Opinion of the Economic and Social Committee on the "Communication from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions — Helping SMEs to Go Digital"
Date: 2002-01-16
Institutions: European Economic and Social Committee
Subjects: Internet, aid to undertakings, electronic commerce, small and medium-sized enterprises

3.4.2002

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Official Journal of the European Communities

C 80/67

Opinion of the Economic and Social Committee on the ‘Communication from the Commission
to the Council, the European Parliament, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee
of the Regions — Helping SMEs to “Go Digital”’

(2002/C 80/15)

On 22 March 2001 the Commission decided, under Article 262 of the Treaty establishing the European
Community, to consult the Economic and Social Committee on the above-mentioned communication.

The Section for the Single Market, Production and Consumption, which was responsible for preparing
the Committee’s work on the subject, adopted its opinion on 17 December 2001. The rapporteur was
Mr Dimitriadis.

At its 387th plenary session (meeting of 16 January 2002), the Economic and Social Committee adopted
the following opinion by 92 votes in favour with three abstentions.

General comment on the Communication

‘Go Digital’ because they play an important role in efforts to
bring about eEurope.

The Communication ‘Helping SMEs to “Go Digital”’
is an
attempt by the Commission to give the necessary impetus to
the Action Plan on eEurope 2002 and to speed up the
implementation of programmes to assist SMEs in starting to
trade through the Internet.

The document seeks to combine all the EU actions relating to
electronic entrepreneurship and registers the intention of both
the Commission and the Member States to intensify their
efforts in this connection.

1.

Introduction

1.1.
After the Commission Communication on ‘eEurope
— An Information Society for all’ (1) presented in December
1999 and the preparation of the Action Plan on Electronic
Europe — eEurope 2002 Information Society for all, adopted
by the European Council meeting in Santa Maria de Feira
(19-20 June 2000) (2), the Commission issued the Communi-
cation ‘Helping SMEs to “Go Digital”’ (3).

2.2.
The objective of this Communication is to identify the
specific SME needs to fully reap the benefits of e-business and
to present specific GoDigital initiatives to be implemented in
2001 by the Commission. Further actions will be taken at a
later stage.

2.3.
tives:

a)

b)

c)

The Communication set out the following main objec-

identifying the main obstacles SMEs face as they engage
in e-business;

proposing specific actions to help SMEs ‘Go Digital’, in
particular by building on existing policies and initiatives;

ensuring consistency and accessibility among the various
policies and initiatives to support SMEs going digital at
the European, national, regional and local levels;

2. Main points of the Commission document

d)

learning from practical experience and benchmarking
various strategies to help SMEs to go digital.

2.1.
The Action Plan’s objective three entitled ‘Stimulate the
use of the Internet’ includes an action to encourage SMEs to

(1) COM(1999) 687 final.
(2) COM(2000) 330 final.
(3) Communication from the Commission to the Council, the Euro-
pean Parliament, the Economic and Social Committee and the
the Regions: Helping SMEs to ‘Go Digital’,
Committee of
COM(2001) 136 final, 13 March 2001 — http://europa.eu.int/is-
po/legal/documents/com130301–en.pdf

2.4.
GoDigital can help create better conditions for SMEs
to enter into the digital age, but it cannot replace entrepreneur-
ship or the enterprise that ultimately takes the decision.

In three Action Lines, the following 10 specific actions
2.5.
are proposed, giving the aim, implementation arrangements
and responsibilities for each:

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— benchmarking of national and regional strategies in

d)

support of e-business;

owners of SMEs ought to take note of the signals of
the times, overcome unjustified fears and traditional,
conservative attitudes, and allocate the necessary material
and human resources to modernising their firms;

— measuring of take-up of ICT and e-business;

— improved access to information and the collation of
feedback for policymaking purposes in the area of
electronic commerce legislation;

— electronic business interoperability;

— promoting awareness for going digital;

— electronic commerce take-up;

— provision of a loan guarantee facility for SMEs;

— promoting better use of Structural Funds;

e)

f)

e-commerce and the use of the Internet are not fully
applied in all SMEs, apart from in those belonging to
sectors which (a) are international in nature, (b) are easy
for consumers to access electronically, (c) meet specific
needs which are easy to foresee, or (d) have or can set
up the structures and infrastructures to operate in an
international environment;

the European Union, because of the delays which have
occurred, has the opportunity to study in a more
rational and practical way the problems arising from the
development of e-commerce and of new technologies
and to develop suitable strategic actions.

