It needs to be emphasised that Europe is a high cost area compared to other manufacturing sector competitors. The role of software in this context is decisive. The contents industry is just as important. Software intended as an exchangeable good is well known. Therefore software is an area which requires commitment.
Software is also capable of influencing productivity growth in national industries.
Experience from past years shows that this is possible only on condition that the individual companies and the entire industry respond to technological innovations with a change in organisation. This will promote learning and the development of complementary innovations, as well as allowing full benefits to be obtained in terms of reducing the cost of work, capital and other factors of production. Therefore, this shows the necessity to adopt policies which aim to stimulate the performance of companies so that they revise their system of organisation via the effective and efficient use of ICT, and also to stimulate learning processes, thus streamlining links with public administration. Apart from these points, the main issue which will decisively result in the reorganisation of businesses and the market, is the regulation of them, be it on a European or national level. This will affect in particular large companies, which are still the main players in the sector and in the market.