Proposal for a Council Decision adopting a multi-annual programme (2003-2005) for the monitoring of eEurope, dissemination of good practices and the improvement of network and information security (MODINIS)
Date: 2002-07-26
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU programme, access to information, action programme, aid programme, benchmarking, cooperation policy, dissemination of information, financing, information society, information technology

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for the
for a Council Decision adopting a multi-annual programme (2003-2005)
Proposal
monitoring of eEurope, dissemination of good practices and the improvement of network and
information security (Modinis)

(2002/C 291 E/15)

(Text with EEA relevance)

COM(2002) 425 final — 2002/0187(CNS)

(Submitted by the Commission on 26 July 2002)

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

1. The 5 year Promise programme (1) was initiated in 1998 with a budget of EUR 25 million to promote
the information society in Europe. The importance of Promise activities greatly increased following the
Lisbon European Council on 23 and 24 March 2000. This Council, set the objective for the Union to
become the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world within a decade.
The Council recognised the importance of exploiting the opportunities of the new economy, and in
particular the Internet for Europe. The Feira European Council on 19 and 20 June 2000 endorsed the
eEurope 2002 Action Plan containing specific measures,
initiatives and proposals addressed to the
European Institutions, Member States and the private sector.

2. Initially, Promise activities were rather general and grouped around the following objectives: Firstly,
awareness-raising activities, focussing on information services such as newsletters, web-sites, studies and
surveys, in particular Eurobarometer surveys, and targeted actions towards opinion leaders and special
groups (SMEs). Secondly, optimising the socio-economic benefits, relying mostly on pilot projects
studies and surveys on on-going activities in the Member States. Thirdly, enhancing Europe's role in
the global dimension, concentrating on the facilitation of networking and the exchange of views via
workshops and conferences.

An intermediate evaluation of the Promise programme concluded that it was effective, in particular its
web activities and data collection. It also underlined the usefulness of initiatives for the development of
good practices targeted at SMEs. Furthermore, at the beginning of 2001 and in the light of the Lisbon
and Feira European Council conclusions, the Promise programme was reoriented to support the
eEurope Action plan and, in particular, benchmarking. This activity has produced good results.

3. The eEurope 2002 Action Plan set 64 targets in 11 action areas to be achieved by the end of 2002.

These actions targeted 3 overall objectives:

— cheaper, faster, secure Internet;

— investing in people and skills;

— stimulate the use of the Internet.

The methodology of this Action Plan and its extension eEurope 2005 could be classified into 3 broad
areas:
(e.g.
(i) accelerating legal measures and initiatives taken in national and European level
unbundling the local loop and the adoption of the new telecoms regulatory package), (ii) re-focusing
existing support programmes including the Community Support Frameworks in the context of the
regional policy. As in the past, the new IST priority in the 6th Framework Programme will finance
research and demonstration projects in relevant fields, (iii) benchmarking.

(1) Council Decision of the 30 March 1998, adopting a multiannual Community programme to stimulate the estab-

lishment of the Information Society in Europe (98/253/EC, OJ L 107, 7.4.1998).

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4. Benchmarking is used to measure progress towards the achievement of the objectives in each Member
State and to compare its performance with the best performing countries in the world. A set of 23
benchmarking indicators was agreed by the Internal Market Council of 30 November 2000. Two of
these (Internet penetration, government services on-line) are also part of the Structural Indicators within
the open method of co-ordination as defined by the Lisbon Council. The Structural indicators will be
monitored for 10 years.

The eEurope benchmarking web site (1) now has some of the most recent data on a wide range of
indicators measured on a consistent basis in all countries participating in the programme. A compre-
hensive report on benchmarking has been adopted by the Commission in February 2002. This bench-
marking data accompany national efforts by enabling Member States to analyse performances and to
review progress in relation to eEurope targets. This allows Member-States to better exploit the economic
and industrial potential of the technological development and in particular of the information society. It
also identifies examples of good practice for policy development.