— supporting industry-led initiatives for new ICT curricula;

— creating an ICT skills monitoring group with Member

States.

3.2.
The ESC takes the view that most of the ‘Go Digital’
actions are orientated in the right direction, but the deadlines
are particularly time-consuming. This means that they would
not reduce the existing disparities between European SMEs
and SMEs in other countries.

3. General comments

The ESC believes that e-commerce is in a critical
3.1.
period of its development, now that the expectations raised
worldwide, and particularly in the USA, in recent years have
been disappointed — abruptly in a large number of cases.

In the changed new situation, the ESC recognises that:

e-commerce at the B2B (Business to Business) level is the
kind of activity which will
in the end create new
conditions in entrepreneurship and provide a new, wholly
diversified environment for enterprises;

it is not at present certain in what direction B2C (Business
to Consumer) e-commerce will lead and exactly what
prospects it has, in the light of experience acquired in the
USA, or how consumers will react in future;

a)

b)

c)

The ESC believes that the Communication does not
the urgent and pressing nature of the

3.3.
sufficiently reflect
problems facing SMEs in connection with digital technology.

3.4.
The ESC, taking into account the development of
e-commerce worldwide, feels that a significant proportion of
European SMEs, which have the prerequisites, have not yet
adopted the Internet to the necessary extent (1), and have not
understood the prospects opened up by its well-planned and
well-considered use. There is therefore an evident risk of a
widening of
the technological gap which exists between
European SMEs on the one hand and American and South East
Asian SMEs on the other, probably with the result of excluding
the European SMEs from international competition.

businessmen are obliged to monitor developments,
inform themselves about activities in the sphere of
technology and modernise their firms by using the
necessary IT tools;

(1) See the table annexed to the progress report

‘eEurope: an

information society for all’:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/information–society/eEurope/documen-
tation/progrep/pr–annex2–en.htm

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3.4.1.
The ESC acknowledges that in certain Member States
serious efforts are made by governments to increase the use of
new technology by SMEs.

levels. It does believe there is an urgent need for completion of
the international dialogue to define an acceptable regulatory
framework worldwide which will provide the necessary secur-
ity for e-commerce.

The ESC thinks that the Commission’s conclusion
3.5.
— that general ignorance of electronic commerce is a thing of
the past — does not accurately reflect the situation. Experience
shows that, although significant steps have been taken, in a
large proportion of SMEs there is total ignorance which often
leads to rejection of information. Coordinated national and
European efforts are needed to remedy this.

3.6.
The ESC believes that SMEs do not have the necessary
information or training to understand and accept e-commerce
solutions, which require skills not provided in the past by the
education system (1). The ESC acknowledges that training
middle-aged people (e.g. through lifelong learning) who have
a heavy workload and the responsibility of running a firm
constitutes a particularly difficult task.

The ESC agrees that the digital economy creates a
3.11.
constantly rising demand for ICT specialists. The rapid rise in
this demand has resulted in a shortage of such specialists,
which in turn impedes the use of experts by SMEs, because
they are always in demand with large firms which can offer
higher salaries and benefits. The ESC takes the view that
this problem has taken on alarming proportions and will
undoubtedly influence the development of technology in the
EU.

3.12.
The ESC believes that the cost of creating a strong
name on the Internet (e-Brand) is very high (2) — too high
for SMEs, although they need this in order to become
internationally known.

