CAPSIL

2nd Annual Internet of Things Conference, Brussels, 1st June 2010

A European Commission report released today shows that EU telecoms markets have become more competitive thanks to the Commission's guidance in the consultation and review process known as the 'Article 7 procedure', whereby national telecoms regulators inform the Commission in advance of their plans to regulate parts of their national telecoms markets. As a result, citizens and businesses enjoy greater choice of services and cheaper prices. However, the report also indicates that a single EU telecoms market is still far from reality, which is why the Commission's Digital Agenda for Europe (IP/10/581) calls for swift and consistent enforcement of existing telecoms rules and indicates that the Commission intends to propose appropriate steps to reduce the cost of the absence of a Single Market in telecoms services. Problems include different national regulatory approaches to tackling competition issues, such as regulating access to fibre networks. Today's report also warns that regulatory uncertainty could hamper the roll out of investment-intensive infrastructure projects like Next Generation Access (NGA) networks, one of the flagships of the Digital Agenda for Europe.

Ministers welcomed the "Digital Agenda", endorsing the seven main areas for action identified in it and emphasizing the importance of digital technologies for employment and economic growth. Several delegations highlighted support for the development of a digital single market with fast internet and interoperable applications, as well as the environmental added value of the agenda. The digital agenda for Europe is the first of the seven flagship initiatives of the Europe 2020 strategy for jobs and growth. Concrete proposals still have to follow as the Commission will report annually on the implementation of the agenda. The conclusions acknowledge the importance of the "digital agenda" in economic, social and cultural contexts. They endorse the establishment of an ambitious action agenda for instance to create a fully functioning digital Single Market to the benefit of European businesses -in particular SMEs- and European consumers and to take coordinated measures on network and information security in order to increase trust and confidence in cyberspace.

This symposium will deal with the complementarities between satellite and ground based communications, and will focus on the challenges and growth opportunities for satellites in the future digital economy. It also aims to identify what is at stake for the various players in the added value chain (equipment and satellite manufacturers, satellite operators, telecommunication operators, Internet giants, service providers, ...) and will look into their positioning on tomorrow's markets. This event is organised during the Toulouse Space Show by IDATE and CNES, the French Space Agency.

On 19 May the European Commission launched the Digital Agenda for Europe, an ambitious action plan for a digital economy. The Digital Agenda will contribute significantly to the EU's economic growth and spread the benefits of the digital era to all sections of society. The Digital Agenda for Europe proposes a number of collective actions which must start now and continue over the next decade if we are to make "every European digital" –a digitally-empowered individual, with secure online rights and privacy protection, equipped to benefit from a vibrant and integrated digital EU market-place. Making this happen will require the active involvement of national, regional and local actors from all parts of society: government and business, citizen groups in all sectors from health and education to transport and energy, thinkers and - above all - doers. If you believe that you and the organisation in which you work or cooperate have a stake in the digital future, now is the time for action. If you decide to do something, anything that supports the many important goals set out in the Digital Agenda, then we would like to ask you to register your intentions below. The European Commission office in each country will be holding at least one session on the Digital Agenda for Europe. The information you provide will allow us to better prepare the sessions and shape them according to your interests.

European Commission Vice-President for the Digital Agenda Neelie Kroes has welcomed the decision of EU Telecoms Ministers today that the Office of the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC Office) will be based in Riga, Latvia. The timely setting up of this Office will allow BEREC to advise the EU institutions on their work to ensure a robust and competitive Single Telecoms Market will be important to further many of the actions foreseen by the Digital Agenda for Europe. The BEREC Office will work closely with telecoms regulators and the Commission to ensure the further development of consistent regulatory practice in the telecoms sector across Europe.

Transport Research Arena Europe (TRA) 2010 is taking place in Brussels from 7 to 10 June 2010. Contributing to safer, greener and smarter transport, TRA 2010 will feature a conference and exhibition uniting researchers and practitioners from all corners of road transport. Directorates-General Information Society (INFSO), Research (RTD) and Mobility (MOVE) are organising a guided exhibition tour for journalists to present six of their most successful projects to the media. The tour will take place at 16h00 on 9 June 2010. After the tour, at about 17h15, journalists will be invited to a 90-minute pre-view of TV documentary "Thinking Cars" produced by H3B media in the framework of a DG INFSO project. Prior registration at the e-mail address given here below is mandatory.

