European Parliament resolution on the information society (2004/2204(INI))
Date: 2005-06-23
Institutions: European Parliament
Subjects: action programme, cooperation policy, information policy, information society, information technology, research and development

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Management of the European Security Research Programme

38.
Considers that, in order to guarantee effective management of the ESRP, experience acquired with
regard to funding mechanisms, methods and institutional settings during the preparatory action should play
a key role;

39.
Insists that the management of the ESRP should emphasise the added value of interoperability and
connectivity so as to improve cross-border cooperation, avoid unnecessary duplication and improve the
coherence of the Union's efforts;

40.
Vehemently advocates the development of strong common research and development infrastructures,
the promotion of collaboration between laboratories on a Union-wide scale and the development of human
resources in research and technology, making Europe a more attractive area for skilled researchers in this
field;

41.
Insists on the need to foster systematic collaboration and to explore the combined strengths of
industry and the research community, with a view to increasing the European innovation ratio to the
highest level in the world;

42.
Considers that the ESRP should be compatible with the establishment of an open, integrated and
competitive European defence market and the introduction of innovative mechanisms creating opportunities
for European industry to gain a comparative advantage in world markets; points out that transparency in
the allocation of contracts is of the utmost importance;

43.
Stresses the benefits that a more competitive European security industry, based on the existing capac-
ity of the defence industry and other specialised areas relating to new technology infrastructures, could
provide in strengthening the economic growth and overall competitiveness of the European economy, and
also stresses its positive results within society in the European Union;

Emphasises that EU initiatives on security research must not result in a weakening of the Union's

44.
principles and values on human rights, democratic rights, political freedoms, civil liberties and ethics;

*

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Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the governments

45.
and parliaments of the Member States and the Secretary General of the Council of Europe.

P6_TA(2005)0260

The information society

European Parliament resolution on the information society (2004/2204(INI))

The European Parliament,

— having regard to the Commission Communication ‘Towards a Global Partnership in the Information

Society: Follow-up of the Geneva Summit (WSIS)’ (COM(2004)0111),

— having regard to the Council conclusions of 9 and 10 December 2004 (15472/04),

— having regard to the Commission Communication ‘Towards a Global Partnership in the Information

Society: Translating the Geneva principles into actions’ (COM(2004)0480),

— having regard the Council conclusions of 8 and 9 March 2004 (6606/04),

— having regard to the Declaration of Principles and the Plan of Action of the World Summit on the

Information Society (WSIS) adopted in Geneva on 12 December 2003,

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— having regard to Unesco Resolution 32C/34 of 17 October 2003 on the desirability of drawing up an

international standard-setting instrument on cultural diversity,

— having regard to the Unesco Executive Board's Preliminary Study of 12 March 2003 on the technical
and legal aspects relating to the desirability of a standard-setting instrument on cultural diversity,

— having regard to the opinion in the form of a letter sent by the President of Parliament to the Presidents

of the Commission and the Council on 26 November 2003,

— having regard to the Council conclusions of 5 June 2003 (9686/03),

— having regard to the Commission Communication ‘Towards a Global Partnership in the Information
Society: EU Perspective in the context of the United Nations World Summit on the Information Society
(WSIS)’ (COM(2003)0271),

— having regard to the Unesco Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity of 2 November 2001,

— having regard to Rule 45 of its Rules of Procedure,

— having regard to the report of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy and the opinion of the

Committee on Culture and Education (A6-0172/2005),

A. whereas the WSIS meeting in Tunis (‘the Tunis Summit’) to be held on 16 to 18 November 2005
constitutes an essential second phase for the promotion of information and communication techno-
logies (ICTs) as a factor for sustainable development and shared growth, since poverty means being
deprived not only of goods but also of social inclusion,

B. whereas ICTs constitute a strategic tool for State policies and a prime vector for mutually beneficial
cooperation and research, through the Plan of Action, between developed, emerging and less-developed
countries,

C. whereas ICTs can contribute to global balance as well as to individual progress by helping to achieve

the Millennium Development Goals,

D. whereas the decision by Unesco to adopt a Convention on cultural diversity represents a crucial initi-
ative for developing a more inclusive information society, based on the protection of the diversity of
cultural expression, on international cultural exchanges and on the promotion of pluralism,

