Commissioner Kroes: Digital is everywhere - it is everything and for everyone
After five years of driving Europe’s Digital Agenda forward, Neelie Kroes will soon reach the end of her term as Commissioner. She has been praised for being the first to bring digital to the highest level of policy attention, and can boast that 98 % of her goals are completed or on track. ‘Five years is a long time in politics. And even longer in tech,’ Commissioner Kroes told the packed hall in her opening address of Digital Action Day. Indeed the world as we knew it in 2009 when Commissioner Kroes first took up the post has changed considerably. Back then, Europeans couldn’t have used phones across borders without incurring high roaming charges. Many now ubiquitous tech phenomena, such as the app economy, were not on our radar. And ‘web entrepreneurs’ didn’t enjoy the status they do today – in fact, the term had barely entered our vocabulary. ‘Back then,’ Commissioner Kroes noted, ‘[Web entrepreneurs] were there but the general public and policy makers were not aware of them. Now we have many role models here in Europe to recognise and reward.’ Fast forward five years later and now tens of millions of Europeans are online, and every household is covered by at least basic broadband. Commissioner Kroes can boast that 81 % of the goals on her cards are completed, and an impressive 98 % are completed or on track. However, as the Commissioner acknowledged, there are outstanding tasks that she will leave to her successors ‘We need to build a single digital market and we need our copyright laws to be reformed’. The Commissioner recounted the three main lessons that she has learnt along the way. ‘Never underestimate the power of networks … If I have achieved anything, it is thanks to the people who have advised me - activists, social media commentators, etc. Never underestimate the opportunities on offer … Digital is everywhere - it is everything and for everyone … And never underestimate the power of inertia. For example, telecoms companies have a huge potential but often they would carry on with roaming surcharges rather than innovate. Too many want to stay ring fenced, fighting change, living in an analogue age.’ The way forward Going forward Commission President-elect, Jean-Claude Juncker, has vowed to be a ‘digital president’, and Commissioner Kroes expressed her hopes for his term. ‘Digital is everywhere. Every sector is digital, every portfolio is digital. Hopefully, [all portfolios] will all be in total communication under the leadership of the president. The President is creating a digital presidency - we will follow [the new Commission] and be critical if they are not performing.’ Over the next five years, Commissioner Kroes is particularly keen to see progress on a single digital, among other things: ‘It is ridiculous that we have this one sector that is separate from the single market. We need to see delivery – the securing of networks and systems, making steps forward in roaming, bringing down more borders that obstruct innovation. There is digital action that we can take right now today so let’s do that!’ For more information, please visit: http://ec.europa.eu/digital-agenda/en/dad14eu(opens in new window)
Countries
Belgium