3.7.
The ESC believes that the scarcity of serious, updated
European funding discourages the adoption of e-commerce
solutions; where the funding exists, there is a lack of proper
planning and rational use of resources.

3.13.
The ESC feels that despite the fact that the necessary
technological equipment does not require large amounts of
capital, many SMEs are unable or unwilling to spend the
necessary amounts, because they have not yet received the
necessary hints from consumers which would convince them
of its immediate usefulness.

3.8.
The ESC thinks that a particularly decisive factor for
the adoption of e-commerce solutions by SMEs would be the
creation of a mechanism for guaranteeing loans to SMEs either
on a personal or on a company basis and for promoting better
use of the Structural Funds.

3.14.
The ESC thinks that ideas such as creating a special
website to present all ideas relevant to the Go Digital plan are
initiatives which reach a very small number of SMEs and often
give rise to the feeling that the Commission does not take note
in good time of indications of the situation in which European
SMEs find themselves.

3.9.
The ESC believes that a small proportion of European
SMEs have understood the great change which has occurred in
international markets as a result of liberalisation of inter-
national trade and the removal of substantial barriers to the
movement of services and products.

3.15.
The ESC thinks it necessary for e-commerce and
the new technologies to be used by public administrations
(‘e-Government’) as these bodies can use them to motivate
SMEs to adopt them (3) (4) (5).

3.10.
The ESC does not agree that the present institutional,
legal and general regulatory framework adequately serves
SMEs’ e-commerce at the national, European and international

(1) For a more analytical approach to the question of mass training
in information society technologies, see OJ C 117, 26.4.2000
(chapter 5).

(2) A survey by Interbrand shows that

the value of AOL is
US$ 4 329 million and the marketing expenditure US$ 807 milli-
on, i.e. marketing expenditure is 16,9 % of revenue, whilst for
Yahoo it is 35,6 % and for Amazon it is 25,9 %.

(3) See ESC opinion on the Green Paper on public sector information
in the Information Society (OJ C 169 of 16.6.1999) and Digital
content/Global networks.

(4) On e-Government, see also eEurope 2002 — Communication to
the spring Council in Stockholm, 23-24 March 2001, COM(2001)
140 final.

(5) See relevant statistical data on http://europa.eu.int/information–
society/eEurope/news–library/pdf–files/impact–en.pdf, page 11.

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3.16.
new entrepreneurial tool needs special encouragement,
enterprises which have the opportunity to enter
e-commerce.

The ESC agrees that the use of the Internet as a
in
into

corresponding courses for SME employees. Their training is
generally limited to learning about administrative tools and
methods, communication skills and staff management. The
training is sporadic and imparted mainly through conferences
and seminars.

3.17.
must contribute to creating synergistic effects.

Because of the universality of the Internet, the actions

The ESC thinks it necessary to have adequate, correct
3.18.
and up-to-date comparative data for assessment of the actions
as well as for measurement of the development of know-how
and the SMEs’ absorption of know-how.

3.19.
Standardisation is needed to promote interoperable
electronic business solutions. The ESC believes that this is
particularly difficult to achieve in practice because of the
plethora of technology, software and suppliers (1).

3.20.
For the transition to the digital age the ESC agrees that
certain bodies, such as chambers of commerce, representative
organisations etc., can and must play an important role in
raising the awareness of SMEs.

3.21.
The ESC believes that workers in SMEs have a critical
role to play in implementing e-commerce. SMEs have an
immediate need for workers with the necessary training in
informatics to enable them to adapt to the necessary changes.
It is therefore necessary to create special training programmes
covering all these workers in order to create these skills (2).

3.24.
The ESC disagrees with the Commission’s conclusion
that the current regulatory environment adequately serves
e-commerce at national level, while problems are likely to arise
when SMEs develop e-commerce activities in cross-border
trade. The nature of e-commerce is international and calls for
an international regulatory environment which will protect
the consumer, who is particularly vulnerable, but will also
protect the firm. The ESC totally agrees with the view expressed
in the eEurope Declaration adopted at the Warsaw Ministerial
Conference (11-12 May 2001) on the need for international
cooperation on the regulatory/legal environment for e-com-
merce (4).

