What exactly is the "information society"? A guide for newcomers.

You are reading this page on the Internet. You may also have a digital camera, a mobile phone, an MP3 player. These are all "information society" products, made possible by the convergence of computer, telecommunications and media sciences. In just one generation, information and communications technologies (ICTs) have revolutionised the way we live, learn, work and play. They have radically recast the ways in which people, industry, governments and society interact. ("Digital Revolution" Play)

Information Society Policies at a Glance

The Information Society will affect most aspects of our lives, so European policies range from the regulation of entire industrial sectors to the protection of each individual's privacy.

The policies are grouped as follows - you can also jump straight to the relevant sites using the tabs below:

Regulation in the Information Society

The European Information Society sector has grown partly due to European initiatives such as the creation of the Single Market, the Television without Frontiers Directive, the adoption of harmonised standards such as GSM, and the liberalisation of the telecommunications sector. Today, there are two main areas of Information Society regulation at European level: Transmission & Content.

Transmission: Regulating the Pipes ...

A new electronic communications regulatory framework, launched in July 2003, provides a world-class legal framework for continuing the development of Europe's communications industry. The new Framework is pro-competition - regulation is withdrawn as competition develops - and covers, among other things, the management of scarce resources essential to communications.

One particularly important resource is radio spectrum, through which all wireless communications travel, so the EU's new radio spectrum policy was launched as part of the new framework. However, while the Framework focuses on communications networks and services, radio spectrum policy covers all areas where spectrum is an issue, from mobile telephony to television broadcasting, from satellite positioning systems to scientific research, and much more.

Europe also regulates a number of dedicated telephone numbers:

* 112 - a single emergency number for Europe: enables everyone to call emergency services anywhere in the European Union, from a fixed or a mobile phone. Used, in particular, by eCall - when your car calls for help after an accident (read the eCall press pack)
* 116000: the single EU hotline number for missing children - read the press release

These regulatory areas are coordinated with the Radio Equipment and Telecommunications Terminal Equipment (RTTE) Directive, which regulates the telecommunications equipment market. By replacing over 1000 national approval regulations, the Directive has created a framework for regulating what is now a European single market worth 30 billion euro.

The Commission also launched the Mobile Roaming Charges regulatory initiative to reduce the cost of international roaming charges in Europe, and regulates the safety of ICT-related products: preventing any risk of health-related effects of Electromagnetic Fields, and setting minimum safety and health requirements for work with Visual Display Units.

Complementary Activities: The above policies are complemented by a range of European Activities designed to Build Europe's Digital Infrastructure.

Content: ... and what flows through them

In the field of content, European audiovisual regulation aims to ensure the free provision of services and to fulfil objectives of public interest such as access to information and protection of users in areas such as commercial communication, protection of minors and human dignity - see:

* the "Television Without Frontiers Directive, which promotes the European broadcasting industry by ensuring the free movement of television broadcasting services throughout the EU;
* the Council Recommendation on the Protection of Minors and Human Dignity, which provides guidelines for national legislation in combating illegal and harmful content transmitted over electronic media.

The EU's Single Market rules, moreover, facilitates the cross border transmission of audiovisual programmes via satellite and retransmission by cable.

The electronic communications regulatory framework site also summarises European policies in the areas of Spam, Privacy and Data Protection.

The Commission also promotes the internationally accepted Web Accessibility guidelines to ensure everyone can access websites, regardless of any physical disabilities.

The Directive on the harmonisation of certain aspects of copyright and related rights in the information society, finally, adapts legislation on copyright and related rights to reflect the digitisation of content, and supports the use of Digital Rights Management technologies. Earlier European copyright law included protecting databases and computer programs.

Complementary Activities: The above policies are complemented by a range of European Activities designed to Stimulate Digital Applications


Stimulating the Information Society Sector


Rolling out new technologies, products and services is not just a matter of research and development - policies are required to overcome obstacles ranging from copyright to security.

Research

The 2005-2010 Perspective: Under i2010's Investment and Innovation in Research pillar, the Commission is focusing both on the EU’s research and development instruments and setting priorities for cooperation with the private sector to promote innovation and technological leadership - see the Research & Innovation Theme for more details.

Infrastructure

Europe's electronic communications regulatory framework stimulates the development of Europe's infrastructure by promoting competition and growth across the communications sector (see Policies > Regulation for more).

Additional policies stimulate the development of specific aspects of Europe's digital infrastructure:

* Bridging the Broadband Gap: Europe is ensuring that all regions of Europe benefit from Broadband internet access;
* Space policy: the Information Society is a major user of space-based applications, from satellite positioning systems to broadband communications.

Content & Services

Stimulating the sector is also a question of stimulating the supply of content and services which make the Information Society valuable:

* Copyright: while policies exist to stimulate digital content (see next points) and manage copyright in a digital age (see Regulating > Content), the correct approach to Digital Rights Management technologies must also be found if the sector is to grow.
* The public sector is the single biggest producer of information in Europe, producing data on topics as diverse as economics, traffic flow and demographics. The EU’s Public Sector Information Directive therefore stimulates the sector by making it easier for companies to access and add value to this valuable raw material.
* Europe's cultural heritage is another potentially massive source of content. Digitising it would both stimulate the development of the Information Society and make this unique cultural heritage available to more people - see the Digital Libraries Initiative and the Lund Principles and Action Plan.
* RFID: developing policies on the opportunities and challenges posed by Radio Frequency IDentification technology;
* Europe's VAT arrangements for electronic services, applying to radio and television broadcasting services and certain electronically supplied services, ensure they are taxed in the country where the customer resides rather than where the supplier is located. This means EU suppliers do not have to levy VAT when selling outside the EU, removing a significant competitive handicap.
* Security: Finally, the Information Society cannot grow to its full potential unless users, companies and governments enjoy reliable networks; high levels of protection for personal data and from malicious attacks - see the Strategy for a Secure European Information Society.