5. Over the course of 2001, as Internet usage grew rapidly in Europe, it became clear that network and
information security is a key factor in economic and societal development. Ensuring the security of
transactions and data has become essential for the supply of all electronic services. Network availability
is also critical for other infrastructures.

Governments world-wide are increasingly realising that broadband access will be central
to the
economic development of their countries. Broadband connections significantly increase the speed
and the quality of Internet access enabling the full scope of multimedia applications and increasing
networks efficiency. The importance of
‘widespread availability and use of broadband networks
throughout the Union by 2005’ has been recognised by the Barcelona European Council.

6. The eEurope 2002 Action Plan and the Promise programme will expire by the end of 2002. However,
the objective of the Lisbon European Council extends to 2010. Therefore, the European Council can be
expected to continue supporting the transformation towards the Information Society beyond 2002. In
response to the request of the Barcelona European Council, the Commission adopted a new eEurope
2005 Action Plan on the 28th of May 2002. Its objectives are to stimulate secure services, applications
and content, based on a widely available broadband infrastructure. The key to achieve these objectives is
the creation of a favourable environment for the private investors and to facilitate the adjustment of
industry to the knowledge-based economy.

7. Against this background the following guidelines and objectives emerge for the new programme:

(a) Many eEurope 2005 policy changes have only long-term effects. The Commission should therefore
continue to monitor their impact on the basis of a new list of indicators modified according to the
new priorities (modern on-line public services, e-government, e-learning, e-health e-business
environment) and to identify and disseminate good practices. This exercise should also include
the candidate countries. In the medium term, benchmarking and the work on good practices
could be transformed into a policy mechanism in order to enable every European Union country
to take advantage of the Information Society. Furthermore, these activities pursue the objectives of
promoting synergies and co-operation between Member States, EFTA and candidate countries and
of promoting the exchange of expertise on good practices at European level.

In this context and in addition to workshops and studies the Information Society Forum could
operate as an expert network and provide recommendation with respect to the challenges to be
overcome for the development of the Information Society.

(1) http://europa.eu.int/information_society/europe/benchmarking/index_en.htm

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(b) Security of transactions and data (supply of electronic services, including e-commerce and on-line
public services) has increasingly been recognised as crucial by services providers and customers. The
Commission has recognised the importance of security in general and network and information
security in particular and has defined it as one of
its priorities for 2003. The Commission
Communications on network and information security (1) and cybercrime (2) describe the broad
policy lines where specific action is needed. As a first result of
these Communications, the
Council adopted a Resolution on network and information security in December 2001 and on
19 April 2002 the Commission presented a proposal for a Council Framework Decision on attacks
against information systems (3). One central element is the future creation of a Cyber-security task
force which will enhance Member States' ability to respond to major network and information
security problems. Member States welcomed the initiative of the Commission to submit a proposal
in this regard. Action in the field of network and information security will focus on:

— supporting awareness raising actions of Member States designed to increase networks and

information security;

— data collection and analysis of security risks.

The actions could be directly linked to the activity of the cyber-security task force. To support
security activities in the future, an executive task force could be created on the basis of a
Commission proposal for a Council decision laying down the procedures in matters of network
and information security, which will take into due account the cross-pillar dimension of this issue.

(c) Wide availability of broadband communications would have a significant positive impact on the
economy, and several EU Member States have started accelerating its development. The Commission
supports the deployment of broadband access especially in the less favoured regions and will
encourage the exchange of local and regional experiences within the European Union.

The Proposal

It is proposed that a financial support programme be adopted to accompany national efforts for the
transformation of Europe into a knowledge-based economy. This programme will contribute substantially
to the Lisbon strategy and have the following objectives:

(i) to monitor performance of and within Member States and to compare them with the best in the world
and carry out appropriate policies by using where possible official statistics, which have evolved
considerably in this sector over the past few years;

(ii) to support efforts made by Member States in the framework of eEurope at national or regional level by
analysis of eEurope specific good practices and by developing mechanisms to exchange experiences;

(iii) to analyse the economic and societal consequences of the Information Society with a view to appro-

priate policy responses, particularly in terms of industrial competitiveness and cohesion;

(iv) to enhance national and European efforts for improving network and information security and to

foster the development of broadband rollout.

