Opinion of the Economic and Social Committee on "eEurope 2002 — An information society for all — Draft Action Plan"
Date: 2001-01-24
Institutions: European Economic and Social Committee
Subjects: EU initiative, Internet, access to information, dissemination of EU information, information network

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3. Conclusion

The Committee considers that this proposal for a

3.1.
regulation is premature.

3.2.
It is desirable first of all to secure the same degree of
liberalisation across the various transport modes in order
ensure that each mode is treated equally.

out the relative proportion of the various internal and external
cost elements before putting forward a proposal for a regu-
lation which bases aid for a specific transport mode on the
unpaid costs of competing modes.

The Committee feels that the social and economic

3.4.
consequences of the proposal have not been addressed.

3.3. Moreover, in the light of the Committee opinion on
the transport white paper, the Commission should first map

3.5.
In conclusion, the Committee is convinced that adop-
tion of this draft will result in the introduction of an extremely
complicated and bureaucratic system of checks.

Brussels, 24 January 2001.

The President

of the Economic and Social Committee

Göke FRERICHS

Opinion of the Economic and Social Committee on ‘eEurope 2002 — An information society for
all — Draft Action Plan’

(2001/C 123/08)

On 29 May 2000, the Commission decided to consult the Economic and Social Committee, under
Article 262 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, on ‘eEurope 2002 — An Information
society for all — Draft Action Plan’.

The Section for Transport, Energy, Infrastructure and the Information Society, which was responsible for
preparing the Committee’s work on the subject, adopted its opinion on 9 January 2001. The rapporteur
was Mr Koryfidis.

At its 378th plenary session held on 24 and 25 January 2001 (meeting of 24 January) the Economic and
Social Committee adopted the following opinion by 80 votes to three, with one abstention.

1.

Introduction

The European Commission launched its ‘eEurope —
initiative in December

1.1.
An Information Society for all (1)’
1999 (2).

1.2.
It was motivated ‘by the growing realisation that the
application of digital technologies has become the key factor
‘a “new
for growth and employment’,

the evidence that

(1) http://europa.eu.int/comm/information–society/eeurope/news/

index–en.htm.

(2) The progress of the initiative is presented in the appendix (point 1).

economy” or e-economy is emerging (3), mainly driven by the
Internet (4)’, and the fact that ‘in spite of Europe’s lead in certain
digital technologies, e.g. mobile communications and digital
TV, the uptake of computers and the Internet in Europe
remains comparatively low’ (5).

(3) For the term ‘new economy’ and for more general information on
the subject, please see: http://europa.eu.int/comm/information–
society/eeurope/documentation/progrep/pr–annex2–en.htm.
(4) http://europa.eu.int/comm/information–society/eeurope/documen

tation/progrep/pr–text–en.htm (Introduction).

(5) See relevant table in the annex to the Commission’s progress
‘eEurope: An Information Society For All’, electronic
report;
address: http://europa.eu.int/comm/information–society/eeurope/
documentation/progrep/pr–annex2–en.htm.

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The initiative is aimed ‘at accelerating the uptake of
technologies across Europe and ensuring that all

1.3.
digital
Europeans have the necessary skills to use them’ (1).

b)

c)

Faster Internet for researchers and students

Secure networks and smart cards

1.4.
The broad lines of the eEurope initiative have been
well received by the Member States. Most of them, meanwhile,
have developed comparable initiatives at national level, e.g.
‘Germ@ny goes online’ (2), the British initiative ‘Information
Age Government’ (3), and the French initiative on Internet
coregulation (4).

1.5.
However, all the evidence suggests that Europe has
responded slowly to the major challenge of the Internet. The
distribution of users (5), the link between education and the
Internet (6), the absence of the new technologies from a large
number of businesses,
the level of growth in electronic
commerce, and other statistics, reflect badly on Europe and
confirm the extent of the ground to be made up. It is vital to
catch up; but this will clearly be difficult given the pace and
speed of developments in this sector. For this reason, in this
particular case, Europe can ill afford the luxury of further delay
or inertia in the implementation of the action plan.

2.

The Commission document

2.1.
The action plan in question was drawn up on the basis
of the goals of the Lisbon European Council (preparing the
transition to a knowledge-based society and economy) and
taking into account the reservations expressed by the European
Parliament and Member States (danger of exclusion, poverty,
skill shortages, etc.).

— 2nd objective: investing in people and skills

a)

European youth into the digital age

b) Working in the knowledge-based economy

c)

Participation for all in the knowledge-based economy

— 3rd objective: stimulating the use of the Internet

a) Accelerating e-commerce

b) Government online: electronic access to public services

c) Healthcare online

d) Digital content for global networks

e)

Intelligent transport systems

There are three main methods by which the above

2.3.
objectives will be achieved:

— accelerating the establishment of an appropriate legal

environment;

— supporting new infrastructure and services across Europe;

— applying the open method of coordination and bench-

marking.

