, convergence in the ICT industry will accelerate, with the emergence of new players with new business models. Firms' ability to weather the economic storm will depend on their ability to invest for the future and explore new opportunities to benefit from the eventual upturn. For an industry founded on innovation, the current turmoil will create openings for nascent ICT companies.

Confronting the Crisis finds that although credit is now less abundant and more expensive, with financing costs for operators on average 3 − 4 per cent higher year-on-year, savvy operators can take advantage of the economic turmoil to reposition their services for the upturn. Funding is still available for players with sound business models, established demand and early projected cash flows. Alternative sources of financing are now needed, with a growing role for government financing and economic stimulus packages.

Many analysts contributing to Confronting the Crisis underlined the need for ICT as vital services and suggested that fixed-mobile substitution and consumers' decision to switch to mobile telephony may gain momentum in developed markets during a prolonged recession. The report also notes that long project lead times for the satellite industry mean that it has been less affected in the short term, with strong recent growth in demand from developing countries.

The financial difficulties facing the private sector could add to pressure for government intervention in the financing of national backbone infrastructure. Governments are already stepping in to diminish the impact on the transition to next-generation networks (NGN), which can carry voice, data and media services simultaneously. Several administrations have announced commitments to invest in their national backbone infrastructure, while others, such as the European Union, have included the roll-out of broadband networks in their economic stimulus packages. Although the financial crisis may delay investment in NGN, it has also led to a widespread reaffirmation of the importance of building advanced telecommunication infrastructure as part of an economic stimulus package.

The Confronting the Crisis report finds that although by early 2009 some operators had cut capital expenditure (CAPEX) by 10−15 per cent, many telecommunication companies acknowledge that investment is vital to maintain quality of services. Growth rates in capital expenditure by regional mobile phone operators may slow down, but CAPEX is unlikely to decline on a global basis. Operators are instead focusing on adopting a more rigorous approach to control costs and increase operational efficiency.

Equipment vendors may be first in the firing line of cuts in investment, but soaring growth in mobile telephony in developing countries has not yet been affected by the crisis. Large emerging markets, including Brazil, India and Nigeria, registered record subscriber additions in September and October 2008. Mobile operators are generally better placed to weather the downturn than fixed operators, as CAPEX accounts for a smaller proportion of their cost base and the incremental cost of upgrades to their networks is low.

http://www.itu.int/osg/csd/emerging_trends/crisis/index.html

Report on the public consultation on European e-Inclusion Policy

A public consultation was launched on 4 March 2009 through the European Commission’s interactive Internet platform “Your voice”. It closed on 6 April 2009 and its main objective was to gather views on the role of e-Inclusion in the future European strategy on the information society that will succeed the "i2010" initiative. The survey was also aimed at gathering opinions on European programmes and activities supporting e-Inclusion and cooperation modalities between European Commission services and relevant stakeholders regarding e-Inclusion activities.

Overall, 103 responses were received. They represent various stakeholder groups, including public authorities (26,2%), non-for-profit academic or research organisations (26,2%), individual academics or researchers (19,4%), commercial operators or industry associations(11,7%), users organisations (5,8%), private individuals (4,9%). Some stakeholders also sent position papers (please see below).

Among those who responded to this consultation, there was a general understanding that European policy on e-inclusion is useful and should be continued and enhanced in post 'i2010' initiative. There was an overwhelming consensus that in a context of financial and economic crisis greater e-Inclusion also generates systemic innovation, new business models and new modalities for service delivery. Respondents provided valuable inputs defining the future possible e-inclusion policies and dissemination activities.

http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/activities/einclusion/survey/index_en.htm

OECD on Public engagement practices - new publication

Complex policy issues cannot be solved by government alone. People have a major role to play in ensuring high-quality public services economically and achieving shared public policy goals.

How are OECD governments putting the principles of open and inclusive policy making into practice? How can they ensure broader, more inclusive, participation?

