Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
EU Policies
•
the completion of a single European infor-
mation space, which promotes an open and
competitive internal market for informa-
tion society and media
Information and communication technologies are
a powerful driver of growth and employment. A
quarter of EU GDP (Gross Domestic Product)
growth and 40% of productivity growth are due
to ICT (EC 2005). Differences in economic per-
formances between industrialised countries are
largely explained by the level of ICT investment,
research, and use, and by the competitiveness of
information society and media industries. ICT
services, skills, media and content are a growing
part of the economy and society.
In recent years, ICT developments have pre-
sented a massive growth in information society and
media, due to widespread fast communications,
connecting multiple devices. Multimedia content
(such as films, video, music) is now available in
digital formats, and new digital services, such as
interactive television, are emerging. The digital
convergence of information society and media
services, networks and devices is finally becoming
an everyday life: ICT will become smarter, smaller,
safer, faster, always connected and easier to use.
Proactive policies are needed to support the
technological evolution. Digital convergence
requires policy convergence and a willingness to
adapt the current regulatory frameworks in order to
be consistent with the emerging digital economy.
EC proposes a strategic framework, i2010 -
European Information Society 2010 (EU, 2005),
laying out broad policy orientations. It promotes
an open and competitive digital economy and
emphasizes ICT as a driver of inclusion and qual-
ity of life. i2010 will build towards an integrated
approach to information society and audio-visual
media policies in the EU.
Drawing on a comprehensive analysis of in-
formation society challenges as well as on wide
stakeholder's consultation on previous initiatives
and instruments, the EC proposes three priori-
ties for Europe's information society and media
policies:
•
strengthening innovation and investment
in ICT research to promote growth and
more and better jobs
•
achieving an inclusive European informa-
tion society that promotes growth and jobs
in a manner that is consistent with sustain-
able development and that prioritizes bet-
ter public services and quality of life.
OECD Policies
OECD argues that policy makers should evaluate
the costs and benefits of any public investment
in telecommunication infrastructure. Therefore
they should fund projects, which can deliver both
strong immediate aggregate demand effects and
strong longer term aggregate supply-side effects.
In most cases, governments try to create suit-
able environments for supporting innovative and
robust participation by the private sector. Over
the past three decades, the role of governments in
OECD countries has been to increasingly support
market-led innovation and investment in the ICT
sector. At the same time, governments recognise
that competitive broadband communication
networks are crucial for supporting economic
and social development. Broadband networks
are viewed as a general purpose technology that
will not only support critical services but are
necessary for innovation, competitiveness and
economic growth. In this direction some govern-
ments wish to address areas of potential market
failure (e.g. reaching under-served areas) through
their stimulus packages.
Other Policies
The following paragraphs present significant
national policies adopted for broadaband deploy-
ment.
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