Tag: ICT

The rapid uptake of computers, mobile phones and the Internet in the emerging world is set to double the industry's CO2 emissions by 2020, according to the first comprehensive study on the impact of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) on the world's climate.

The hot topics in European economic policy - such as the global credit crunch, global warming and energy - are drawing focus away from the important European ICT sector, warns Professor Martin Fransman of the University of Edinburgh in an 8 May opinion piece for ScienceBusiness.net.

Driving through a city in the same manner as through the countryside, avoiding acceleration and thus cutting CO2 emissions: this may be possible thanks to car-embedded software allowing drivers to skip red traffic lights in congested cities, according to a study discussed at the 'Internet of Things' conference in Zurich.

As most member states fail to make any significant progress on reducing the number of road deaths and as Europe's congestion and pollution problems worsen, the Commission says that more should be done to exploit the potential benefits offered by integrating information and communication technologies into all vehicles.

In a joint effort, industry and the EU seek to make as many EU residents as possible computer-literate. They profit professionally and in their private lives, and the potential benefits for the economy are huge. 

The ICT industry is putting pressure on the Commission, asking for a reassessment of WTO trade rules on ICT products, introduced in 1996, to remain in step with technological progress and defend the elimination of tariffs for many electronic products.

A task force representing all sectors of the industry, academics, consumer advocates and trade unionists will draft a report on how to foster the growth of Europe's Information and Communication Technology industry.

Twenty six software companies based in Europe or with major European subsidiaries have set up a new association to boost their industry and to represent it better on such issues as intellectual property rights.

The Commission has allocated one billion euro to fund research in the field of information society technologies.

The EU policy to favour new entrants in the telecoms market needs to be shifted to ensure investment in networks is properly rewarded, say large EU telecoms operators.

In this book, Antonio Alabau from the Universidad Politecnica de Valencia (Spain), tries to answer the following question in the context of the Lisbon strategic objectives: Can the EU, using instruments from its Industrial, Trans-European Networks, Research and Technological Development, Internal Market, Competition and Regional Development Policies, get public administrations to use ICT, carry out organisational changes, improve public services and democratic processes and develop their public policies?

EU telecoms ministers are set to adopt a new programme aimed at protecting children from violent and pornographic content over the internet. New action against junk e-mails is also set to be given the green light.

This report from the Institute for Prospective Technological Studies (IPTS - part of the Joint Research Centre - European Commission) examines the relationship between ICTs and social capital against the backdrop of the Lisbon objectives. It develops the notions of digital divide and death of distance to concludes with key messages to policy makers.

Governments and stakeholders have been invited to comment on a draft Commission document setting out the EU's strategy for information and communication technologies until 2010.

At the IST2004 event in Den Haag, the Commission has unveiled its new work programme for information technologies and set out the priorities for the 7th Framework Programme.

This paper summarises the overall situation of ICT in the new Member States from a global perspective. It shows that significant progress has been made towards the implementation of the Knowledge-based society.

The so-called 'Baltic Tiger' understands that education and information technology are a guarantee for the future, says Professor Jaak Aaviksoo, a former education minister in an interview with EurActiv.

Jan Muehlfeit hopes Microsoft can help ICT in New Member States develop by building e-government services and empowering small businesses to become more competitive.

The third report on 'ICT readiness' published on 9 November by the World Economic Forum says the US tops the index measuring an economy's preparedness to benefit from ICT developments.

On 16 September, the Commission launched an Internet consultation aiming to identify the legal barriers hindering e-business. The consultation will run until 7 November 2003.

Preparations have begun for the year's most important Information Society event, to be held in Milan on 2-4 October under the title "IST 2003: The Opportunities Ahead".

This study investigates which scenarios are emerging with respect to the use of ICT in higher education and how future developments can be predicted and strategic choices can be based on that.

For the acceding countries the prospect of eventual membership in the European Monetary Union (EMU) already raises some important monetary-policy questions: when exactly should they join EMU, and what exchange-rate strategies should they adopt in the intervening period? Time is particularly tight for those that want to join EMU as quickly as possible.

The 2003 edition of the European Information Technology Observatory Report indicates a modest recovery of the ICT sector after a historic low in the preceding two years.