Spaans Voorzitterschap pleit voor betere infrastructuur (en)

European Union

The Spanish Secretary of State for Telecommunications and Information Society, Francisco Ros, has taken part at the opening of the World Congress on Information Technology in Amsterdam, with a speech on the Granada Strategy.

Ros highlighted the main points of the declaration approved in Granada last month by the EU Telecommunications and Information Society ministers vis-a-vis the implementation of the new European Digital Agenda, which should be adopted prior to the conclusion of the six month term of the Spanish Presidency.

The strategy aims to overcome the digital divide and achieve 100% broad band coverage for all citizens in 2013. It also includes the adoption of high-speed communications by 2020, the rollout of efficient, new-generation networks, together with the implementation of a predictable regulatory framework.The strategy also involves the development of data protection measures.

Furthermore, the strategy also includes the drafting and dissemination of the Digital Rights Charter, the creation of a single market for content and e-Commerce, the development of interoperable digital public services and innovation in ICTs in areas in which Europe has greatest market potential.

In short, the Spanish Secretary of State advocated more and better infrastructures, capable of hosting multiple and higher quality online services in a unified and trusted market.These services are required to attract the necessary combined demand and to encourage the wide-ranging introduction of these technologies.

This process will generate more revenues, necessary for investment in upgrading the existing infrastructures and to develop new-generation networks: the so-called ’virtuous circle of the Digital Agenda’.

The Secretary of State also made reference to sustainability. It is calculated that by 2020, the intelligent use of ICTs in industrial sectors may help reduce CO2 emissions in Europe by 15%, which, in financial terms equates to a saving of over 600 million Euros.

The WCIT, considered the most important world event in the field of ICTs, is organised by the World Information Technologies and Services Alliance with support from the European Commission, under the auspices of the ICT Office, and co-organised by the Ministry of Economic Affairs of the Netherlands and Amsterdam City Council.