2.2.
The action plan focuses on solutions to the following
questions: what should be done, who should do it and by
when. Its key objectives are:

2.4. With regard to the timeframe, the key deadline for
achieving the action plan targets is 2002, although it is pointed
out that it will be very difficult to meet the ambitious objectives
set in Lisbon.

— 1st objective: a cheaper, faster and secure Internet

a)

Cheaper and faster Internet access

(1) http://europa.eu.int/comm/information–society/eeurope/back

ground/index–en.htm.

(2) Private initiative of Deutsche Telecom in conjunction with the

German government. See press release of 11.2.2000.

(3) http://www.iagchampions.gov.uk/Strategy.htm.
(4) http://www.internet.gouv.fr/francais/textesref/pagsi2/Isi/coregu

lation.htm.

(5) See relevant table in the annex to the Commission’s progress
report,
‘eEurope: An Information Society For All’, electronic
address: http://europa.eu.int/comm/information–society/eeurope/
documentation/progrep/pr–annex2–en.htm.

(6) Idem (page 40).

Finally,

2.5.
developed within the framework of the eEurope initiative (7).

there are many proposals currently being

(7) Such as:

— COM(2000) 323 (01): Proposal for a Council Decision adopt-
ing a Multiannual Community programme to stimulate the
development and use of European digital content on the global
networks and to promote linguistic diversity in the Information
Society.
— COM(2000) 318 (01): Communication from the Commission
— e-Learning — Designing tomorrow’s education.
— COM(2000) 237 (01): Communication from the Commission
— Unbundled Access to the Local loop: Enabling the competitive
provision of a full range of electronic communication services
including broadband multimedia and high-speed Internet.
Source: http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/en/com/greffe–index.html. For
more
http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/en/com/reg/en–
register–132060.html.

details:

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3. General comments

3.1.
The ESC welcomes the eEurope initiative and considers
it to be the most important and ambitious effort by the
European Union to date to familiarise its citizens with and
adapt its businesses and its public bodies as rapidly as possible
to the new conditions created by the digital age and the new
economy. In the Committee’s view, this initiative is more than
a starting point for that familiarisation and adaptation process,
however; it is a buttress for the relevant processes that are
already developing, though slowly,
in the market and in
society.

3.1.1.
By introducing the eEurope initiative, the Com-
mission and the Members States have recognised that market
forces are not driving the Internet fast enough in Europe.
All the products and services are available, but demand is
insufficient. The eEurope initiative reinforces and complements
the action of market forces in three ways, which in order of
priority (the action plan lists them in the reverse order) are:

— promoting Internet use, and growth in demand;

— investing in people and skills;

— facilitating access to a cheaper and faster Internet, focus-

ing on telecoms charges and security.

3.1.4.
The ESC is adamant that all the measures relating to
stimulating Internet use, establishing an information society
and achieving the Union’s new strategic goal (1) should focus
on people and their needs, the European citizen, European
society and the European economy. Provided it serves that
principle, the establishment of the information society — as
an antecedent to the knowledge-based society — will acquire
real significance.

3.1.5.
Inasmuch as the basic aim of the overall initiative is
to promote Internet use, the success of the action plan will
depend in the long run on:

— if and to what extent it promotes Internet use in business,
government and European society as a whole; and

— if and to what extent it generates a dynamic or trend

towards increasingly extensive Internet use.

The ESC is aware of the scale and number of problems
3.2.
associated with the development of
In
particular, the Committee foresees difficulties in covering the
ground and gaps that have opened up as a result of Europe’s
tardy response to the new technological challenges.

the action plan.

3.2.1.
Despite the above-mentioned and other problems,
the ESC is optimistic that the action plan can be successfully
implemented (2). The key is for there to be political support,
and timely awareness among the public and business, and for
the appropriate funding to be made available.

The ESC believes that substantial adjustment

3.1.2.
in
Europe to the new conditions will depend in the long run on
a combination of the relevant dynamics that the initiative
nurtures in the market and society.

3.2.1.1.

In practice the above means:

In that respect, the ESC agrees that the Commission’s
3.1.3.
action plan will make a positive contribution towards meeting
the objectives set by the Lisbon European Council. Under
certain conditions, the plan could be a genuine help inter alia
in enabling Europe to play a leading role in shaping the new
global economic reality of the 21st century.

