eEurope 2005 – we done good, says EC

The objectives agreed by the European Commission in its eEurope 2005 action plan are progressing apace, says the EC, with 43 per cent of government services available online and 40 per cent of homes able to access the internet.

The EC has just drawn up its mid-term report on its eEurope 2005 action plan, which is dedicated to encouraging the take-up of IT at the heart of the member states. Launched in 2000, the programme's main aim is to promote all aspects of the information society through various initiatives as well as through changes to legislation.

In its report published last week, the Commission highlights two sectors in particular for praise - egovernment and broadband roll out. Firstly, the share of the government services now available online has risen from 17 per cent to 43 per cent between October 2001 to October 2003.

Huge differences still exist between some of the member states, however, both in terms of services offered as well as ability to interact with the governments concerned.

Secondly, when it comes to broadband, Brussels has been indulging in some backslapping over the "good progress" on the number of connected households, which has practically doubled between October 2002 and October 2003, reaching more than 40 per cent, with most schools and business joining them, according to the Commission.

However, Brussels doesn't intend to rest on its laurels. "We now need to shift up a gear," Enterprise and Information Society Commissioner Erkki Liikanen said in a statement, adding that the current action plan has ensured regular progress in most areas, but despite the positive signs, further efforts are needed to share experiences and adapt services to the needs of users, rather than simply concentrating on putting new applications or technologies in place.

The Commission has also fixed its priorities for what needs to be done to meet the eEurope 2005 objectives. The first concerns interoperability, standards and multi-platform access, in order to ensure that networks and digital equipment are compatible. The second concerns the development of an economic model for electronic services and the study of regional disparities to prevent growth of the digital divide.

Estelle Dumout writes for ZDNet France