Comment Neelie (Kroes)

It's a pleasure to speak to you today. Thank you all for taking part in our Digital Assembly – your interest and input is essential.sentence permalink

Two and a half years in, we stand at the halfway point of this Commission's mandate.sentence permalink

Now's a great time to take stock.

Since we met last year, we've finally agreed our programme on radio spectrum, to bring down the barriers to mobile internet.sentence permalink

Plus we've brought mobile roaming rip-offs to an end once and for all, restoring choice when you use your mobile phone in the EU.sentence permalink

These are great examples of what we can achieve when we act together. I hope there will be many more.sentence permalink

Let's not just pat ourselves on the back though.sentence permalink

Let's remind ourselves why it's important: because of the amazing, liberating, job-creating trends this sector enables.sentence permalink

And those trends have continued this year more than ever.sentence permalink

This year, internet traffic, both mobile and fixed, continued to grow exponentially. For mobile it doubles every year.sentence permalink

This year, we continued to see evidence of how ICT supports innovation, jobs, and society, helping businesses to grow; and supporting fields from entertainment to healthcare.sentence permalink

This year, five of the top ten companies in the world by market capitalisation are in ICT.sentence permalink

This year, more than 176 million Europeans can now access mobile internet wherever they go, in some cases now aided by new 4G networks.sentence permalink

And this year, the politics of the internet came to centre stage.sentence permalink

The internet matters to citizens, and politicians need to respond.sentence permalink

Honestly, we don't know what the next innovation will be. But we do know that the internet is a platform for astounding creativity.sentence permalink

If it has a limit – we haven't found it yet. We're not even close.sentence permalink

In these times of economic crisis, it's natural enough to worry about short term issues.sentence permalink

But we'll need food on the table in the long term, too. We'll need to maintain competitiveness in a changing world. To find jobs for the young. To spend taxpayers' money more efficiently. To care sustainably for an ageing population. To manage energy resources better.sentence permalink

ICT can deliver all that. It can boost productivity, efficiency, effectiveness.sentence permalink

And it can provide so many innovations and applications.sentence permalink

From better ways to deliver education, to better ways to deliver electricity.sentence permalink

Social media, smart grids, streaming on demand, software as a service.sentence permalink

Data sharing, data mining; crowd-sourcing, crowd-funding.sentence permalink

Tele-health solutions for those getting older; healthcare apps to inform and empower; electronic pills to diagnose and cure.sentence permalink

eInvoicing, eProcurement. eGovernment.

These aren't just buzzwords; they're new tools that, combined, can improve and boost every aspect of our lives.sentence permalink

And these are just the ideas we've already thought of.sentence permalink

All in all, this is an alternative economic future. We stand on the cusp; we can choose it if we want. Choose to ensure the investment, the rules and the attitude to power a digital future.sentence permalink

Are we doing so?

My answer is: not yet.

Even today, one in three European households have no internet connection; one in four adults have never gone online.sentence permalink

Even today, decision-makers are still hesitant to invest in our digital future.sentence permalink

And even today, while we do have great ideas here in Europe — they still face too many barriers.sentence permalink

Roaming may have been the most visible and irritating barrier to a digital Single Market. But it's not the only one, and it's not the only one we need to remove.sentence permalink

These issues are just as important as they were back in 2010; if not more so.sentence permalink

But this game is moving quickly: let's keep our eyes on the ball.sentence permalink

And let's not forget how fast things are moving elsewhere in the world.sentence permalink

In Japan, there are already over 18 million fibre broadband subscriptions.sentence permalink

China is installing 35 million fibre connections this year alone.sentence permalink

To put that in context: the largest EU Member States have just a few hundred thousand fibre subscriptions, if that.sentence permalink

Meanwhile, we all see how the US benefits from high-quality ICT capital; a spirit of innovation; and easy access to a large market.sentence permalink

In a digital age, Europe seriously needs to keep up.sentence permalink

Later in the year, I will propose a review of the Digital Agenda.sentence permalink

The current strategy is a good one: I'm not going to change a winning formula.sentence permalink

We should continue to pursue remaining actions vigorously. But I do want to strengthen our approach, and focus on priorities.sentence permalink

Here are some.

