On 30 and 31 March 2009, a Council of Ministers of Transport, Telecommunications and Energy, was held in Brussels, where, among other things, there was an exchange of views on the impact of the economic crisis on information and communication technologies (ICT) and on how ICT can boost the economy of the European Union.
In this debate, a consensus was reached on the need to adopt implementation measures of access to new technologies and to intensify efforts in terms of ICT research and development. In particular, Ministers agreed that public and private investment in both infrastructure and in training should be strengthened and measures were presented that are already underway or planned for the respective States. In this regard, Ministers recalled the agreement reached in March on the European economic recovery plan, which includes support for high-speed Internet projects, following the European Commission's proposal for a package of €5 billion to be invested in the energy and broadband sectors.
With respect to the Council's findings on e-accessibility, the European Commission (EC) was invited uphold e-inclusion in general, and e-accessibility in particular, as a main concern in order to encourage the Council to maintain this priority in EU information society policy following up on the i2010 initiative, and in the next European disability action plan. The EC was also invited to continue to provide financial support for e-accessibility through relevant EU programmes, supporting efforts on guidance and exchange of good practice at European level for improving web accessibility, and reporting to the Council on progress made in context of the objectives of the Riga Declaration.
Member States were invited to support multi-channel delivery of public services and free access to public information; contribute to the affordability of ICT products and services to final users; apply accessibility criteria in their public procurement of ICT goods and services; and implement the provisions of the Convention of the United Nations on persons with disabilities.
Portugal also had opportunity to inform the Council about the fourth World Telecommunication Policy Forum (WTPF-09) of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to be held in Lisbon from 22 to 24 April 2009.
Consult:
- Press release - Council meeting Transport, Telecommunications and Energy 30-31 March - provisional version http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/en/trans/107025.pdf
