An Information Society for Europe

The developed world is in the midst of a transformation from an industrial to an information society. A European effort is required to ensure that Europeans both develop and benefit from this revolution.

The last few years have seen a transformation in the industrial landscape of the developed world. Telecommunications liberalisation, the explosive growth of the Internet and a growing tide of mergers between computer, media and telecommunications companies all point to one thing - the computing, communication and content industries are converging. The Information Society is being born as a result.
By its very nature, this society is global. If Europe is to ride the crest of this wave, it will need to pool all its resources - human, technological, financial - to create technologies and companies that can outcompete the best that the rest of the world has to offer.
But this is not just about creating jobs in the computers and communications industries. While the potential for new, world-conquering products and services is enormous, the impact on the way manufacturers make and supply their goods, on how public administrations operate, on how doctors work and on how people live will be just as profound. The Information Society could also mean new opportunities for isolated regions and new solutions to environmental and social problems. But none of this is guaranteed.

A Global Society

The power of these technologies must be harnessed to improve the lives of all Europeans. This requires work on many fronts, from telecommunications deregulation to intellectual property, from technological development to venture capital.
Europe is active on all these fronts for one simple reason - a fragmented approach would fail. To compete in the global marketplace, European industry will need the financial strength of an integrated Single Market, the technological strength stemming from a balanced mix of European competition and cooperation, and the human resources of the entire continent.
Much of this is falling into place - telecommunications deregulation began in earnest in 1998, for example, the same year which saw the establishment of the euro-zone and the growth of new European venture capital markets. But this world never stays still. Now, more than ever, Europe needs to assemble its resources to win tomorrow's battles.

One Industry, One Programme

This is not a new problem - the European Union has been helping European industry work together since the mid-1980s, while the mid-1990s saw the European Commission invest well over three billion ecus in three research programmes tackling information and communications technologies and telematics applications.
The same period, of course, saw these three sectors merge. Reflecting this, the EU's Fifth Framework Programme for 1998-2002 features just one, integrated Research and Development and take-up programme: the Information Society Technologies (IST) programme.
Unlike previous Framework Programmes, the Fifth Framework Programme focuses on today's socio-economic problems, rather than research for its own sake. For this reason the IST programme will do more than simply develop technologies - it will help ensure that all of Europe's citizens and companies benefit from the opportunities the emerging Information Society will provide.