It is our conviction that all European citizens should get the full benefits of the new technologies in terms of new and high-quality jobs, better health, increased prosperity, and improved security. Equally, all companies and public organisations should benefit from the information society by becoming more effective, efficient and innovative. It should be our common aim to harness the flow of new ideas, technologies and applications of the information society for better economic performance and increased competitiveness, and combine this with the more general objective of increasing the quality of life of all citizens. Europe is making a major contribution to the emerging global information society with its rich history and culture, its diversity in patterns of living and working, its human-scale values, its care for the elderly and people with special needs, and its excellence in science and technology. Europe is well placed to drive the future of the information society in key areas such as mobile communications, smart cards, e-banking, language technologies, navigation systems, and manufacturing software.
Some European countries are amongst the most advanced in Internet usage.
No better way to illustrate this than in the host country, Finland, itself a leader in the information society. We are committed to make the information society a reality for all through an integrated approach in advancing technology, improving skills, promoting investment, and adapting legislation. Technologies such as smart cards can find many new applications in health and social services and in security. Awareness and education of all citizens about the use and potential of these types of technologies and applications will be needed to make this a reality across Europe. Awareness about the many new business opportunities that originate from the information society also needs to be combined with the willingness to invest and a positive attitude to entrepreneurial risk-taking.