In order to achieve these objectives, the programme will finance the following types of actions:

— data collection and analysis concerning a revised set of benchmarking indicators;

— studies to identify good practices in Europe;

(1) COM(2001) 298 final of 6 June 2001.
(2) Creating a Safer Information Society by Improving the Security of Information Infrastructures and Combating

Computer-related Crime, COM(2000) 890 of 22 January 2001.

(3) http://europa.eu.int/comm/dgs/justice_home/index_en.htm

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— workshops and studies to analyse the adjustment of industry to the structural change generated by

digital technologies and the transformation of society;

— support of the Information Society Forum consisting of web-based experts representing a broad range
of interests advising the Commission on challenges for the development of the Information Society;

— support of

targeted conferences, seminars or workshops in order to promote co-operation and

exchange of experiences and good practices between interested parties and Member States;

— financing of specific surveys, studies and expertise gathering activities in the area of network and
information security (e.g. security mechanisms and their interoperability, network reliability and
protection, advanced cryptography, confidentiality and security in wireless communications),
in
particular on existing or emerging threats and also with a view to prepare the activities of the
network security task force.

The duration of the programme shall be 3 years (2003-2005) with a budget of EUR 25 million. Each year
a specific work programme will be published containing the year's priorities. During its last year of
execution the programme will be evaluated in order to assess its cost-effectiveness and to decide its
usefulness for the future.

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community, and in particular Article 157(3) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament,

Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social
Committee,

Whereas:

(1) The Lisbon European Council on 23/24 March 2000 (1)
set the objective to become the most competitive and
dynamic knowledge-based economy in the World and
stated the need to use an open method for the co-ordi-
nation of measurement of progress.

the necessity

(2) The Feira European Council on 19/20 June 2000 (2)
endorsed the eEurope action plan 2002 and especially
term
underlined
perspectives
economy
encouraging the access of all citizens to the new tech-
nologies
Internal Market Council on the
30 November 2000 (3) defined a list of 23 indicators to
measure progress of the eEurope 2002 Action plan.

to prepare

knowledge

and the

longer

based

the

for

(3) The Communication of the Commission to the Council,
the European Economic and

the European Parliament,

(1) Presidency
index.htm
(2) Presidency
index.htm

Conclusions:

http://ue.eu.int/en/Info/eurocouncil/

Conclusions:

http://ue.eu.int/en/Info/eurocouncil/

Social Committee and the Committee of
the Regions
eEurope 2005: An information society for all of 28 May
2002 (4).

(4) The Communication of the Commission to the Council,
the European Economic and
the European Parliament,
the Regions
Social Committee and the Committee of
‘Creating a Safer Information Society by Improving the
Security of
Information Infrastructures and Combating
Computer-related Crime’, of 22 January 2001.

(5) The Conclusions of the Stockholm European Council of
23/24 March 2001 (5) requested the Council
together
comprehensive
with the Commission to develop a
strategy on the security of electronic networks including
implementing action. The communication on
practical
Network and Information Security:
a
European Policy Approach’ of 6th June 2001, was the
initial Commission response to this request.

‘Proposal

for

(6) The Council Resolution of 30 May 2001-eEurope Action
Plan: Information and Network Security and the Council
Resolution of 6 December 2001 on ‘a common approach
area of network and
in the
and specific
actions
information security’
to
called upon Member-States
launch specific actions to enhance the security of elec-
information
tronic
systems.
the
Commission to develop amongst others a strategy for a
more stable and secure operation of the Internet infra-
structure and to make a proposal for the establishment
of a cyber-security task force.

networks
further welcomed the intentions of

communication
It

and

(3) http://europa.eu.int/information_society/eeurope/benchmarking/

indicator_list.pdf

(4) COM(2002) 263 final of the 28 May 2002.
(5) http://ue.eu.int/en/Info/eurocouncil/index.htm

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(7) The move to the Information Society can, by introducing
new forms of economic, political and social relations, help
the European Union to cope with the challenges of this
century, and can contribute to growth, competitiveness
and job creation.

