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Malta joins EU candidate countries
in accepting eEurope+ action plan
by Ivan Brincat
Malta and other European Union candidate countries have reached
an agreement on a common action plan to address the challenge
of the digital economy.
The launch of the eEurope+ action plan was held in Gothenburg
but this was overshadowed by riots and the discussions on enlargement
and sustainable
environment.
The heads of government of the EU candidate countries including
Malta announced a joint politi-
cal commitment to embrace the challenges associated with the
knowledge-based economy in an effort to modernise the economies
and distribute the potential benefits to citizens.
The eEurope+ action plan aims to accelerate modernisation of
the economies of candidate countries, encourage capacity and
institution building, improve overall competitiveness, and allow
the countries to leverage their strengths to the advantage of
their citizens.
It recognises that there is a basic need to ensure that all
citizens are offered the possibility of access to affordable
communications services in order to avoid a digital divide.
The Maltese Ministry for Justice and Local Government has launched
consultations with key stakeholders to ensure that all pull
the same rope in the same direction.
The government is holding intensive discussions with stakeholders
such as ISPs, GRTU, the Federation of Industry, the Chamber
of Commerce, the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association, the
Association of Local Councils, the Unions including GWU, UHM,
MUT as well as the KSU and the National Commission for people
with disability.
The consultation process is taking the form of a series of bilat-eral
meetings over the next weeks to identify the roles and the programmes/initiatives
that are being implemented or planned to be introduced by these
organisations.
“It is not our aim to take control of the sector but we
want everyone to work towards the same goal, that is to have
an information society in Malta in which no one is left behind,”
Minister Austin Gatt said.
A spokesman for the ministry yesterday told The Malta Business
Weekly that they would try to eliminate duplication. “We
have grouped the business sector together to present a common
front. We have asked interested bodies to internally identify
what they have done and to give us their future plans. Our role
will be that of aligning the work so that we can avoid duplication.”
The Action Plan is based on four objectives: to accelerate the
putting into place of the basic building blocks of the Information
Society; a cheaper, faster, secure internet; investing in people
and skills; stimulate the use of the Internet.
The EU candidate countries expect to call for assistance from
the private sector, international financial institutions, the
non-
for-profit sector and the social partners in the implementation
of the plan.
The European Council said in a statement that it is anticipated
that the plan will incite substantial private sector investment.
While not interfering with the negotiation process, eEurope+
is expected to have a positive impact on the adoption and effective
implementation of the acquis communautaire in telecommunications,
electronic commerce, areas of financial services and transport
services, and several other areas of economic activity.
The Commission has commended the candidate countries for moving
decisively forward to tackle the challenges posed by the knowledge-based
economy.
Commissioner Erkki Liikanen, responsible for Enterprise and
Information Society, pointed out that the European Union’s
Lisbon Objective (which aims to make Europe the most competitive
and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world) is now becoming
a political priority for the whole continent.
Enlargement Commissioner Gunther Verheugen on the other hand
said eEurope+ is expected to have a positive impact on the adoption
and implementation of the acquis communautaire in a number of
areas.
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