3.1.3.1.
The following observations and proposals are
intended to underline the need to clarify certain points in the
action plan and to reinforce others. In any event, they express
the ESC’s general perspective on the eEurope initiative. The
Committee’s views on the individual objectives of the action
plan are set out in corresponding opinions.

— putting the action plan, and more generally the eEurope
initiative, at the top of the political agenda across the
board, in all forms and areas of political action;

(1) As is well known, in Lisbon, in March 2000, the Union set itself
a new strategic goal for the forthcoming decade ‘to become the
most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the
world, capable of sustainable economic growth with more and
better jobs and greater social cohesion’.

(2) The ESC’s optimism is borne out by the latest developments. The
press release that accompanied the Commission’s communication
‘The eEurope 2002 Update’, prepared for the Nice European
the proportion of European households
Council, notes that
connected to the Internet rose sharply from 18 % in March to
28 % in October.

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— bringing every area of public or organised private sector
action into line with the initiative, utilising part, however
small, of the resources earmarked for this purpose.

3.2.2.
For the ESC, the risk of individuals, groups or entire
regions being excluded from the overall initiative is great and
manifold, given that non-computerised access to universal
services will gradually become obsolete as the provision of
computer-based services develops. For this reason, the ESC
agrees with those who support the view that the programme
as a whole and the individual measures should include means
of combating these risks. This in part means that:

— support must be given to those regions that by their very
nature are in danger of exclusion (mountainous, sparsely
populated or island regions);

— special support must be given to people with special

needs;

— and finally, support must be given to individuals who are
untouched by modern technology or who for specific
reasons, or plain economics, have no access to it.

3.2.2.1.
The applicant countries are at risk too, with regard
to the competitiveness of their economies and social cohesion.
For this reason, provision should also be made for them
throughout the action plan development process.

3.2.2.2.
Against this backdrop, the Committee considers
access for European citizens to the information society and
participation in the knowledge-based society to be paramount
as a social goal, and as a social and individual right. This right
must be taken into consideration in the eventual debate on the
‘Charter of Fundamental Rights’ (1), and in its formulation.

3.2.2.3.
The reference to the risk of exclusion points to a
clear aim: that once the programme is complete, not a single
European citizen, regardless of the level of schooling reached,
or company of any size, should be able to deny having had the
opportunity or the possibility to acquaint themselves with the
information society.

3.2.2.4.
In any event, the greatest risk is that Europe will be
permanently lagging behind its competitors with regard to the
information and knowledge-based society. For this reason, the

ESC would place particular emphasis on the need for the
European productive sector to enter the information society
immediately. Otherwise, European business will not be able to
compete in the new world economic environment, with all
that implies for the development of individual policies to
combat exclusion.

3.3. Organisational problems

3.3.1.
In the ESC’s view, in the final analysis, the implemen-
tation of the action plan will be judged largely in terms of
organisation. It is precisely on this level that the ESC agrees
broadly with the Commission’s approach. It agrees in principle
with the objectives as they are set out, the means of tying them
in with the demands of the special European Council in Lisbon,
the definition of the measures and of the operators with
responsibility for carrying them out, and the deadlines set. As
a complement to the organisational approach taken by the
Commission, the ESC would make the following observations
and proposals:

3.3.2. O r g a n i s a t i o n a l

p r o b l e m s — o b s e r -

v a t i o n s

1st observation: In the ESC’s view, the approach proposed
by the Lisbon European Council for the coordination and
implementation of the initiative is important. An ‘open method
of coordination based on (...) benchmarking’ could indeed,
under certain conditions, provide a major boost towards
achieving the objectives of the action plan. The approach,
however, fails to define the term ‘benchmarking’. Furthermore,
it fails to specify which body or bodies will coordinate the
overall initiative (2).

2nd observation: There has been no mention yet of how the
overall programme will be publicised and promoted in the
community and in the business world so that the public will
be informed fully and rapidly.

3rd observation: Lastly, there is no financial/technical estimate
of the overall cost of the programme nor any mention of how
the cost will be divided among the various levels.

(1) See ESC opinion on the subject, ‘Services of general interest’, OJ

C 368, 20.12.1999.

(2) It should be noted that relevant committees have been set up in
the meantime. Despite this positive development, the ESC notes
the need to speed up the processes for dealing effectively with the
serious issue of coordinating the implementation of the action
plan.

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3.3.3. O r g a n i s a t i o n a l p r o b l e m s — p r o p o s a l s

1st proposal: In principle, the ESC is in favour of being able to
solve any organisational problems at national level. Despite
this view, however, it believes that the most appropriate bodies
to coordinate the overall initiative at local level may possibly
be the multi-purpose learning centres referred to in the Lisbon
European Council conclusions (1). More specifically on the
subject of benchmarking, the ESC would draw the Com-
mission’s attention to the need to ensure that the system as a
whole is credible. First and foremost this means transparency
and ongoing central political control over the operating
procedures of the entire system (European Parliament/Council).
In addition, however, it means taking any measures that will
ensure the comparative data are reliable and truly comparable.