The Information Society gradually reorganises the nature
of economic and social activity and has important cross-
sectoral effects in areas of activity to date independent.
The measures necessary for its implementation should
take into account the economic and social cohesion of
the Community and the risks associated with a two-tier
society as well as the efficient functioning of the Internal
market.

States

(8) There is a need for the establishment of a mechanism for
monitoring and the exchange of experiences which
enables Member
analyse
to
performances and review progress in relation to the
eEurope Action plan. Such a mechanism will allow
the economic and
Member States
industrial potential of the technological development, in
particular in the area of the Information Society.

to better exploit

compare

and

(9) Benchmarking allows Member States to assess whether
initiatives
they have taken in the
that
the national
framework of
the eEurope Action Plan are producing
results comparable to those in other Member States and
are fully exploiting the potential of the technologies.

(10) Action by Member States

in the framework of

the
eEurope Action Plan can be further supported by dissemi-
nating good practices The European added value in the
area of benchmarking and good practices consists in the
comparative evaluation of results of alternative decisions,
measured by a common methodology of monitoring and
analysis.

(11) Wide

States'

include

initiatives

deployment

to
among others

availability of broadband communications

is
impact on economic
expected to have a significant
accelerate
activity. Member
broadband
the
funding of city governments for projects focusing on
development of local infrastructures, public-private part-
nerships on broadband deployment and aggregation of
demand. In order to avoid that these experiences remain
fragmented
should
local and
encourage and support
regional
to disseminate good
practices.

the Commission
exchange of

the
in order

experiences

isolated,

and

(12) Network

and information security has become

a
prerequisite for further progress of a secure business
complex nature of network and
environment. The
information security implies that,
in developing policy
measures in this field, local, national and where appro-

priate European authorities should take into account a
range
and
economic,
technical aspects, and be aware of the decentralised and
global character of communication networks.

organisational

political,

of

(13) To be more effective the security policy measures should
be part of a European approach, respect
the effective
functioning of the Internal Market, build on increased
co-operation between Member States and third countries,
and support innovation and the ability of European enter-
prises to compete at global level. Support should be given
to the awareness
raising actions of Member States
designed to increase network and information security,
in particular by organising at European level the data
collection,
and the dissemination of good
practices on forward-looking responses to existing and
emerging security threats.

analysis

the Article 2 of

(14) Since the measures necessary for the implementation of
this Decision are management measures within the
the Council Decision
meaning of
1999/468/EC of 28 June 1999 laying down the
implementing powers conferred on the
procedures of
Commission,
the
management procedure provided for in the Article 4 of
that Decision (1).

they should be adopted by use of

(15) The progress of this programme should be continuously

monitored,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

A multi-annual programme (2003-2005) for the monitoring of
the eEurope 2005 Action Plan, dissemination of good practices
and improvement of network and information security
(hereafter referred to as ‘the programme’) is hereby adopted:

The programme has the following objectives:

(a) to monitor performance of and within Member States and
to compare them with the best in the world and carry out
appropriate policy conclusions by using, where possible,
official statistics;

(b) to support

in the
efforts made by Members-States
framework of eEurope, at national or regional
level by
analysis of eEurope good practices and by the development
of mechanisms of exchange of experiences;

(1) Council Decision 1999/468/EC, laying down the procedures for the
exercise of implementation powers conferred to the Commission
(OJ L 184, 17.7.1999, p. 23).

