In this short, ten-page document, the Commission identifies key issues to gear ICT policy towards meeting citizens' and businesses' expectations for the post-2005 period:
- Content and services: fostering the provision of multimedia content and services over broadband networks.
- E-inclusion and citizenship: avoiding a 'digital divide' whereby some are excluded from modern information and communication technologies (see EurActiv LinksDossier on the Digital divide)
- Public services: improving the quality of online public services delivered to both citizens and businesses (see EurActiv LinksDossier on e-government). This, the Commission insists, also implies back-office re-organisation and the interoperability of applications and services.
- ICT skills and work: improving ICT skills in education and lifelong learning to position the European workforce more effectively on the European and global labour market (see EurActiv LinksDossier on Digital divide and e-learning)
- ICT as a key industrial sector: in 2005, the Commission will analyse the sector's competitiveness and make policy proposals, in particular related to Research and Development policy (see EurActiv, 17 Nov. 2004)
- Interoperability: making equipment, networks and applications compatible with one another (interconnection between networks, services and equipment) through the adoption of appropriate standards.
- Trust and dependability: dealing with network security issues, unsolicited commercial communication (spam), protecting individual's privacy and businesses' intellectual property rights (see EurActiv LinksDossier on Cybercrime)
- Exploitation of ICT by business: widespread adoption of ICT by small and medium-sized businesses in particular remains a challenge, offering untapped potential for growth and competitiveness.