2nd proposal:
Informing citizens about the eEurope pro-
gramme and the related action plan in a comprehensive,
credible and understandable way is an important factor in the
success of the programme as a whole. At local
level, the
coordination of public information could be the task of the
multi-purpose learning centres. In any event the ESC feels that
there should be a continuous flow of information,
in all
directions and using all available means. The social partners
and, more generally, organised civil society have a special role
to play in meeting this requirement.

3rd proposal: The ESC recommends a detailed study on the
subject and a specific budget. People should be aware of this
study and budget, just as they should be aware of what exactly
is at stake now and in the future.

3.4.

Individual issues of importance

3.4.1.
The second area of action, on which the success of
the Lisbon objectives will be judged, relates to the means of
tackling individual issues, that can nevertheless be considered
important.

3.4.2. I n d i v i d u a l

i s s u e s

o f

i m p o r t a n c e —

o b s e r v a t i o n s

1st observation: The ESC would point out that in general,
every country being different, only a small portion of the
European public are participants in the information society —
though of course the number is growing constantly. For want
of specialised knowledge, many of them, both inside and

outside the productive sector are bewildered by the develop-
ments. Many others, generally on the threshold of the working
world, are participants in an information society environment
that is shaped entirely by the market and its rules.

the ESC,

In the view of

2nd observation:
the market’s
contribution to the development of the information society is
important and positive. So far, it has helped to ensure that
many European businesses, workers and citizens are familiar
with it and are part of it. However, the overall effort must no
longer be left exclusively to the market and its rules. This
option would marginalise large sections of the population (the
unemployed, the elderly, people with special needs, regions
where the market does not function fully), while also inevitably
leading to serious divisions and social conflict. For this reason,
the ESC supports and underlines the position of the Lisbon
summit, with regard to ‘giving higher priority to lifelong
learning as a basic component of the European social model’ (2).

3rd observation: The issue for the ESC centres on how to move
forward to increase familiarity with the information society
and the potential prospects that progress will open up. In this
context, there are two main areas of action, which must
operate simultaneously and in parallel with immediate effect.

— The first of

these, which is concerned with school
education and the requirements the information society
imposes on it, clearly serves medium- and long-term
goals. An important one of these goals is that of meeting
the need for experts (in terms of both quantity and
quality). The European market must acquire and hold on
to its own top quality experts in the information society.

— The other concerns Europeans who are outside the
educational sphere, and their economic and social activi-
ties, of whatever kind. Action in this field caters to
the need to familiarise Europe’s citizens with modern
technology and the information society without delay,
whether or not they are in active employment (3).

(1) For further analysis of this proposal see the appendix, point 2.

(3) See ESC proposal on the subject (OJ C 117, 26.4.2000).

(2) For further analysis of the means of acquainting the masses
with information society technologies see Point 5, OJ C 117,
26.4.2000.

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3.4.3. I n d i v i d u a l
p r o p o s a l s

i s s u e s

o f

i m p o r t a n c e —

1st proposal: The ESC recommends conducting studies into
the response of the adult population to attempts to familiarise
it with the information society. These studies should first be
addressed to the leading political, social and economic players.
Such studies merit special attention, as for the first time in
world history, children and teenagers are better placed in terms
of ‘knowledge’ (of communications technologies) than a large
section of people of working age (especially those currently in
charge of production processes).

2nd proposal: The effectiveness of the action plan will to a
large extent depend on the level of its initial audience and the
incentives that are provided to elicit an overall positive
reception from it. Without ruling out support for any type of
relevant initiative, the ESC feels that the best possible dynamic
for the development of the action plan and reaching its
objectives may be achieved through the existing organisational
structure of European society, coupled with appropriate incen-
tives to suit each situation. In general terms, the ESC suggests
that the plan should be developed through:

— SMEs,

— education, and

— civil society organisations.

The incentives could for instance target:

3rd proposal: The ESC believes that a special effort is required
of civil society organisations and SMEs as implementation of
the action plan gets underway. In this respect, the ESC is
prepared to provide the Commission with its assistance,
through the organisations it represents.

4th proposal: A very strong incentive for ordinary Europeans
to become familiar with the information society would
certainly be the potential to broaden the exercise of democracy
and the preconditions for more direct participation in the
decision-making that affects them. The ESC suggests that
research should be conducted into the impact of the infor-
mation society on European democracy, economy and society.
E-government could play an important role,
for instance
within public administration, between administration and
business and between administration and the public (licences,
taxes, social security, etc.) (2). More direct forms of communi-
cation, government and participation in decision-making
centres, greater transparency and information on tap as
required, are factors that could help build a more democratic
Europe, in political, social and economic terms.