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(c) to analyse the economic and societal consequences of the
Information Society with the view to appropriate policy
responses particularly in terms of industrial competitiveness
and cohesion;

Article 3

In carrying out the objectives set out in Article 1 and the
actions set out in Article 2, the Commission shall use the
appropriate and relevant means, and in particular:

(d) to enhance national and European efforts for improving
network and information security and to foster the devel-
opment of broadband rollout.

The activities of the programme are actions of a cross-sectoral
nature, complementing Community actions in other fields.
None of these actions shall duplicate the work being carried
out in these fields under other Community programmes.

The programme should also provide a common framework for
complementary interaction at European level of the various
national, regional, local levels.

Article 2

(a) the award of contracts for the execution of tasks relating to
surveys, exploratory studies, detailed studies on specific
fields, demonstration actions of
limited size including
workshops and conferences;

(b) the

collection, publication and dissemination of
information and development of web based services;

the

(c)

the
granting of
conferences, seminars;

support

for meetings of

experts,

(d) the preparatory work related to an information and
warning system in the area of network and information
security (data collection, relations with national and inter-
national emergency response teams).

In order to attain the objectives referred to in Article 1, the
following categories of actions shall be undertaken:

Article 4

(a) data collection and analysis on the basis of a new set of
benchmarking indicators
indicators
where appropriate. A special focus should be laid on data
related to the key targets of the eEurope 2005 Action plan;

including regional

The programme shall cover a period from 1 January 2003 to
31 December 2005.

The financial reference amount for the implementation of this
programme will be EUR 25 million.

(b) studies to identify good practices at national and regional
level, notably those serving to a successful implementation
of the eEurope 2005 Action Plan;

The Budgetary Authority shall authorise the appropriations
within the framework of the annual budgetary procedure and
in compliance with the financial regulations.

to

(c) support of targeted conferences, seminars or workshops in
order
promote
of
the
experiences and good practices
common framework of complementary interaction as
defined in the article 1;

exchange
in the sense of

co-operation

and

Article 5

The Commission will be responsible for the implementation of
the programme and its co-ordination with other Community
programmes. The Commission will draw up a work
programme every year on the basis of this Decision.

(d) support of the Information Society Forum consisting of
web-based experts representing a broad range of interests
advising the Commission on challenges for the devel-
opment of the Information Society;

For the adoption of the work programme, including the overall
budgetary breakdown, and of the measures for programme
evaluation the Commission shall act in accordance with the
procedures referred in the article 6 of the present Decision.

(e)

their

interoperability,

financing surveys,
in the area of
studies, workshops
network and information security (e.g. security mechanisms
and
and
protection, advanced cryptography, privacy and security
in wireless communications), in particular on existing or
emerging threats and also with the view to prepare the
activities of the networks security task-force;

reliability

network

(f) support the enhancement of national and European efforts
for improving network and information security and the
development of broadband rollout
through workshops,
meetings and exchange of experiences.

Article 6

The Commission shall be assisted by a Committee
the Member States and

1.
composed of
representatives of
chaired by the representative of the Commission.

reference

2. Where
the
management procedure laid down in Articles 4 of Decision
1999/468/EC shall apply in compliance with Article 7(3)
thereof.

to this paragraph,

is made

The period provided for in Article 4(3) of Decision

3.
1999/468/EC shall be set at three months.

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Article 7

1.
In case of granting of Community aid and in order to
ensure that it is used efficiently, the Commission shall ensure
that actions under this Decision are subject to effective prior
appraisal, monitoring and subsequent evaluation.

During implementation of

2.
their
in
completion the Commission will evaluate the manner
which they have been carried out in order to assess whether
the original objectives have been achieved.

and after

actions

The Commission will regularly inform the committee of
the programme as a

3.
progress with the implementation of
whole.

At

the end of

4.
the Commission will
the programme,
submit to the European Parliament, to the Council and to
the Economic and Social Committee an evaluation report on
the results obtained in implementing the actions referred in the
article 2.

Article 8

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.