3.25.
The ESC feels that the highly conservative spirit and
the lack of the relevant culture which characterise a very large
number of SMEs are a very serious factor delaying and limiting
efforts and actions for which there is a pressing need.

3.26.
The ESC takes the view that in many cases the SMEs
themselves also bear some responsibility, as they react very
slowly to the challenges of the new age or do not react at all,
despite the fact that an entrepreneur ought always to be highly
alert and flexible. Changing the organisational structures of an
SME is a necessary precondition for its modernisation and its
development as part of the new economy.

3.22.
The ESC takes the view that the lifelong acquisition
of new skills (2) and necessary qualifications by all workers is
the necessary condition for filling these posts but also for
creating new permanent posts in the digital economy.

4. Specific comments

3.23.
consultancy and legal advice firms (3).

The ESC agrees that SMEs need the support of

4.1. Action Line 1: Favourable environment for electronic business

and entrepreneurship

The ESC maintains

3.23.1.
that electronic commerce
requires staff with a high level of technological knowledge.
The paradox in this case is that while there are many courses
for computer technicians and programmers, there are no

4.1.1. A c t i o n 1 : B e n c h m a r k i n g o f n a t i o n a l
a n d r e g i o n a l s t r a t e g i e s i n s u p p o r t o f
e - b u s i n e s s

The aim of Action 1 is the description and
4.1.1.1.
comparative evaluation of national and regional policies and

(1) http://europa.eu.int/information–society/eEurope/news–library/

documents/netsec/netsec–en.doc

(2) See the relevant memorandum on lifelong learning, SEC(2000)

1832.

(3) See the ESC Opinion on legal aspects of electronic commerce in

the internal market (OJ C 169, 16.6.1999).

(4) http://europa.eu.int/information–society/international/candidate–

countries/doc/eEurope–june2001.pdf, page 19.

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means which have been developed to promote e-business in
SMEs; this aim is to be achieved through comparative assess-
ment of national and regional strategies in the sector of ICT
and e-business.

Comment 1: the ESC endorses Action 1 but has
4.1.1.1.1.
doubts about the timescale set by the Commission, while it is
sceptical about the chances of achieving this aim through the
BEST 2001 Programme, as it is well known that many public
authorities (particularly at regional level) are characterised by
counter-productive, time-consuming bureaucratic modes of
operation.

4.1.2. A c t i o n 2 : m e a s u r i n g o f t a k e - u p o f I C T

a n d e - b u s i n e s s :

4.1.2.1.
The aim of Action 2 is the development of a
comprehensive Go Digital scoreboard for measuring the take-
up of ICT and e-business by SMEs in the Member States. Work
on Action 2 is entrusted to DG Enterprise which will develop
and regularly publish a Go Digital ‘scoreboard’.

4.1.2.1.1.
Comment 1: the ESC regards Action 2 as a useful
additional comparative tool, which for the moment has little
practical value for the SMEs themselves.

4.1.4. A c t i o n 4 : e l e c t r o n i c b u s i n e s s

i n t e r -

o p e r a b i l i t y

4.1.4.1.
The objective of Action 4 is to promote interoper-
able electronic business solutions through European standard-
isation and consensus building at the European level; this is an
exceptionally vital action which is bound to assist the more
rapid and more reliable use of electronic business (1).

4.1.4.1.1.
Comment 1: the ESC takes the view that the
European Commission’s responsibility for Action 4 is very
significant.

Comment 2: the ESC feels that this action can
4.1.4.1.2.
only be realised to the extent that there is substantive joint
decision-making and commitment on the part of the industrial
organisations and the large technological
industries, which
will need to be convinced of the considerable benefits of
interoperable solutions and will need to cooperate in solutions
of this kind.

