B4-0168, 0174, 0197 and 0206/95

Resolution on the G7 conference on the information society

The European Parliament,

- having regard to the Commission's White Paper on Growth, Competitiveness and Employment,

- having regard to the Commission communication 'Europe's way to the information society: an action plan' (COM(94)0347),

- having regard to its resolution of 30 November 1994 on the recommendation to the European Council 'Europe and the global information society' and the abovementioned communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament and to the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions: 'Europe's way to the information society: an action plan' ((Minutes of 30.11.1994, Part II, Item 5.)),

A. whereas the prospect of instant availability of information, if accompanied by positive and proper measures, offers direct instruments for transforming the balance of powers in society, for the fight against social exclusion, for the promotion of pluralism, for participation in public life, and for increasing the conditions of access to information and culture,

B. whereas the development of the 'information society' will have consequences for employment, working conditions, education, civil liberties, consumer protection and social organization itself,

C. whereas European civilization, in keeping with its humanistic traditions and the variety of national languages and cultures, should use these instruments as part of a project to enable individuals to master their lives and environment,

D. concerned by the fact that the setting up of information highways, left to market forces alone, could worsen the gap between North and South and rich and poor zones within the European Union,

E. aware that the information society could soon have a world-wide dimension in terms of network and services, and that great alliances between telecommunications operators (telephone or audiovisual) and between the latter and the suppliers of services and content are being encouraged, but that these alliances could result in the creation or reinforcement of dominant positions,

F. concerned that the total availability of knowledge, or of the products of the creative process which the term information society conjures up, risks being an illusion if intellectual property rights as a whole are not guaranteed, particularly artists' rights, at the same time as the right of access and use at reasonable cost for individuals,

G. whereas the information society should provide an exceptional opportunity to launch a European industrial policy in a key sector of advanced technology,

addressing the European Union institutions:

1. Insists that the consequences that the networks and services will have for democracy, culture, employment, education and audiovisual contents and the possible redefinitions of the division of roles between public services and private initiatives, as well as keeping the distinction between individual communication and broadcasting which will still require special legislation and procedure, must be examined;

2. Regrets that the Round Table of 25 February 1995 has been organized with the sole participation of representatives from business and industry, with the exclusion of any representative from the other social partners and independent experts representing the broad range of societal interests;

3. Therefore calls upon the Commission to establish a 'Bangemann 2 Committee', reorganized to include other Commissioners, representatives of the European Parliament, social partners, independent experts representing a cross-section of society, and the NGOs;

4. In particular, asks that this committee should look into the effects of the information society on democracy, employment, education, protection of privacy and civil liberties and culture;

5. Stresses that public information services are becoming prime movers in the information society and calls on the Commission and the governments of the Member States to assist them in their efforts to redefine their role in the new multimedia context;

6. Urges the Commission to ensure that European companies and laboratories specializing in information technologies are closely involved in the development process of software as well as hardware;

addressing specifically the G7 conference:

7. Welcomes the Commission's initiative to promote the development of the information society and its invitation to the G7 countries to attend the forthcoming conference on the Global Information Society, which offers a broad forum to discuss all its various aspects;

8. Invites, on the occasion of the G7, the Commission and the Member States which participate in the Conference to agree a common agenda which takes full account of the interdependence of economic, industrial, social, cultural and technical aspects wherever the information society is concerned, as such an approach is truest to the historical, cultural and political traditions of Europe;

9. Urges that the pilot schemes which emerge from the G7 conference should recognize that interdependence; that they should be designed to involve poorer as well as richer countries; and, in particular, that they should address the need to make the benefits of the information society available to less developed countries and regions;

10. Calls on the seven leading industrialized countries to pay particular attention to electronic business systems for small and medium-sized undertakings in their list of projects for the worldwide information highways;

11. Recalls that the points still pending and not included in the agreement reached in the Uruguay Round are precisely the points which concern the very essence of the information society: intellectual property rights, in particular copyright, related rights, performing rights, audiovisual industry and telecommunication infrastructures and services; asks that the G7 meeting be the occasion for all the partners to be made aware of the legitimacy of European concerns and to start looking for common solutions, for which a G7 standing committee must be established;

12. Insists that the application of technical norms be researched and defended at world level, while respecting this diversity and allowing for interoperability; points out that the ISO international standards must maintain their regulatory role in the sector;

13. Opposes any attempt at finding an agreement based only on commercial aspects without taking into consideration what has been said above, and insists that the European infrastructure, services and applications markets should only be opened up to third countries if they provide effective and economically attractive concessions in return, including investment in Europe, in particular strict reciprocity with regard to the conditions of access to markets, and ultimately new rules to be established within the framework of the WTO to ensure a mutual market access for infrastructure, services and applications;

14. Is of the opinion that there is an urgent need to establish a universal service with common principles for open access to information networks, for broadcasters to ensure both security of the networks and legitimate access for all to the information given on the networks, and for rapid and effective redress for those who use the services they provide;

15. In particular, advocates a universal right, free of charge, to know the existence, location, character and conditions of access to the information offered by networks, restricted only by the needs of personal privacy and national security, and with priority access for education, medical care and cultural institutions;

16. Urges the participants in the G7 Conference to ensure that the development of these new technologies permits genuine progress on democracy and promotes access to knowledge; in this regard, it should be pointed out that schools must also adapt and train themselves in these new technologies so that all children can benefit from their provision;

17. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the national governments and parliaments, and asks him to present the broad lines of the resolution at the G7 meeting.