E-Europe 2005: taking the EU information society to next level

Citation

(2002), "E-Europe 2005: taking the EU information society to next level", Journal of European Industrial Training, Vol. 26 No. 8. https://doi.org/10.1108/jeit.2002.00326hab.010

E-Europe 2005: taking the EU information society to next level

E-Europe 2005: taking the EU information society to next level

Encouraging greater use of the latest information technology in education forms a key part of a new action plan, E-Europe 2005: an Information Society for All, which has been adopted by the European Commission.

The plan sets out the goals for the EU's information society in the next three years. The aims are to provide a favourable environment for private investment and the creation of new jobs, boost productivity, modernize public services and notably education, and provide opportunities to participate in the global information society.

Erkki Liikanen, European commissioner responsible for enterprise and the information society, said: "E-Europe 2005 is a crucial step towards the EU's goal of turning Europe into the world's most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy by 2010. It focuses our activities on those areas where public authorities can improve the environment for investment and ensure that the benefits of the information society are felt by all Europeans in the years to come."

"Broadband-enabled communication will bring social as well as economic benefits. It will contribute to inclusion, cohesion and cultural diversity. It offers the potential to improve and simplify the life of all Europeans and to change the way people interact, not only at work, but also with friends, family, community and institutions, and the way companies operate."

Less than 2 per cent of EU households have a broadband Internet connection, compared with 13 per cent in the USA. Without broadband, which is 25 times faster than a standard telephone line, consumers cannot easily be offered advanced Internet services such as videos, graphics or musical files.