This book provides answers to these questions, and more, based on a survey of governments in 25 countries, 14 in-depth country case studies and 18 opinion pieces from leading civil society and government practitioners. It includes 10 guiding principles to support open and inclusive policy making and service delivery in practice.”

http://www.oecd.org/document/25/0,3343,en_2649_33735_42216857_1_1_1_1,00.html

http://pep-net.eu/wordpress/?p=548

Web 2.0 Collaboration Tools for the Next Generation of Public Service

Driving high performance through more engaging, accountable and citizen-focused service

Web 2.0 technologies and services have spread around the world at an amazing pace and are used by millions of people every day. Many public service organizations are also adopting Web 2.0 applications to improve their ability to collaborate and serve citizens more effectively.

Accenture believes that Web 2.0 technologies are finding resonance among governments today because they are, in fact, supportive of a broader evolution in public service: a new relationship with government that is about genuine engagement of people in their own governance.

We also believe that public service executives must balance excitement and caution in their evaluation of the potential of Web 2.0. Governments have an obligation to be good stewards of citizens' tax money. They must implement new technologies responsibly and in a way that does not compromise privacy and security.

What is needed at this point in the evolution of Web 2.0 technologies and applications is an effective way to evaluate potential Web 2.0 investments in the context of a proven framework for effective governance—one that helps assess potential advancements in citizen-centric governance against both costs and the inevitable risks that any new technology poses.

The Accenture Public Service Value Governance Framework is such an offering. Derived from Accenture research and our experience working with governments and agencies around the world, the framework provides an important way for public-service executives to evaluate Web 2.0 technologies in terms of four attributes:

* Generating positive social outcomes.

* Balancing choice and flexibility with fairness and the common good.

* Engaging the public as co-producers of public value.

* Improving accountability and transparency.

http://www.accenture.com/Global/Research_and_Insights/By_Industry/Government_and_Public_Service/EvolutionPSDWeb20.htm

Australia Invites Public Comment on National Broadband Network Project

The Australian government today called for public comment on how its planned national broadband network (NGN) should operate, including issues of access, ownership and control of the network Dow Jones reports. Submissions are due by 30 July. The Labour government in April scrapped a tender process to build the network and instead plans to back the A$43-billion (US$34 billion) high-speed fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) network itself, with some investments from the private sector, as the global financial crisis dashed hopes of a single company completing the project. Communications Minister Stephen Conroy said it is important that, in laying the ground work for the single biggest national-building infrastructure in Australia's history, the government gets legislation governing the proposed national broadband network company right.

The government is planning to form a new company for the NGN roll out and operate the new company on a wholesale-only, open-access basis with oversight by competition watchdog the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission. It is asking for comment on how to achieve its goals, including how to set price and non-price terms for services, which services to offer, the nature of any private-sector ownership restrictions, arrangements for the government to ultimately sell its stake, and the role the ACCC should play in regulating the network. Telstra, SingTel's Australian unit Optus, and Canada's Axia NetMedia have indicated they are interested in participating in the NGN project, potentially by selling existing assets into the network in exchange for equity in the new company to be formed for undertaking the project.

https://communicationsdirectnews.com/do.php/140/36138?7649

Information and Communications for Development 2009: Extending Reach and Increasing Impact IC4D Data and Methodology

Information and Communications for Development 2009: Extending Reach and Increasing Impact takes an in-depth look at how ICT, and particularly broadband and mobile, are impacting economic growth in developing countries. The data section includes at-a-glance tables for 150 economies of the latest available data on ICT sector performance. Performance measures for access, affordability and applications in government and business are also introduced.

http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/TOPICS/EXTINFORMATIONANDCOMMUNICATIONANDTECHNOLOGIES/EXTIC4D/0,,contentMDK:22229759~menuPK:5870649~pagePK:64168445~piPK:64168309~theSitePK:5870636,00.html

World Bank Board Approves US$ 151 Million to Extend Affordable Communications Services to Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania

The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors today approved an International Development Association (IDA) credit[1] of US$151 million to extend access to affordable communications services to Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania. This is the third phase of the Regional Communications Infrastructure Program (RCIP) – a US$424 million regional program that will increase the availability of reliable communications services for citizens, businesses and governments in Eastern and Southern Africa. Under RCIP 3, Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania will receive US$20 million, US$31 million and US$100 million respectively.