E. whereas the information society should be open to all, since education and training, health, research

and commerce are priority ICT applications which are close to the public,

F. whereas the rapid growth of ICTs should serve to strengthen democracy and participation by citizens,

making them active participants rather than simply consumers,

G. whereas the development of ICTs should take place within a framework of independent regulatory
authorities, guaranteeing access, freedom of expression and information, cultural diversity and multi-
lingualism,

H. whereas effectiveness on the part of the European Union derives from coordination of the Member
States and the positive involvement of the Commission, in a manner consistent with its political objec-
tives and its commitment to the less-developed countries,

I. whereas ICTs are an integral part of the knowledge and information-based society sought by the

Union's Lisbon Strategy and the Barcelona Declaration,

J. whereas the Union has a major role to play in narrowing the digital divide in geographical and social
internal policies and the development of a partnership associating public

terms, through successful
authorities, enterprises and civil society,

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K. whereas the Union has instruments at its disposal with which to address the digital divide: development
aid policy, international economic and scientific cooperation and financing institutions (such as the
European Investment Bank (EIB)),

L. whereas the EU has demonstrated, by adoption of a common legislative framework for electronic com-
munications, the crucial importance of an open and competitive market for the generation of invest-
ment in new services and the delivery of high-speed connections at affordable prices,

M. whereas the rights to education and to access to vocational and continuing training are included as

basic rights in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union,

1. Welcomes the Council's renewed commitment to working towards the success of the second phase of
the WSIS;

Broadly endorses the proposals made by the Commission, particularly as regards the decisive role of
2.
an investment-friendly regulatory framework, ICT applications in priority areas including on-line govern-
ment, the importance of research and innovation and the contribution of ICTs to development, and expects
the Commission to develop a strategy that complies with the WSIS global action plan to be decided at the
Tunis Summit;

3.

Points out that:

— the good coordination of the Member States facilitated the involvement of the Commission in the WSIS

Process, and especially in the Working Group on Internet Governance;

— the Union's experience enables it to make a positive contribution to a regulatory environment con-

ducive to implementation of the WSIS Plan of Action;

4.

Emphasises that:

— since the development of ICTs might widen the digital divide by favouring those who have access to
ICTs and know how to use them, this risk must be taken into consideration in all the actions recom-
mended, by tailoring these to the regional, national or local circumstances;

— since ICTs contribute to competitiveness and to raising the level of knowledge and skills, equal import-
ance should be accorded to the economic and the cultural effects of the development of ICTs, so that
this benefits employment, enterprises and social cohesion;

— special attention should be paid to possible problems arising from the concentration of mobile and
internet services and their content; urges the Commission to monitor the consequences of such con-
centration;

— individual access should therefore be developed to the same extent as collective access;

–

e-Inclusion should centre on accessibility, on the supplying of on-line services (government services,
education and continuing training, health and commerce) and on teaching and learning how to use
these, with the possibility of the most essential basic services being free of charge on the agreement of
all partners, and Free/Libre and Open Source Software (FLOSS) being one way of gaining access to these
services;

5.

Stresses:

— the strategic role of R&D at every stage and at every level of the process: development and rolling-out
of new technologies, and procedures for comparison and evaluation of the Plan of Action, with the
establishing of observatories;

— the need to factor into priority research socio-economic studies enabling an assessment of the human

and social impact of access to ICTs;

— the opportunity presented by the current drawing-up of

the seventh Framework Programme for

Research and Technological Development and the increase in the research budget;

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— the importance of developing local skills and competences by supporting computer science education

and research;

— the need to develop entrepreneurial and innovative capacities to enable countries to use ICTs to develop

services and systems that directly address their societal needs;

6. Welcomes:

— the emphasis placed by the Commission on the need for all countries to establish independent regula-
tory bodies and the need for a clear competition law framework within which investors can participate
securely;

— the importance given to stepping up international communications, regulatory co-operation and

exchanges of best practice;

7.