First, let's get ahead of the game on the Cloud.sentence permalink

Let's create a single, seamless space where digital content can flow within our internal market.sentence permalink

Because Cloud benefits are huge: some say €2000 per citizen over 5 years. We can give ourselves a great competitive edge: with a boost for small businesses, and a boost for public services.sentence permalink

Second, let's ensure a secure and open internet. One where we can defend against critical risks, malicious attacks, or criminality.sentence permalink

Because the more we depend on the internet – the more we depend on its security.sentence permalink

Third, let's deliver fast broadband for all. By encouraging private investment, and legal predictability.sentence permalink

Our proposals to cut roll-out costs will be essential. As will be investment from the Connecting Europe Facility. Innovative financing from the CEF could mean 45 million more households connected to high-speed broadband: but we still need decision-makers to recognise the advantage of this investment, and unlock the financing.sentence permalink

Fourth, let's stimulate innovation and entrepreneurship.sentence permalink

Including through revamped European research and innovation programmes.sentence permalink

And by supporting entrepreneurs, who can provide so many jobs for the future. By giving them the recognition, resources, and Single Market rules they need.sentence permalink

And fifth, let's use ICT to boost the quality and efficiency of public services.sentence permalink

To deliver our citizens better service at lower cost. Including across borders.sentence permalink

We can't do that alone, and we can't do it all entirely using old procedures of consultation and legislation.sentence permalink

Sometimes, we need faster, more flexible solutions. Whether it's industry coalitions or user co-creations.sentence permalink

And we always need your help and input.

That's why I say thanks to those of you who engage, communicate with and support us. Online and off.sentence permalink

In particular, thanks to those of you here today.sentence permalink

And to those who engaged with our new social media platform: over one thousand of you. And by the way that platform not only uses open source software: but all of the code is downloadable, and comments are available as open data.sentence permalink

We've listened and learned, we'll continue to do so, and that will inspire and inform our review.sentence permalink

Let's look towards the future. At the future scientific, economic and social developments up to 2050: that's our digital futures project, and you can join in!sentence permalink

But let's also look forward and think about what future generations will say about us.sentence permalink

Because in ten, twenty, fifty years time, people will look back at the decisions we took today.sentence permalink

Think of the questions they will ask.

Did Europe in 2012 respond to digital realities? Did we enable, anticipate and adapt to disruptive change?sentence permalink

Did we invest financially in the right networks, and politically in the right frameworks? Did we create a connected, competitive continent?sentence permalink

Did we cooperate and remove barriers to innovation?sentence permalink

Did we find simple, easy tools for all to make the most of online opportunity?sentence permalink

Did we complete on the global stage?

In short: were we ready to ready to welcome and usher in a new economic reality?sentence permalink

Or did we carry on doing everything the same, hope that all the change went away, and get caught unprepared?sentence permalink

That's what's at stake. It's in our hands. We can decide today to build tomorrow's reality. If we don't, the next generation will suffer, and look back with regret and incomprehension.sentence permalink

Tomorrow is a birthday: had he lived, the mathematician and computing pioneer Alan Turing would have turned one hundred. Back in 1952, talking about the future of computers, he said: "We can only see a short distance ahead, but we can see plenty there that needs to be done."sentence permalink

That was well before the internet, but it's still just as true today. There's still plenty that needs to be done.sentence permalink

It needs action not words, and it needs to start now. Here are three immediate actions which can already help promote ICT innovation and fight the crisis.sentence permalink

First, only yesterday, the Future Internet PPP, and ICT labs at the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, formally agreed to collaborate. Using tools like training, work placements, and access to incubators to bring innovation into research programmes.sentence permalink

Second, the ICT sector badly needs skills. What if we could offer fast-start skills to young people across Europe? That could close the skills gap, and create new jobs. At this very Assembly, my closest advisers are speeding up work to help fix the skills and jobs problem.sentence permalink

Third, we must keep European digital technology competitive. Does Europe have what it takes to remain a competitive leading player? I think so. But as it stands our lead is eroding, private sector research stagnating.sentence permalink

We face a turning point here. So in September we'll hold an "ICT Competitiveness week". To look at how we and the ICT community can find the best competitiveness and innovation strategy for our ICT sub-sectors.sentence permalink

How to boost performance through links between disciplines and sectors.sentence permalink

And how to support through further over-arching initiatives, from skills to tax to venture capital.sentence permalink

These initiatives will need your help. So will the five priority areas I mentioned – the Cloud, broadband, security, innovation, and public services.sentence permalink

And even before then we need decision-makers to agree to take an ambitious step forward.sentence permalink

Like to agree on our proposals to open up public data, on the billions to be invested through the Connecting Europe Facility, and on new tools enabling safer ways to sign contracts online. To name just a few.sentence permalink

These issues all need our attention, they all need our support, and they all need to be championed to decision-makers.sentence permalink

I hope I can count on your help.