Spanish proposal for a Digital Europe: The Granada Strategy (Executive Summary)
The European Union is experiencing a profound transformation towards a society based on knowledge. This requires a new, modern and efficient strategy to continue this evolution, which started in 2005 with the strategy “i2010: A European Information Society for growth and employment”.
This document defines the Spanish contribution to For a Digital Europe: The Granada Strategy. With this strategy Europe will continue to promote the development of the Information Society (IS) from 2010 to 2015, in order to position citizens, companies and the public sector in the center of the digital revolution.
The concepts forming the backbone of the Spanish Presidency, Equality and Innovation, are fully aligned with the recommendations articulated by the new digital strategy. With regards to citizens, the principle of equality does not only imply putting a definitive end to the digital gap and main factors that affect it (age, location, education and gender), but more importantly overcome a new gap that is becoming increasingly relevant. This second gap differentiates basic users of new technologies from those making a more sophisticated use of ICT that maximize the advantages offered by the digital economy. This challenge can only be overcome through
training, e-Inclusion and rollout of new technologies.
The Information Society improves the quality of life of citizens both in the private environment of their homes and social relations and in business or interacting with the public sector. It is therefore fundamental to reinforce the existing legal confidence through a Charter of Citizen Rights as ICT users to strengthen their security and trust in the digital environment.
With regards to companies, the main objective of this new strategy must be to create a Digital Single Market (DSM), taking into account a suitable balance between consumer rights and online content distribution services. In order to create a Digital Single Market that is real, we must guarantee equal access of companies, eliminating the barriers that still exist in each country that
prevent the consolidation of the so called “fifth freedom”. Some of these barriers include, due to their relevance, the lack of a sufficiently harmonized regulatory framework regarding intellectual property rights (IPRs) in the digital environment, and a shortage of transparency to support, for example, cross-border transactions. Only an ambitious plan, combining effective regulatory measures and resources to promote demand, will encourage the development of the content industry and digital services making DSM a reality. Promoting demand will largely depend on future investment in next generation access networks (NGAs), necessary for new digital content and services.
In terms of innovation, it is critical that European companies, especially SMEs due to their relative weight in the sector, are given the tools to compete in an increasingly globalized world. The existing European, national and regional ICT research and innovation instruments and programs must be qualitatively and quantitatively reinforced, focusing on a horizontal perspective, encompassing all
economy areas and with a clear international projection.
Finally, the use of ICT by governments and the public sector in general, must be the cornerstone for the development of this digital and knowledge society. This means that all citizens must have access to public digital services; especially education and healthcare services. e-Government and o-Government may be the initiatives that promote the definitive transformation of the public sector. Their relation with citizens in the upcoming years must be based on transparency, citizen involvement and the collaboration of all players (governments, citizens and companies).
Therefore, we have prepared a document describing the Spanish proposal for the new strategy For a Digital Europe: The Granada Strategy. This document identifies the most important steps the European Union must take in terms of Telecoms and Information Society between 2010 and 2015, which are:
1. Infrastructure (NGAs, spectrum and network neutrality).
2. Advanced use of Internet, security and trust.
3. European charter of rights of users of electronic communications.
4. Digital content and services (DSM).
5. Strengthening of the ICT sector and its contribution to sustainable development.