Recommends:

— that the Union and its Member States fast-track the setting-up of ICT research networks, by means of
infrastructure instruments such as GEANT, based on centres of excellence or technological platforms
and networks of experts and education and continuing training practitioners;

— an active policy of support for the use of common information-based schemes which benefit from

public funding to disseminate research results in the fields for which they prove useful

— that public decision-makers and representatives of civil society and the private sector have an input in

these areas where appropriate;

8.

Calls on the Union and Member States:

— to view the WSIS as a spur for cooperation in traditional areas of geographical or historical proximity

(Mediterranean, ACP, etc.) and for new cooperation with developing countries;

— to take into account, as a priority, the infrastructure and training requirements of less-developed coun-

tries;

— to take into consideration local and regional knowledge and know-how in cooperation centring on

practices and contents;

— to make sure that the EU's efforts help ensure the balance between economic growth, competitiveness

and employment on the one hand and social and environmental sustainability on the other;

— to make use of flexible forms of open public-private partnership (regions, States,

local authorities,
enterprises, associations and NGOs), involving institutional sources of financing, such as the EIB, or
private sources;

— to establish a working group with Member States' regulatory authorities to promote effective integrated
and independent regulatory models, and to share experience of successful market opening measures
that have encouraged investment and lowered consumer prices;

— to take due account of the need to safeguard cultural diversity when planning governance arrange-

ments;

Notes with interest the establishing of a voluntary financing fund while also pointing out that it is not

9.
a substitute for the necessary harnessing of existing or future financing;

10.
Suggests that a process of reflection on new measures be launched in order to optimise the resources
contributed by cooperation programmes and the European Development Fund, such as the re-use of
unspent appropriations to supplement the Plan of Action;

Considers that the development of internet governance is a key to the success of the WSIS and

11.
should be pursued to a timetable compatible with the Declaration of Principles and the Plan of Action;

Emphasises, however, that an international and independent internet governance system should be

12.
maintained;

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Emphasises that accessibility and investment in ICTs depends on the stability and reliability of the

13.
internet;

Recalls that the challenge involved in developing the information society is to use information and
14.
communication technology to enhance the effective implementation of human rights standards at inter-
national, regional and national levels;

Stresses that digital literacy programmes are essential to building up a global area of freedom and
15.
security where citizens, who are potential consumers of information, enjoy full rights of citizenship; notes
that education, including education in human rights, is central to an inclusive information society;

16.

Expects the Tunis Summit:

— to facilitate progress towards a common definition of internet governance and a more representative

method of organisation of the partner countries;

— to deal collectively with subjects of general

the internet
(domain names, address allocation), and to strengthen international cooperation in the fields of internet
security and abuse (including spamming) and in the combating of cyber-crime (including child por-
nography), and attempts to restrict pluralism, freedom of expression and respect for human rights;

interest connected with management of

— to clarify public responsibilities, in particular:

— to take account of intellectual property and cultural diversity in the framing of the new governance

structure;

— to ensure the neutrality and interoperability of digital technologies and platforms;
— to foster technological, economic and cultural exchanges within a framework of fairly-regulated

competition;

17.
Calls on the Council and the Commission to take account of its recommendations and to continue to
involve it in the follow-up to the WSIS, so as to ensure close concordance between the ambitions expressed
by the EU and their implementation, in particular in budgetary terms, in Union policies;

18. Welcomes the initiative for the W2i Digital Cities Convention to be held in Bilbao in November
2005, promoted by the Digital Cities, but points out that an initiative should also be taken to create digital
regions;

19. Wishes to strengthen the involvement of European civil society in the build-up to the Tunis Summit;

20.

Emphasises the importance of private-sector involvement in the WSIS process;

Stresses that innovation in educational systems,

21.
lifelong learning programmes and e-learning ini-
tiatives (for both teachers and students) should be fostered and recommends an explicit focus on education,
training and tools for the creation of content that reflects cultural diversity;

Calls upon Member States to act in accordance with the ‘Education for All by 2015’ Unesco goal and
22.
to respond to Unicef appeals for a greater budget allocation to education in a Pact with Future Generations;

23.
Points out that globalisation brings in its wake risks in relation to respect for cultural diversity in
terms of languages and identities, and that the information society can also represent an opportunity for the
promotion of intercultural dialogue via global networks;

24.

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and the Commission.