Comment 3: the ESC regards the timescale for
4.1.4.1.3.
implementing this action as loose and non-committal. In its
view, the necessary standards must be determined as soon as
possible by the European organisations (CEN, CENELEC, and
ETSI); in very many cases, these standards have been known
for years. Substantive dialogue with industry should begin
immediately.

Comment 4: the ESC thinks that any definite
4.1.4.1.4.
European proposals for interoperable solutions must be pre-
sented and discussed in fora outside the European Union so
that they become views and positions which can be adopted
globally.

4.1.3. A c t i o n 3 :

i m p r o v i n g a c c e s s t o i n f o r -
m a t i o n a n d c o l l e c t i n g f e e d b a c k f o r
p o l i c y - m a k i n g p u r p o s e s i n t h e a r e a o f
e l e c t r o n i c c o m m e r c e l e g i s l a t i o n :

4.1.4.1.5.
Comment 5: the ESC takes the view that Action
4 should receive the constant attention of the European
Commission.

The objective of Action 3 is to provide SMEs with
4.1.3.1.
relevant and user-friendly information and advice on legal and
regulatory issues of e-commerce.

4.2. Action Line 2: take-up of electronic business

Comment 1: the ESC takes the view that Action 3,
4.1.3.1.1.
for all
its good intentions, will not make a considerable
contribution to promoting e-commerce in SMEs. So far a
relatively small number of SMEs use the Internet to transfer
their experience or to obtain information on the regulatory
and legislative environment.

I.
General comment: The take-up of electronic business in
SMEs is a particularly difficult undertaking which requires
know-how, capital, and especially decisiveness and going
beyond established practices. The companies involved must
themselves determine the form and security level of their
communications (Business to Business) and reflect the particu-
the sector concerned and international
lar conditions of

4.1.3.1.2.
but needs support for its practical implementation.

Comment 2: Action 3 has the right objectives,

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

documents/netsec/netsec–en.doc

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practice. This discretion must be guaranteed to ensure adequate
resources for market-oriented, flexible and safe business devel-
opment.

4.2.3. A c t i o n 7 : p r o v i s i o n o f a l o a n g u a r a n -

t e e f a c i l i t y f o r S M E s

4.2.1. A c t i o n 5 : p r o m o t i n g t h e

a w a r e n e s s

f o r g o i n g d i g i t a l

4.2.3.1.
Action 7 aims to provide SMEs with loans for
investment in ICT. It is to be implemented by creating a
guarantee mechanism for loans to SMEs through co-/counter-
guarantee schemes in Member States.

4.2.1.1.
Action 5 has the aim of providing SMEs with
sufficient information about needs and tools for a wider use of
ICT and e-business. This action is to be implemented through
information meetings and events involving SMEs throughout
the European Union.

4.2.3.1.1.
Comment 1: the ESC attaches the highest import-
ance to this Action, but has serious reservations as regards its
implementation. The mechanisms used up to now have not in
the end led to such funding for SMEs, because the Member
States were unable to do it for bureaucratic reasons, and are
either unable or unwilling to undertake the necessary role
which they are called upon to play in this area.

4.2.1.1.1.
Comment 1: the ESC feels that Action 5 is
particularly important, since it has been demonstrated that
there has been a serious lack of information and awareness
about ICT among SMEs, particularly in the regions. Despite
the range of opportunities currently provided by conferences,
meetings and other events, for various reasons (technophobia,
ignorance, indifference, etc.) these sources of information are
not used sufficiently.

4.2.1.1.2.
Comment 2: the activation of industrial, com-
mercial, and craft industry associations, Chambers of Com-
merce and business support networks for Action 5 is necessary,
and can create the requisite conditions for raising the awareness
of SMEs through direct contact, communication and know-
ledge of the local conditions and their special problems.

4.2.3.1.2.
Comment 2: the ESC thinks that the Communi-
cation should require of the Member States a serious commit-
ment to implement Action 7.