Moreover ...

* See Policies > Exploiting the Benefits: exploiting the benefits of the Information Society will also stimulate growth in the sector by stimulating demand and removing barriers to adopting ICTs;
* Complementary Activities: The above policies are complemented by a range of European Activities designed to:
o Build Europe's Digital Infrastructure
o Stimulate the Development of Digital Applications

Exploiting the Benefits of the Information Society

A range of policies also aim to ensure that Europe exploits the possibilities offered by the Information Society, improving both public and private services for all Europeans.

The 2005-2010 Perspective: One of the three main priorities of the Commission's i2010 initiative is to ensure that all Europeans participate in and benefit from the Information Society, notably through providing better public services, available to everyone.

Public Services

Government: The eGovernment Action Plan (April 2006), outlined how "hundreds of billions of euros could be saved for European taxpayers every year" by using ICTs to provide 'joined up government' and to improve democracy, while the Electronic Public Procurement legal framework is accelerating the use of ICTs to improve efficiencies in public procurement, which accounts for 16% of the EU economy.

Health: The eHealth Action Plan (April 2004), on the other hand, set out how ICTs can be used to deliver better quality health care Europe-wide. It will be followed by a Recommendation on eHealth interoperability and an i2010 Flagship on ICTs for independent living in an ageing society.

Education: Similarly, the 2006 eLearning Conference explored how ICTs can improve the way Europeans are educated and trained throughout their lives.

Customs: The Commission's Electronic Customs project, composed of legislation and a number of major projects, will create a more efficient and modern customs environment.

Society & Environment

Inclusion: These ICT-powered services, of course, must be available to everyone, regardless of their location, wealth or health, which is why the Ministerial Declaration on eInclusion (pdf) was adopted at ICT for an Inclusive Society (June 2006).

The Commission also wants to encourage more women to pursue an IT career as a force for change and a major boost for the ICT sector.

Sustainable Development: Europe's transport, energy and environment challenges are well known. What is less well known is the extent to which ICTs can help solve these problems, which is why:

* an i2010 Flagship on ICTs for Sustainable Growth is currently under preparation,
* the i2010 Flagship on Intelligent Cars has been launched to tackle transport-related problems and accelerate the deployment of intelligent vehicle systems, building on the eSafety Initiative, a public-private partnership to accelerate the use of Intelligent Integrated Safety Systems to reduce accidents on European roads.

eBusiness

Applying ICTs to business sharpens their competitive edge and drives innovation. The opportunities are particularly attractive in Europe, as eBusiness allows many companies - particularly SMEs - to benefit from the Single Market for the first time.

The eCommerce Directive (2000) is Europe's basic legal framework for electronic commerce in the Internal Market. VAT Invoicing Rules ensure all Member States' tax authorities recognise the validity of electronic invoices, while VAT rules on radio and television broadcasting services and certain electronically supplied services mean that EU suppliers no longer have to charge VAT when supplying digital products to countries outside the EU, as was the case before e-service existed.

The Online Financial Services policy framework aims to ensure consumers and retail investors can access on-line financial services from across the EU while being fully protected, while the Distance Marketing of Financial Services Directive protects consumers of retail financial services (insurance, banking, etc.) marketed by telephone, Internet or mail. Consumer policy and e-commerce, finally, aims to improve consumer confidence in the internal market when it comes to eBusiness.

The EU's Industrial Policy promotes the Competitiveness and sustainable development of the ICT sector, supporting the take-up of information and communication technology and e-business practices by European enterprises.

The EU's .eu domain, moreover, has successfully translated the European Single Market online.

The Directive laying down VAT invoicing rules helps firms operating within the Internal Market by ensuring that they have only to deal with a single, simplified set of rules on invoicing valid throughout the EU. It also requires Member States to recognise the validity of electronic invoices and allow cross-border electronic invoicing and electronic storage. See: Frequently Asked Questions for Traders.

Europe's VAT arrangements for electronic services, applying to radio and television broadcasting services and certain electronically supplied services, ensure they are taxed in the country where the customer resides rather than where the supplier is located. This means EU suppliers do not have to levy VAT when selling outside the EU, removing a significant competitive handicap.

More: see the eBusiness theme.
Moreover ...

Complementary Activities: The above policies are complemented by a range of European Activities designed to Stimulate the Development of Digital Applications

Today, Europe's Information Society policies are brought together under the i2010 Initiative: the EU framework for addressing the main challenges and developments in the information society and media sectors in the years up to 2010. The initiative promotes an open and competitive digital economy, research into information and communication technologies, as well as their application to improve social inclusion, public services and quality of life.

The EU's international Information Society policies span all of these areas, and so are set out in the International Relations site.

As all policies are interrelated, of course, some may appear in more than one section. An A-Z list of all EU Information Society policies, finally, is also available.