4.

Specific comments

4.1. Objective 1: Cheaper, faster and secure Internet access

— SMEs, by enhancing their electronic presence (web pages,
inter-company communication, electronic communi-
cation with government, market research);

4.1.1.
mission’s approach.
following comments and proposals.

The ESC agrees with the broad lines of the Com-
It would however like to make the

— educational establishments, by providing them with the
relevant infrastructure, in schools, youth clubs, libraries,
etc. (Such infrastructure in schools or colleges acting as
local learning centres could also be made available to
adults outside school hours.) One possibility that would
definitely yield positive results would be to supply
educators at all levels with free computer equipment (PCs
with free access to the Internet) (1);

— civil society organisations, by providing them with what-
is needed to install and update their

ever support
electronic equipment.

4.1.1.1. Cheaper, faster and secure Internet access — obser-

vations

1st observation: A liberalised and healthy framework of
competition in the area of telecommunications services (3) will
certainly help to reduce the cost and increase the speed of
Internet access. The ESC welcomes the Commission’s proposals
for directives to this effect (4). However, it should be pointed

(1) In Sweden,

‘money has been allocated by the government to
supply 60 000 teachers with a personal computer.’ Source:
European Report on Quality of School Education — Sixteen
Quality Indicators — May 2000 (Annex 1 — ICT — last point)
http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/education/indic/backen.html.

(2) See ESC opinions: ‘Green Paper on public sector information in
(OJ C 169, 16.6.1999) and ‘Digital

the information society’
content/global networks’.

(3) For more information see appendix, point 3.
(4) See COM(2000) 384, 385, 386 and 393 final and the ESC opinion

‘Unbundled access to the local loop’ (OJ C 14, 16.1.2001).

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out that such a framework of competition does not yet exist
to the same degree in all the Member States. The cost of
Internet access (1) is high (compared with the US and Canada),
and varies enormously from country to country within the EU.
Meanwhile, the need for Europe to recover lost ground in
Internet development is ever more pressing.

2nd observation: The ESC believes that Europe has a right and
duty to develop its own pan-European high-quality, high-
speed network for research, education and development. It
therefore agrees with the Commission’s proposal on this
subject.

— civil society organisations;

— specific groups such as the unemployed and people with

literacy problems.

In view of universal service requirements, the ESC also believes
that it is necessary to look into fast and cheap Internet access,
in particular for schools, universities, libraries and decentralised
health services (3), in line with the American model (4).

3rd observation: The issue of Internet security is complex and
obviously difficult to solve. It is as much to do with the crimes,
financial or otherwise, that may be committed, as with the
protection of the rights of individuals — children for instance
— from any violation of a public or private nature. The ESC
this problem must not be allowed to have a
feels that
detrimental effect on:

2nd proposal: As a high-speed trans-European network would
have a direct impact on the production process, it would
broaden the conditions for sustainable development in Europe.
In this context, European businesses must not be excluded
from participating in or accessing such a network. Whatever
happens, it must be a high-quality, European network with
specific content, and named participants, clearly subject to
democratic control.

— the development of the Internet;

— economic growth;

— the free movement of ideas, information, knowledge or

products; or

— individual or social rights.

4.1.1.2. Cheaper, faster and secure Internet access — pro-

posals

1st proposal: The ESC considers that the delay in securing a
healthy competitive framework for telecommunications is a
critical factor in Europe’s race to make up lost ground in
Internet participation. To make good this delay, the ESC
suggests providing encouragement and support (2) for Internet
access for groups of the population who can and must
familiarise themselves with it quickly. These groups obviously
include:

3rd proposal: The ESC recognises that Internet crime is not
just a European problem and that it cannot be fought at
European level alone. It is therefore in favour, in principle, of
an international body to prevent potential Internet offences
(prevention), and believes that the state has a responsibility to
protect the public from this form of crime (enforcement). The
ESC would however stress that these functions must not be
allowed to hamper Internet developments, nor must they be
economically stifling or lead to any unnecessary restriction on
individual or social rights.

4.2. Objective 2: Investing in people and skills

The ESC notes that the second objective will be the
4.2.1.
single most difficult part of the overall initiative to implement.
With regard to the specific points included under this objective,
the ESC would make the following observations:

— those involved in education (pupils, students, teachers);

4.2.1.1.