4.2.3.1.3.
Comment 3: the ESC would like to see the
available appropriations used effectively in practice; the devel-
opment of this action should be followed closely, since it can
really change the situation in the EU.

4.2.4. A c t i o n 8 : p r o m o t i n g b e t t e r u s e o f t h e

S t r u c t u r a l F u n d s

4.2.2. A c t i o n 6 : e l e c t r o n i c c o m m e r c e t a k e -

u p

4.2.4.1.
Funds in promoting the take-up of e-business by SMEs.

Action 8 aims to make better use of the Structural

4.2.2.1.
Action 6 aims to facilitate e-business take-up by
SMEs through pilot projects under the IST Programme of the
DG ‘Information Society’.

4.2.2.1.1.
Comment 1: the ESC regards Action 6 as ineffec-
tive for two important reasons: Firstly, the IST programme,
which is based on the fifth R&D programme, expires by the
end of 2002, and the remaining financial and practical
possibilities for implementing Action 6 are small. In addition,
the actions contained in the sixth programme, which is
intended to come into operation in 2003, are not yet known.
Secondly, the IST Programme is particularly specialised and is
intended for SMEs with low technological possibilities; these
SMEs already use it to a considerable extent.

4.2.4.1.1.
Comment 1: the ESC regards the setting up of
Action 8 as extremely important, because the ERDF can use
practical, specific funding to bridge the large ‘digital gap’ which
can be seen in the European regions, and particularly in
Objective 1 regions where there are enormous imbalances vis-
à-vis the central regions of the EU.

4.2.4.1.2.
Comment 2: the ESC supports this action and
hopes that the regions which have the practical responsibility
for implementing the action will not be prevented by the
central authorities from responding to current challenges and
supporting SMEs by funding the necessary measures.

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4.3. Action line 3: ICT skills

ii)

ensuring that there are specialised staff, especially those
responsible for training;

I.
General Comment: The lack of experts on ICT questions
creates serious problems for the spread of digital technology
in the EU. The problem does not concern SMEs alone, but the
entire European economy, and if educational measures are not
adopted immediately (increasing the number of students and
supporting schools which teach these technologies), as well as
measures at professional level (supporting and assisting ICT
researchers so that they do not leave Europe), at technological
level
(supporting European technological centres) and at
political level (by taking long-term measures to promote the
supply of the necessary informatics know-how), this problem
will soon become the most serious problem in the EU.

II.
General comment: According to the ‘Benchmarking
Report following up the strategies for jobs in the Information
Society’, the need for ICT skills in Europe continues to increase
from about 10 million posts at present to about 13 million
posts in 2003, with the result that the skills gap will increase
correspondingly from 1,2 million to 1,7 million equivalent
posts (1).

General Comment: With regard to SMEs, the ESC takes
III.
the view that there is an acute problem arising from the
shortage of ICT specialists. This shortage means that SMEs,
particularly those based in the outer regions or outside urban
centres, do not often have the necessary support for efforts to
gain access to electronic commerce. The shortage also often
leads to very high prices for specialists’ services, which the
SMEs cannot pay.

iii)

a full record of the skills and capacities for teaching staff
with regard to the new technologies;

iv)

the development of software appropriate to European
society;

v)

reducing the cost of communications.

V.
General Comment: Lifelong learning must form the
corner-stone of European education policies in order to
provide continuous, up-to-date training in line with techno-
logical developments (3).

General Comment: It is precisely in the IT sector that
VI.
SMEs especially are poorly placed to plan for what skilled
workers they will need and to take the necessary measures.
The ESF already provides support for advising firms where
there is a need for skilled workers. Greater attention should be
paid to the use of this instrument at national level.

