Mr Chairman, Honourable Members of Parliament:
The new strategic framework "i2010 – a European information society for growth and employment", adopted by the Commission in June 2005, was the first concrete action of the new Lisbon strategy. Both the Council and the European Parliament gave a very positive response to the i2010 strategy. In its i2010 Conclusions of 1 December 2005, the Council stressed that Member States, the European institutions and all other stakeholders share responsibility for the i2010 strategy, and set the overall policy agenda for the years ahead. This includes concrete action to be taken by all those involved in the process. Our primary aim is to establish conditions which will make sustainable and effective implementation possible.
In the course of 2006 the Austrian and Finnish Presidencies will work to give the new initiative a successful start and facilitate its effective implementation. The Commission is expected to deliver its first report on the implementation of the i2010 strategy in May 2006. We look forward to the findings and any recommendations made.
To fulfil the specific priorities of the i2010 initiative, the Commission is expected to bring forward the new eGovernment Action Plan at the end of April 2006. On the basis of the Action Plan, we intend to initiate a broad-ranging discussion at EU level on the further concrete actions required. These Council Conclusions are due to be adopted at the Telecommunications Council in June 2006.
The Manchester Ministerial Declaration expressed clearly the need for structured, results-oriented Action Plan, which should highlight successful measures and case histories and facilitate the sharing of best practice among all Member States. Initiatives already undertaken, such as the call for, and publicising of, examples of best practice throughout Europe in the area of eGovernment or from the eGovernment Observatory, are important initiatives which need to be better integrated into an overall eGovernment strategy. There is a desire among all governments and public administrations to coordinate shared objectives taking into account the benefits and impact of eGovernment. These objectives should focus on:
Building on years of political support from previous Presidencies, and the work done by the European Public Administration Network, we hope to enhance the results. On 10 February 2006 a seminar on the subject will be held in Vienna, entitled "eGovernment for all Europeans". In addition to improving cooperation among all Member States, the seminar is intended to produce a roadmap for inclusive eGovernment which synchronises with i2010 "ICT for inclusion" activities.
At the end of February or in March, we are expecting the Commission Communication on eAccessibility and Inclusion. The Communication reporting on the results of the Digital Divide Forum reinforces a clear link to the i2010 strategy and its focus on an inclusive European Information Society in particular.
One issue on the policy agenda is network and information security. The Council has constantly addressed this issue. The importance of the adoption of the Council Resolution of 2002 and the establishment of the European Network and Information Security Agency (ENISA) in 2004 cannot be overestimated. This issue was also discussed at the World Summit on the Information Society.
In the first quarter of 2006, we are expecting a first set of Communications from the Commission on strengthening trust in ICT and on security issues (such as spam, viruses). I assume that the Commission will then adopt a Strategy for a Secure Information Society. I have in mind the proposal for a framework for security activities and initiatives including a Security Charter. We welcome this initiative as a major contribution to the evaluation of the existing regulatory framework. On this basis, the Austrian Presidency is planning to initiate a broad European dialogue on future challenges.
To this end, a seminar entitled "Trust in the Net" will be held in Vienna on 9 February 2006, followed by a European Conference on Security Research on 20/21 February 2006. Both events will be organised by the Commission and the Council Presidency. As part of a rolling agenda, this dialogue will be further promoted within the Council under the Finnish Presidency.
The revision of the Television without Frontiers Directive will be another key concern. A proposal for this was, as I am sure you know, submitted by the European Commission in December. From my point of view, it is important that the negotiations progress swiftly and concretely. We wish to see a structured and efficient discussion. I regard constant exchange with the European Parliament as a matter of course. This approach to the issue should enable us to make rapid progress with the revision process.
With regard to the content, it is important, in my opinion, to hold a detailed discussion on the scope. I should like to emphasise that the inclusion of non-linear services in the Television Directive is essentially to be welcomed, since this implies an open approach to the points to be addressed in the context of a single European market.
Our aim for the Council meeting of Ministers for Culture on 18 and 19 May 2006 is, however, to hold a first major policy debate. At the same time, we should all endeavour to establish, as far as possible, the common ground with regard to the individual provisions of the Directive.
With regard to audiovisual media, I should also like to refer to the issue of Content and the Creative Economy.
We intend to put this field on the European agenda in a high-level seminar. It will focus, comprehensively and in horizontal terms, on the media platforms, especially television, cinema, Internet, music, print media and books, and the relevant Community programmes. In Vienna on 2 and 3 March, under the title "Content for competiveness – strengthening the European Creative Industries in the light of the i2010 strategy", we intend to launch an awareness-raising and opinion forming process concerning content as "European added value". We also wish to support better coordination of Community instruments and actions, which often operate parallel to one another. It is intended to issue Presidency Conclusions on this subject.
We also await with interest, in the course of the Austrian Presidency, two Commission Communications:
At the international level, the second phase of the World Summit on the Information Society was completed with the Tunis Summit (Tunis, 16 to 18 November 2005). The EU played a positive and dynamic role, which was of considerable importance in enabling a final compromise to be reached at the Summit. The outcome of the Summit reflects the EU's consistent strategy over the last three years. The decisive role played by the UK Presidency in this connection deserves to be acknowledged.
The ongoing process will bring some challenges. First of all, we must achieve the implementation of the commitments made at Tunis and the related actions. We also look forward to continuing the process of dialogue, involving all stakeholders and civil society. Of particular interest is the first Internet Governance Forum, which is due to be convened by the General Secretary of the United Nations in Athens in the course of 2006.
Europe should play a leading role in ensuring that this new model of reinforced cooperation can function.
Against this background, we should like to reaffirm our appreciation of the constructive way the European Parliament has contributed to this process so far. We thank you for all your contributions and recommendations, such as those set out in the Report on the Information Society, approved by the ITRE Committee on 31 May 2005, and the Resolution adopted in December 2005. We naturally remain willing to collaborate with you on this issue.
Mr Chairman, Honourable Members of Parliament,
I should now like to conclude. I have presented to you the main priorities and the activities envisaged by the Austrian Presidency in the field of the Information Society for the next six months, during which we hope to work in close co-operation with the European Parliament and the Commission.
Thank you for your attention.
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