Increasingly inequitable access to these new practices will have serious consequences for the future of education and, in the longer term, for jobs and the general cohesiveness of European society. What is more, any delay would make Europe increasingly dependent on non-European sources of educational and cultural material, since this is a market in which US products currently predominate. This would be a bitter blow for the cultural identity and linguistic diversity of the European Union. Unfortunately, there are still many obstacles. For one thing, the kind of computer equipment available at educational establishments is still insufficient, in terms of quality and quantity.
Schools are subject to severe budgetary constraints, and funding is limited.
Finally, there is a pressing need for trained teachers and for teaching methods and systems to be adjusted, which is often a delicate exercise.