4.3.1. A c t i o n

9 :

s u p p o r t i n g

i n d u s t r y - l e d

i n i t i a t i v e s f o r n e w I C T c u r r i c u l a

IV.
General Comment: The ESC warmly supports all efforts
to introduce the new technologies in education, especially the
initiative ‘Communication from the Commission: e-learning
— designing tomorrow’s education’ (2), and calls upon the
Member States and the European Commission to make the
most of every possibility and means open to them to develop
e-learning. One means which could prove to be effective is to
link e-learning with all EU policies and promote it through
those policies. The Member States and the European Com-
mission must promote measures for:

4.3.1.1.
The objective of Action 9 is to support joint
initiatives between industry and education for the definition of
new requirements arising in the economy involving the use of
new technologies, and from the globalisation of markets.

4.3.1.1.1.
Comment 1: the ESC regards Action 9 as vital to
the necessary reorientation of skills which are taught at tertiary
level, to ensure that they are useful and practical and meet the
specialised needs of the digital age.

i)

sufficient supply of computers and software at all stages
of education;

4.3.1.1.2.
Comment 2: the ESC notes that the European
academic community reacts slowly to the spirit of the times
and the needs of the market; it calls for a deepening and
extension of cooperation between the private sector and the
educational institutions.

(1) Benchmarking Report following up the ‘Strategies for jobs in the
Information Society’, Commission Staff Working Document,
Brussels, 7.2.2001, SEC(2001) 222.

(2) Commission of

the
COM(2000) 318 final.

European Communities, 25.5.2000,

(3) See the relevant memorandum on lifelong learning, SEC(2000)

1832.

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4.3.2. A c t i o n

1 0 :

I C T s k i l l s
m o n i t o r i n g g r o u p w i t h t h e M e m b e r
S t a t e s

c r e a t i n g

a n

4.3.2.1.
Action 10 aims to establish a working group to
monitor market demand for all skills related to the digital
economy and the levels of training provided to workers in the
public and private sectors.

5. Recommendations

5.1.
The ESC proposes (a) that this Communication should
be the starting-point for regular new ‘Go Digital’ actions both
by the Commission and by the Member States, (b) in line with
changing needs and developments, that the timescales for the
actions be shortened, (c) that actions be planned to cover all
SMEs, with particular emphasis on SMEs in peripheral
locations, which operate in a manifestly less favourable
environment and (d) that the Member States give high priority
to Go Digital actions in accordance with local needs.

4.3.2.1.1.
Comment 1: the ESC takes the view that the
needs of the market are at bursting point, and that all the
working group can do is note the seriousness of the situation
for the coming years. However, the working group can do
some serious work if it closely follows developments in the
markets and forwards this information to the public authorities
and the educational institutions.

5.2. Action 3

4.3.3. A c t i o n 1 1 :

l a u n c h i n g a t r a i n e e p r o -

g r a m m e w i t h S M E s

4.3.3.1.
Comment 1: the ESC takes a special interest in
Action 11 and the role which can be played by employment
the
of students in SMEs, either as trainees (learning at
workplace about the practical operation of a firm) or as
instructors (offering their expertise on IT, e-commerce and
new technologies).

Comment 2:

the ESC points out

in no
4.3.3.2.
circumstances should the use of students be allowed to damage
the position of workers in a firm (e.g. through redundancies,
downgradings,
transfers, or changes in their salary/wage
situation).

that

5.2.1.
The ESC proposes the creation of an effective mech-
anism to support SMEs with consultancy and legal services,
to enable businessmen to be equal to the new increased
requirements of the digital economy.

It also proposes that the institutional,
legal and
5.2.2.
general
regulatory framework within which e-commerce
measures will be developed should be finalised directly on the
basis of an international approach, which is essential given the
international nature of electronic commerce.

5.2.3.
Finally on Action 3, it recommends that a network
be set up for providing legislative and regulatory information,
via the Euro Info Centres (EICs) where they exist, or through
other bodies (chambers of commerce, representative bodies,
organisations, etc.), which would gather and distribute the
necessary material, as well as creating a specialised electronic
commerce support service for SMEs.