Investing in people and skills — observations

— businesses;

1st observation: Objective 2 features:

(1) See the relevant table in the annex to the Commission’s progress
‘eEurope: An Information Society For All’, electronic

report
address:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/information–society/eeurope/documen
tation/progrep/pr–annex2–en.htm.

(2) This involves the supply of personal computers as well as

— ambitious individual objectives;

(3) See Commission proposal on the universal service in the telecom-

munications sector, on which the ESC issued an opinion.

connection to the Internet.

(4) US Telecom Act 1996.

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— many levels of action with differing requirements (chil-
dren, adults, specific sections of the population, national
level);

— modern study means, methodologies and content
(adaptation and utilisation of the new technologies,
especially information technology, throughout the
educational process and practice).

— tight implementation deadlines;

— a large number and variety of players to be involved in

its implementation.

Despite the above outline of Objective 2, the ESC does not
disagree with the framework, substance or content of the
proposals. It believes that the central and primary goal of this
action plan is to raise awareness (among governments in
particular) of the need to implement it, and this will require a
major shake-up.

2nd observation: In the opinion of the ESC, the achievement
of Europe’s current strategic objective will in future depend
largely on the relationship that is created between education
and the modern technologies, between education, the infor-
mation society and the knowledge-based society. The Com-
mittee has made and will be making more specific comments
on this subject in related opinions (1). It is however worth
noting the enormous extent of the changes required in the
learning process and the responsibility of the academic world
to influence and to help shape the new educational order. It
should also be noted that:

— national educational systems — in general — have proved
unready to meet the demands of the information and
knowledge based society;

— the modernisation process required is radically changing
the traditional picture of schools. In essence this implies
a new type of school set-up with (2):

— broader objectives (meeting the demands of the
information and knowledge-based society, the new
European order and economic globalisation);

— a different structure (responding to the new circum-
life-long

stances generated by the concept of
learning);

— a broader scope for learning (responding to the need
to extend the age range of compulsory education,
also responding to the establishment of life-long
learning);

3rd observation: The ESC agrees with the Commission’s view
that ‘digital literacy is an essential element of the adaptability
of the workforce and the employability of all citizens’ (3).
Objectively, however, the ease with which individuals can
become digitally literate is generally inversely proportionate to
their age. In practice, this means that the effort required to
adjust depends on how old a person is (4). Clearly, ensuring the
adaptability of the workforce, and the employability of older
people in particular, calls for:

— a re-examination and adjustment of training systems;

— teaching to cover digital literacy;

— incentives for individuals to become fully acquainted with
the information and knowledge-based society (having
work-related knowledge, making full use of the Internet,
and turning the opportunities offered by the knowledge-
based economy to account).

4th observation: In the digital age, workers, their qualifications
and their competitiveness are key factors in the development
and quality of production. It follows that in the long run, these
factors will determine the location of new industries, work
organisation and working life in general.

4.2.1.2.

Investing in people and skills — proposals

1st proposal: The ESC feels the time is ripe for the Union to
take relevant strategic initiatives with relation to education.
What is needed is a well-prepared and meaningful dialogue of
the kind that has in any case already begun with the decisions
taken in Lisbon. This dialogue on education and its European
dimension must not be confined to the Council and the
education ministers, but must extend to society and the
productive sector, and involve turning current good practice
to account. Only then will it be convincing and effective. The
ESC is ready to take part in such a dialogue.

(1) See relevant ESC opinions: OJ C 168, 16.6.2000 and OJ
C 117, 26.4.2000, and the opinion underway on ‘The European
dimension of education’.

(2) For further analysis see report on the European dimension of

education and opinion in progress on the same subject.

(3) eEurope: Objective 2, point b.
(4) See the ESC’s analytical proposal for mass familiarisation of the
general public with the information society (OJ C 117, 26.4.2000).

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2nd proposal: The ESC is especially interested in the institution
of life-long learning, which will be responsible for acquainting
Europeans — irrespective of their age — with the thinking and
mechanisms of the information society. It must also pass on
knowledge and understanding of the new order created by the
prospect of European integration, globalisation and the new
technologies. Lastly, in terms of work and production, it will
be responsible for acquainting the public and businesses with
the requirements of the modern age and the new economy.
For this reason, the institution of life-long learning should be
established as soon as possible, with the active participation of
organised civil society (1). In this area too, the ESC is prepared
to cooperate, not least by presenting its views.

4.3.1.1. Stimulate the use of the Internet — observations

1st observation: The ESC would stress that the development of
electronic commerce (3) is essentially a matter for the market
and consumers. The EU institutions and Member State govern-
ments must solve any statutory or legislative problems that
arise as quickly and uniformly as possible. In addition, they
must formulate a European position in the dialogue emerging
at world level. Lastly, following on from points already made,
they must stimulate Internet use, in part by taking specific
measures to encourage consumer confidence in the Internet.