Closing speech to Global Cities Dialogue Spring Summit of Mayors Brussels, 28 May 2010

European Commission Vice-President Neelie Kroes will present the Digital Agenda for Europe, the first flagship initiative under the EU2020 strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, to EU Telecoms Ministers at the EU's Council of Transport Telecommunications and Energy Ministers in Brussels on 31st May. The Digital Agenda for Europe proposes ways to boost job creation, promote economic prosperity and improve the daily lives of EU citizens and businesses via the wider and smarter use of information and communication technologies (ICTs). Neelie Kroes will invite Ministers to join the European Parliament and the Commission in working to implement the Digital Agenda, and the Council is due to adopt conclusions welcoming the Digital Agenda. Vice-President Kroes is also due to exchange views with Ministers on promoting an EU Code of Online Rights to boost consumer trust and the take-up of digital services and will present the European Digital Competitiveness Report and the 15th Progress Report on the Single European Electronic Communications Market. In the margins of the Council, EU ministers are also due to agree on the seat of the new Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC).

The main objective of this workshop is to debate specific conference issues relating to EU policies in order to: assist the Commission's preparation of its multi-annual Radio Spectrum Policy Programme as well as a Communication to the Council of Ministers and to the European Parliament on common EU policy objectives for WRC-12; inform the forthcoming work of the Radio Spectrum Policy Group on WRC-12; provide an input to CEPT in the finalisation of the European Common Proposals to the WRC-12.

The Future Network and Mobile Summit 2010 takes place in the Historical City of Florence on 16 - 18 June 2010. This is the nineteenth in a series of Annual Conferences supported by the European Commission, which regularly attracts over 600 delegates from industry and research to share experiences and research results, identify future trends, discuss business opportunities and identify opportunities for international research collaboration under the ICT Theme of Framework Programme 7 (FP7). It will thus contribute to showcasing European research in the field, and position it within the multiplicity of related initiatives supported in other regions of the world. In the context of convergence, the 19th Future Network and Mobile Summit will address the challenges of building the Future Internet, based on mobile, wireless and fixed broadband communications infrastructures.

European governments and regions are committed to investing in innovative, cost efficient solutions to ensure that the mounting silver generation can maintain an active and full life, even if more care is needed. Technology solutions are being invested in now to accommodate the rapidly growing generation of senior Europeans. Come to the event and learn more about: Current trends in AAL solutions; The best & most cost efficient AAL investment choices; How to get AAL funds

Developments in telecare (the provision of health and social care at a distance) are rapidly evolving and information and communication technology (ICT) aims to cover an increasingly wide range of care practices and innovations. But these interventions are occurring in an ethical and democratic vacuum, which makes it critical to explore and analyse the everyday ethical, social and gender implications of technological interventions for older citizens, caregivers and health-care systems. This conference provides an opportunity for practitioners, users, carers, policymakers and scholars involved or working on these issues to meet and talk. Over two days, it proposes to exchange experiences and debate the actual and possible consequences of telecare developments, for all European stakeholders.

World Congress on Information Technology, Amsterdam, 25 May 2010

Today, on the occasion of International Missing Children's Day, European Commission Vice-Presidents Viviane Reding, responsible for EU Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship, and Neelie Kroes, responsible for the Digital Agenda, urged EU Member States to step up their efforts to introduce child alert systems and to make the missing children's hotline 116 000 operational as soon as possible.

Consumers, businesses and the EU economy as a whole are denied the full economic benefits of a truly single and competitive EU-wide telecoms market because of inconsistent application of EU telecoms rules, according to the European Commission's annual report on the Single European Electronic Communications Market. Most Member States' markets have become more competitive, but remain national in dimension. Moreover, the level of competitiveness varies strongly between Member States. Although Europe's telecoms sector weathered the financial storm in 2009 (0% growth compared to a 4.2% EU-wide economic decline), consistent enforcement of existing rules and investment in innovative services hold the key to future growth.

The objective of the workshop on Social Inclusion and Related Technologies organized by the Unit ICT for Inclusion on January 21, 2010 in Brussels was to generate possible R&D topics for the future research agenda with a particular focus on social computing and inclusion. The workshop was held in conjunction with a concertation meeting of currently running projects in the Unit, focusing on Marginalised Young People and ICT. The morning session addressed the related technologies and the afternoon session focused on policy, social and user aspects.

The purpose of the workshop is to present the preliminary results of the study and to give stakeholders the opportunity to express their views on these findings.

This Summer Camp aims to develop an understanding of what eHealth can bring to healthcare systems, to enhance personal leadership skills and to expand professional networks. It focuses on young professionals in the field. The initiative is supported by innovative healthcare providers, eHealth organisations and companies.

The aim of this study is to explore possibilities of involvement of citizens, businesses and other organisations in support of administrative and policy processes, as well as, in production of services for other citizens, businesses and organisations and to propose new lines of action in the area of collaborative production of e-Government and related or derived services.