Italy targets eEurope 

During its six-month term, the Italian Presidency aims to promote the goal of building a knowledge-based digital European economy set out by the Lisbon European Council. In accordance with the eEurope 2005 Action Plan, the Presidency will promote the growth and spread of new technologies and services to boost economic competitiveness and efficiency. While heeding the objectives specified for the individual areas of the Action Plan (eGovernment, eLearning, eBusiness, eHealth, eCommerce), the Presidency will consider eGovernment a strategic sector. During the Italian Presidency's six-month term, a Commission Communication and a Council Resolution are scheduled to be released to promote the use of digital tools in the public and the private sectors alike. The Presidency will also keep the IDA III programme high on its agenda (the programme focuses on the exchange of digital data between public administrations).

The Presidency's other key priority issues are:

• Network security: the Presidency will work for the approval of a Regulation establishing the European Network Security Agency;
• New technologies: broadband, 3G mobile telephony, digital television and multimedia will continue to be in the forefront of attention. The Presidency will host the annual European ICT Conference in Milan in October 2003;
• World Summit on the Information Society: The Presidency will present a European position at the UN World Summit on the Information Society to be held in Geneva in late December 2003;
• Market liberalisation: The Presidency will give impetus to the ongoing process of market liberalisation in order to boost regulatory harmonisation and transparency;

 

TheEuropean Information, Communications and Consumer Electronics Technology Industry Association(EICTA) has issued a "call to arms" to the Italian Presidency in an effort to "revive the stagnating technology sector". EICTA welcomes the Presidency's priorities and believes that the "expectations of the European ICT/CE sector are great". EICTA urges the Presidency to consider its recommendations laid down in the document "eEurope - The Way Forward".