3rd proposal: The ESC suggests that, from now on, relevant
decisions should take serious account of the repercussions that
the development of the eEurope programme will have on
workers. These repercussions must be addressed in social
terms and within the framework of the European social model.
After all, workers are part-owners of the project, as they have
made an important contribution to the transition from the
industrial to the digital age and the added value this has
generated.

2nd observation: A united European front with regard to the
statutory and legislative problems raised by the development
of the Internet and its use in everyday transactions will be
critical for Europe’s prestige and competitive edge. It is also
necessary if Europe is to play a serious part in the current
global debate on the subject. There are battles to be won over
the establishment and recognition of the ‘.eu’ domain name,
European digital content and the promotion of multilingualism
on the Internet(4), digital television, and mobile telephony (2)
and its connection with the Internet, smart cards, etc.

4.3. Objective 3: Stimulate the use of the Internet

The value of

4.3.1.
the Internet as a mechanism and
domain for consolidating and developing the information and
knowledge-based society and the ‘new economy’ depends on
its visitors/users: the more Internet users there are, the greater
its value. The stimulation of Internet use is, therefore, a
precondition for the development of electronic commerce and
all that it implies in terms of reducing production costs (2) and
boosting productivity and growth. It will also prompt the
creation of new businesses (2) and thus new jobs. Lastly,
the stimulation of Internet use is a precondition for the
development of integrated communications programmes, and
easy and quick access to all kinds of
information and
knowledge, at virtually no charge. Developing an Internet,
whose users will ideally include the entire European public,
should make it easier to solve problems such as communi-
cation between administrations and the public and vice versa,
the provision of health and education services, transport and
travel.

3rd observation: The ESC believes that governments must lose
no time in becoming part of the digital environment. In part,
this means the immediate education of employees in the above
working environment. Meanwhile, the faster public authorities
take on the electronic mind set, the faster the system will
develop within society.

4th observation: The use of the Internet in under-privileged
regions, and in particular the Objective 1 regions of the
Structural Funds, may prove to be an important development
tool, meeting outstanding needs (e.g. teleworking, on-line
health care, etc.).

4.3.1.2. Stimulate the use of the Internet — proposals

1st proposal: The ESC would like to see, within a set timescale,
a comparative evaluation of Europe’s position regarding the
third objective and, more specifically, electronic commerce
and digital content. The report should also include an update
on the latest technological developments in the area.

(1) For further analysis see the relevant Commission memorandum

SEC(2000) 1832.

(2) See the relevant table in the annex to the Commission’s progress
‘eEurope: An Information Society For All’, electronic

report
address:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/information–society/eeurope/documen
tation/progrep/pr–annex2–en.htm.

(3) See ESC opinion (INT/018) ‘Legal aspects of electronic commerce

in the internal market’ (OJ C 169, 16.6.1999).
(4) See ESC opinion ‘Digital content/global networks’.

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2nd proposal: The ESC senses the need for immediate appli-
cation of the Lisbon European Council’s proposal for bench-
marking. This would naturally put considerable pressure on
the governments of the Member States to respond to the
specific action plan and move into the digital age. The initiative
must also be given constant and unswerving support by all the
EU bodies.

society, in European terms (without exclusion, through edu-
cation). It also believes that Internet use will bear fruit in the
long term. The benefits will be reaped by the market and
consumers, administrations and citizens, majorities, specific
groups and minorities. Moreover, in the ESC’s view, if Internet
use is to grow, a majority social trend must be created.
To speed up the promotion of
Internet usage the ESC
recommends:

3rd proposal: The ESC believes that
the Structural Fund
Objective 1 regions lend themselves to the application of
relevant pioneering programmes, that could be financed by
the European Investment Bank, Member States, the Com-
munity and the private sector.

— immediate connection to the Internet for public bodies;
electronic links between administrations and the public
and administrations and business;

transport services.

4th proposal: The ESC is especially in favour of developing
intelligent
therefore calls upon the
national governments, the Commission and the private sector
to use the new technologies to increase the safety of land, sea
and air transport.

It

5. Recommendations

— immediate support for Internet access for population

groups, such as:

— people involved in education (pupils, students, tea-

chers);

— businesses;

The ESC, working from a positive standpoint regarding

5.1.
the eEurope action plan and on the basis of:

— civil society organisations; and

— the views of the organisations it represents, and

— specific groups, such as the unemployed and people

with literacy problems.

