The Digital Economic Model will bring a number of long-term benefits to the European economy, including steady, sustainable growth and job creation, but needs to focus on ensuring that all Europeans receive equal access. This means pursuing and upholding the interests of citizens, putting safeguards in place, re-calibrating its outlook towards a common European public sphere and encouraging Member States to collaborate.

With several important legislative proposals that the European Parliament is due to consider this year, the European Movement International argues, in a new position, for a long-term commitment to developing e-skills in schools, as well as through lifelong learning courses for people of all ages who are already in work or further education. The leap into digital currently happening in most industries will allow access to an enormous pool of untapped skills and potential, and help create a holistic approach to the transition that will have a huge impact on the business climate for SMEs, and on the ease of operating across borders.

In addition to the measures listed above, national governments need to be encouraged to work together with the European institutions to implement and support a fully integrated Digital Single Market; this will mean putting in place the required infrastructure (including universal, affordable internet access) and empowering disadvantaged groups to develop their e-skills.

Eva Paunova MEP, Vice President, European Movement International, said:

“Several elements of the Digital Single Market offer the opportunity to make the European public sphere more buoyant and to increase citizen participation in public life. These include the development of e-Government solutions, a modern copyright framework and ending the unfair practice of geo-blocking online content within the European Union.

“The Digital Economic Model should also strive to strike a balance between the economic benefits of universal internet access on the one hand, and privacy concerns (surveillance, data interception and collection, identity theft) on the other. The establishment of a European public-private partnership on cybersecurity should reflect this balance, and explicitly address any concerns expressed by citizens and other stakeholders.”

[ENDS]
Notes to the Editors
1. The European Movement International (EMI) is one of the largest pan and pro-European civil society organisations with currently more than 70 Member Organisations, bringing together representatives from European associations, political parties, enterprises and trade unions. www.europeanmovement.eu
2. The full European Movement position referenced above, can be found here.