UK urged to act on EU plans

New European taskforce on IT competitiveness depends on action from member states

A European Commission taskforce examining barriers to the IT sector’s global competitiveness will achieve little without real activity from member states, say UK business groups.

The taskforce comprises industry, business and academic representatives and has been set up to complement the i2010 initiative to make Europe the world’s leading knowledge economy.

It met for the first time last week as part of a five-month debate covering six areas: IT uptake; intellectual property rights; innovation and research and development (R&D); small business and entrepreneurship; skills; and achieving a single market.

A report, including policy recommendations, is expected by the end of the year.

But the Commission’s focus on IT as a key contributor to economic growth and global competitiveness is struggling to obtain more than lip service from individual member governments.

i2010 is itself a refresh of the aims of the Lisbon Agenda originally set out in 2000. And the initiative’s first annual report, published last week, acknowledges the need for action.

‘The EU must move from consensus on the importance of IT for growth, jobs and quality of life to action by vigorously implementing regulations and policies that assist competitiveness,’ says the report.

Beatrice Rogers, ebusiness programme manager at supplier group Intellect, says the taskforce is addressing the right areas but can do nothing on its own.

‘However valuable the findings are, they will depend on member states taking them up,’ she said.

‘In the UK government there is not yet a sense of urgency that we will soon be facing a completely different global economy.’

Intellect recommends a greater focus on outputs, such as an increase in innovative products, rather than inputs, such as R&D spending targets.

CBI head of ebusiness Jeremy Beale said: ‘Our government is strong on rhetoric but does not give a high enough profile to the issues, so they are not carried through in terms of policies.’

The CBI is calling for a minister for intellectual property to address one such area.

Last week the Commission also announced a Eu3.6bn (£2.5bn) innovation fund and published updated proposals for a European Institute of Technology.

What do you think? Email us at: [email protected]

EU plans research institute

Europe must lead digital revolution
EU calls on members to close digital divide