— its consideration of the subject to date,

— would make the following recommendations to the

European Parliament, the Council and the Commission:

5.1.1.
The Committee believes that, so far, the eEurope
initiative has been promoted successfully and positively. The
major players at economic and social level have to a large
degree grasped its aims and importance. This however was the
easiest part of the venture. The most difficult phase is that of
weaving the initiative into the economic and social fabric. For
this phase, the ESC recommends:

5.1.3.
In the ESC’s view, there is a real and significant risk
of individuals or groups of individuals being excluded from
the information society and its benefits. To avoid this danger,
the ESC recommends including the above dimension in all the
various measures. More specifically, it recommends:

— strengthening regions that are by their very nature at risk
of exclusion (mountainous, sparsely populated and island
regions);

— further increasing political backing;

— giving more specific support to people with special needs
(finding ways and means of raising their awareness);

— concentrating efforts and maintaining a high profile for

the initiative;

— highlighting good practice and relevant

individual

achievements.

— giving support to people who are untouched by modern
technology or who, for specific reasons or plain econ-
omics, have no contact with it.

5.1.2.
The ESC believes that promoting Internet use is the
most fundamental aim of the action plan. It feels that this will
give a real boost to the European market, while also increasing
the familiarity of the European public with the information

5.1.4.
The applicant countries are also at risk in terms of
the competitiveness of their economies and social cohesion.
For this reason, the ESC recommends they be included in the
development of the action plan.

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5.1.5.
The ESC points out the importance of ensuring that
Europeans now and in future are familiar with the information
society. It would also note that all the measures to promote
Internet use, establishing the information society and achieving
the new strategic objective of the Union must centre on people
and their needs, the European citizen and European society.
Only by serving that principle will the establishment of the
information society — in advance of the knowledge-based
society — become meaningful. The ESC therefore recommends
that the familiarisation process be considered paramount as a
social goal, and as a social and individual right. This right
should be taken into account in the final version of the ‘charter
of social rights’.

5.1.6.
The ESC believes that the proposed ‘open method of
coordination’, based on benchmarking, will work well and
should act as a driving force for the implementation of the
action plan. Special care should however be taken to ensure
that data are reliable and comparable. Ongoing political
control will be required to ensure that the system works
effectively. The bodies that coordinate the implementation of
the action plan at local level can play an important part in
terms of ensuring the reliability and effectiveness of the system
as a whole. The ESC recommends examining the possibility of
entrusting this role to the local learning centres foreseen by
the Lisbon European Council, or similar bodies, that are
already operating in some Member States. It goes without
saying that these bodies should be independent from adminis-
trations.

5.1.7. Meanwhile, in any event, the ESC would stress the
need at the same time to draw on the Structural Funds
and relevant research programmes,
in addition to related
Community cooperation measures, especially those concern-
ing the applicant and Mediterranean partner countries (1).

5.1.8.
The ESC notes that the promotion of the action plan
in local society and the local economy will be fraught
with problems, some serious. Differences between countries,
generations, various social groups (employed and unem-

ployed), and individuals will make the overall initiative difficult.
Research is needed immediately to address individual problems
that may appear at this level (2). The Committee also rec-
ommends supplying all parties with a constant
flow of
information, especially regarding the best practice for dealing
with this type of problem. Finally, it recommends making the
best possible use of any existing expertise at European and
national level with a view to developing a preventive policy in
this area.

5.1.9.
The ESC is of the opinion that nearly all the action
plan objectives and, more generally, Europe’s current strategic
goal will depend largely on the relationship that is created
between education and the modern technologies, between
education, the information society and the knowledge-based
society. For this reason, the ESC would place special emphasis
on the options taken regarding:

— modern forms of learning (e-learning and its implications
for university and pre-university education in particular);

— new educational

institutions (life-long learning,

local

multi-purpose learning centres);

— the European dimension of education.

The ESC, believing the time to be right, recommends that the
Union act strategically and take the necessary measures in
education. Such measures should be identified through an
ongoing, meaningful and open dialogue between the Member
States, the European institutions and European society as a
whole.

5.1.10.
The ESC believes that the social partners and, more
generally, civil society organisations have their own important
role to play in promoting the overall initiative, implementing
the action plan and achieving the current European strategic
objective. For this reason, it recommends close cooperation
between the European institutions and civil society organis-
ations. To this end, the ESC is prepared to contribute in
whichever way it can.

(1) ERDF, ESF, Cohesion Fund, Pre-Accession Fund, fifth RTD frame-

work programme, Phare, MEDA, INFO 2000, Media, etc.

(2) Such as, for instance, the university research programme in
Oxford, UK, Germany and Italy, co-funded by the DG for
Employment and Social Affairs.

Brussels, 24 January 2001.

The President

of the Economic and Social Committee

Göke FRERICHS