Despite considerable developments in the information and communication technology (ICT) sector in Africa over the last ten years, the region still has the world’s lowest telephone and Internet user penetration and highest costs.

“Economic development in Eastern and Southern Africa is held back by prohibitive ICT costs and limited communications infrastructure,” said Rick Scobey, World Bank Acting Director for Regional Integration in Sub-Saharan Africa. “RCIP is helping the region to leverage the exciting developments in the sector and overcome the challenges through a combination of sound policy and regulatory frameworks, competitive market structures, and catalytic investments into public-private partnerships to accelerate roll-out of infrastructure networks.”

“Ultimately, RCIP will make affordable Internet and voice communications services more widely available, and in turn create new opportunities for employment, regional trade, social participation, and government efficiency. The recently launched submarine cable projects, together with such national backbone networks are already driving down substantially the costs of broadband connectivity in Africa,” said Mohsen Khalil, World Bank Group Director for Global Information and Communication Technologies.

"This project is a very exciting development for Malawi. The country has had a lot of success in the development of basic voice services, but our international call costs and broadband internet are currently very expensive compared to the rest of the world, and beyond the reach of most people. This project will link Malawi to the world by fiber-optic cable, and reduce the cost of international connectivity - which will in turn reduce the cost of international telephony and broadband internet service," said Timothy Gilbo, World Bank Country Manager for Malawi.

In Mozambique, the project leverages the sector liberalization reforms implemented by the government and will further contribute to the competitiveness of the sector to improve affordability, access, and use of networks. It will support the licensing of new operators, the establishment of rural access points throughout the country, and purchase capacity for universities and government institutions. The project will also set the basis for the development of eGovernment applications that will enable the provision of public services to citizens through electronic platforms.

“We are already seeing exciting developments in Malawi, which is working to become connected to the fiber optic cable which runs along the East African coast, and in Mozambique, where we have seen an explosion in mobile phone availability across the country,” said Peter Nicholas, World Bank Acting Country Director for Angola, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe. “RCIP will leverage these developments and help Malawi, Mozambique and other countries in the region to catch up with the rest of the world in terms of telecommunications infrastructure and services.”

In Tanzania, the project will strengthen the policy and regulatory environment and promote sector reform in order to maximize the benefits of access to international bandwidth. Some components will specifically target priority groups such as the private sector by enabling a national business portal for all business registration information and a telemedicine system for Muhimbili National Hospital. In addition, the project will scale up the national vital registration system, enhance accessibility of land records through websites and mobile phone text messages, and develop an eProcurement pilot for the Medical Stores Department.

“In Tanzania, RCIP will support the implementation of the Government's National ICT Infrastructure Development Program, which aspires to provide ICT connectivity to Tanzanians at all levels,” said John Murray McIntire, World Bank Country Director for Tanzania, Uganda, and Burundi. “In particular, RCIP Tanzania will support last mile initiatives for rural access, the Government Communications Network (GovNet), eGovernment, and capacity building.”

RCIP 3 is a further milestone in the World Bank Group’s commitment to the goals of the Connect Africa Summit, which was held in November 2007 in Rwanda. As a result of the Summit, the World Bank Group and the African Development Bank have partnered to help Africa achieve the Summit goals by mobilizing funds to invest in infrastructure and applications, advising on the policy and regulation of the ICT sector across the continent, and helping with the design and implementation of national e-strategies.

The first phase of RCIP was approved by the Board of the World Bank in March 2007, providing assistance to Burundi, Kenya, and Madagascar, with a combined IDA volume of around US$164.5 million. The second phase, a US$24 million IDA grant for Rwanda, was approved in September 2008. RCIP complements regional undersea cable initiatives such as the Eastern Africa Submarine Cable System (EASSy) developed by telecommunications operators with support from IFC and other development partners.

http://www.webnewswire.com/node/460184