Talking about influencing the political agenda, here is a great opportunity. Among the many items Barroso talked about in his political spiel for re-election (in otherwords, his 41 page document!), he said that the European Commission would develop a European Digital Agenda, but hasn’t given any details. Surprising that in his first five years after the dot com revolution that he only thinks of this now?

Well here are a few ideas, coming from a beautifully timed report, “The Digital World in 2025: Indicators for European Action“, launched this week at the European Parliament by the European Internet Foundation (EIF), of which I am a co-founder and vice chairman. What does the report contain?

The report identifies the key policy areas and issues which will increasingly dominate the political landscape, and where action – or inaction – over the next five years will prove decisive for Europe’s economic and social well-being in the digital world of 2025 (a one-page summary of the report is available here). The report also provides an indicative guide for European policy action 2009-2014, listing the key areas of concern in the technological, economic, and social and political dimensions (a one-page summary of the indicators for action is also available).

Looking at the main-body of the report itself, its conclusions are startling and should provide a real wake-up call for European policy-makers. Among its key conclusions, the report says that by 2025:

• The only way for ageing Europe to remain economically strong and globally competitive in 15 years will be as a collaborative, digitally-enabled society and outward-looking technology leader and partner for the rest of the world. The right framework for research and development needs to be in place now in order for companies in Europe to succeed in the future.
• Economic growth and competitiveness everywhere will depend on the presence of smart systems at the core of major economic and social sectors, including notably energy, transport, health care, environmental management and public services.
• Digitally-enabled, purpose-driven mass-collaboration on the “demand” side may well have swept away many – if not most – inward-looking economic and political institutions whose power has been built on the control of information or distribution channels or of a specific technology.

The origins of these thoughts have not come from a few thinkers working in a Brussels cellar, but from a range of leading thinkers from companies, such as IBM, SAP, Intel and Microsoft, as well as others such as the Secretary General of the European Council Reflection Group.

Furthermore, the EIF has already opened out debate to both private and public networks - the first being the Bathwick Group which has already published its 11-page response to the EIF’s document and to the ‘Policy Bloggers Network’ - which have provoked an interested and stimulating response. Here are a few of the interesting contributions already received:

• “It should not be forgotten that much of Europe’s activity, production, income, and employment will not depend on a high level of digital content. However:  A significantly higher proportion of the value created in businesses and economies will be driven from the deployment and application of digital technologies and techniques;  If that value is not properly realised, there will be a markedly detrimental effect on the health of economies, and particularly the highly developed and service-oriented economies.” (Bathwick Group).
• “Europe will continue to perform behind and fall further behind the US, Korea, India and elsewhere unless it moves away from the “centre knows best” model and empowers local innovation rather than central bureaucracy.” (Jerry Fishenden, http://ntouk.com )
•  ”Today, especially at the EU, there is so much distance between the MPs and the citizens, that a representative with a unique ability to navigate the political sphere may be very successful. However, as the adoption of digital technologies transforms government communication, leaders will find that they also need the ability to maintain meaningful relationships with the citizens that they are in office to serve.” (Wayne Moses Burke, http://openforumfoundation.org/)

The European Parliament President Jerzy Buzek contributed the following thoughts at the launch, “The European Internet Foundation is exactly the kind of non-partisan forum that can help lead this important debate. It provides a unique cross-roads where parliamentarians, officials, business people, think tankers and consumers can come together to ask - and find answers - to the difficult questions that face us.

…One of the central messages of the report is that the European Union needs to do some very serious policy thinking if we are not to be left behind by decision-makers in other jurisdictions around the world. So it is very encouraging the President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, plans to develop a ‘European digital agenda’ during his second term in office. The discussion at today’s meeting can and should feed into that process directly.”

Let the debate begin. Should you wish to do so, please feed your comments into the EIF debate here and spread them to any relevant networks you might be involved in.

European Digital Agenda