Document(s): 

Welcome speech of Peter Fatelnig at our NGI session @Net Futures 2017

Author(s): 

European Commission, Peter Fatelnig

Year of publication: 

2017

Welcome speech at our NGI session @Net Futures 2017 given by Peter Fatelnig - Acting Head of Unit - DG CONNECT, Unit E3: Next Generation Internet

"Welcome to this first parallel session. We will dive deep into the question "What will be the internet's drivers over the next decade?". Why have we decided to organise this session on the future internet? What's wrong with the internet? Why is there a mounting interest on the topics?  Because societal issues with the Internet are real and growing, such as lack of trust, lock-in effects and lack of choice, as well as a lack of respect for European values such as openness, privacy, security, diversity, inclusiveness and a level playing field for all."

"The mounting concerns of Europeans about internet technologies and the crucial socio-economic role that the internet is expected to play in the future, appear to be contradictory trends. This growing divergence is a strong motivation for action and does merit our attention. The cardinal question now is how to build a more comprehensive strategy for the internet, a strategy which aims beyond our ongoing support for technological research and regulation. Seizing the opportunity could turn Europe into a more influential actor and provider of internet technologies, services and applications and not only remain a consumer.

With introducing this human centricity we mean an internet which delivers more to people in their various roles as citizen, as SME owner, as student or unemployed, and the many other roles in society. This human-centric approach is in contrast to todays' app-, device- and company-centric internet and aims to return control back to the users. This will not lead to the frequently cited risk of fragmenting the internet, rather to building the technological and policy framework which favour services that respect certain rules and guidelines.  Not acting deprives ourselves of the opportunity to develop internet technologies serving the citizen – an internet of 2030 as we like it.

Last autumn, the European Commission has put in motion an initiative it calls "Next Generation Internet". In a first step we want to pump-primes research and innovation actions which will focus on the real internet innovators, meaning the young researchers and hi-tech startups and SMEs. An action very agile, dynamic and catering for the unpredictable in its approach."

"In closing, I call upon all of you to reflect on the issues I raised. Take them home and make them part of conversations you lead as much as we commit to keep a European conversation open."

Read the whole speech in the attachement.