5.3. Action 5

Comment 3: the ESC calls upon the Commission
4.3.3.3.
to prepare this action well, to ensure that the use of students
in SMEs will be of practical use and to avoid the side-effects of
intentional or unintended mistakes which would lead SMEs to
give up their efforts to adopt new technologies.

5.3.1.
The ESC proposes that in view of SMEs’ special
needs and circumstances, information and training should be
specified in detail, with a very large number of practical
approaches that will fill the basic gaps and help SMEs to begin
taking the first difficult steps.

Comment 4: this action needs to draw upon the
4.3.3.4.
examples of best practice which have been derived from
similar experiences in the Member States.

5.3.2.
The aims and principles of information-provision for
SMEs must change, since it has not yet produced the expected
effect. Given that these companies depend on the personal
efforts of their owners and a very small number of staff, the
owner must be convinced of the real, tangible and practical

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EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 80/75

benefits in very concrete ways (1). Only practical measures
bring SMEs to the internet and persuade owners to make the
effort to start training their staff.

5.3.3.
The ESC has repeatedly proposed that a European
system be created for transferring innovation from research
centres to companies, especially SMEs, which are at a disadvan-
tage when it comes to assimilating and applying new tech-
nologies.

5.4. Action 7

5.4.1.
The ESC proposes higher funding and parallel incen-
tives for investment in the field of new technologies and e-
commerce. SMEs whose main activity is the development of
innovative and technology products and innovative services
(computers, software,
internet software, creation of infor-
mation systems, etc.) particularly need support.

It also recommends to the Council and the Com-
5.4.2.
mission that special incentives be provided for the banking
sector to really promote the development of electronic com-
merce in SMEs, through the direct and immediate funding of
e-commerce instruments.

5.5. Action 9

The ESC proposes that more young people be guided,
5.5.1.
through the education system, towards jobs for which there is
increased demand in the digital economy.
it
proposes that the universities and other educational bodies
should acquire closer links with the private sector.

In addition,

(1) For example, under another ‘Go Digital’ programme, the Greek
Ministry of Development has so far this year received around
9 000 requests from SMEs to provide the resources needed
(computers, modems, printers, registration with internet pro-
viders) and around 2 500 requests from SMEs to cover the costs
of setting up company web pages on the internet.

Brussels, 16 January 2002.

5.6. Action 11

Action 11 will need to be implemented with great
5.6.1.
care, according to rules laid down in advance, so that the use
of students in firms will yield the best possible results.

5.6.2.
The ESC asks that all the actions be supported
implementation of the
politically to ensure the successful
Action Plan. After the decisions taken at Lisbon, European
Councils should regularly discuss the issue of
increasing
technology penetration in the EU, so that this matter which is
crucially important for Europe’s economy is addressed at the
highest political level.

5.7.
Every effort must be made to ensure that SMEs which
have these possibilities and prospects understand the need for
them to be present at both European and international level
through the use of the new technologies.

5.8.
The ESC supports the ‘Go Digital’ actions for SMEs as
described in ‘eEurope 2003’ (2), in particular for B2B measures
in the candidate countries (3), where SMEs face even more
problems with access to electronic commerce (4).

5.9. We propose that a structured pan-European infor-
mation network be set up including the Euro Info Centres, the
Innovation Relay Centres, representative organisations and
chambers of commerce.

The ESC calls on the Commission to coordinate the
5.10.
immediate and mandatory use of new technologies in all
public
administrations with uniform and standardised
approaches across the EU, so that red tape is reduced, SMEs
can receive assistance and public systems can operate more
rapidly and effectively.

(2) http://europa.eu.int/information–society/international/candidate–

countries/doc/eEurope–june2001.pdf

(3) http://europea.eu.int/information–society/internationa/candidate–

countries/cc–links/index–en.htm

(4) http://europa.en.int/information–society/international/candidate–

countries/doc/eEurope–june2001.pdf (pages 1-2)

The President

of the Economic and Social Committee

Göke FRERICHS