Holding up the spread of the Information Society in Europe

Funding ICT research has positive long-term implications for the future and competitiveness of the European economy but there are current roadblocks that impact the spread of the information economy that the Lisbon agenda is predicated on. Two of the most significant hurdles are the regulatory framework for e-business in the member states and the need for overhauling the public sector which remains in urgent need of modernisation.

According to Fabio Colasanti, director general, DG Information Society, European Commission, “a new regulatory framework based on convergence and technological neutrality has been in force in the member states since July 2004, which should provide certainty to investors, increase competition and consumer choice.” However, substantial evidence exists from within the European Commission indicating that European enterprises face problems in engaging with e-business opportunities. A number of problems relate to how national administrations and judicial systems in the member states have chosen to implement in their own environments the e-directives that have emerged from the legal framework of the European Community. John Watson, an associate of mine and managing director of The Evaluation Partnership, a consultancy specialising in EU affairs, says, "Our studies in the European Commission have indicated that despite harmonisation on e-directives there are still serious challenges in e-business activity across Europe in four main regulatory areas: e-signatures, e-invoicing, contract conclusion and contract implementation."