| Abstract [eng] |
SUMMARY: EU's Information Society Programmes in the Context of Knowledge Economy Globalization and rapid Information and Communication Technology (ICT) development are main reasons for information and knowledge becoming of a great importance. In the present day market scenario of intense competition, every country needs to know what they know and be able to leverage on its information and knowledge base to gain competitive advantage. Because of the rapid information use in the society’s everyday life, every country has to create new information society, which is able effectively use information and ICT. One of the European Union (EU) objectives is to make sure that Europe's business, governments and citizens continue to play a leading role in shaping and participating in the global knowledge and information based economy The world economy is moving from a predominantly industrial society to a new set of rules - the information society. What is emerging is often referred to as the new economy. It has tremendous potential for growth, employment and inclusion. Yet Europe is not fully exploiting this potential as it is not moving fast enough into the digital age. The underpinning dynamics of the new economy are strong. Digital technologies make accessing, processing, storing and transmitting information increasingly cheaper and easier. The sheer scale of information available creates huge opportunities for its exploitation through the development of new products and services. Transforming digital information into economic and social value is the basis of the new economy, creating new industries, changing others and profoundly affecting citizens’ lives. However, technologies and markets today move at a much faster pace than perhaps ever before in economic history. There is no time to wait until these policies deliver. The change happening now will reshape the European economy and society within the lifetime of this Commission. A major effort has to be made to advance certain policies ahead of the current schedule. This is why an initiative – eEurope - needs to be taken now. The objective of the eEurope initiative is ambitious. It aims to bring everyone in Europe - every citizen, every school, and every company - online as quickly as possible. In launching the partnership for growth and jobs as a new start for the Lisbon strategy, the 2005 Spring European Council called knowledge and innovation the engines of sustainable growth and stated that it is essential to build a fully inclusive information society, based on the widespread use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in public services, SMEs and households. Information and communication technologies are a powerful driver of growth and employment. Differences in economic performances between industrialised countries are largely explained by the level of ICT investment, research, and use, and by the competitiveness of information society and media industries. ICT services, skills, media and content are a growing part of the economy and society. |
