Parliament resolution on the Information Society
The European Parliament has adopted a resolution on the Information Society calling for guaranteed access for all citizens. The resolution, drafted by Mr. Fernand Herman on behalf of the Economic Affairs Committee, was adopted in Strasbourg on 19 September 1996. The resolution calls for the development of the Information Society to be based on the following principles: - Public authorities must guarantee the availability of information, which should not be treated as an ordinary commodity; - The Information Society should reduce the risks of polarising society not increase them; - A European regulatory authority and a solid regulatory framework need to be established. The European Union has a major role to play in areas such as regulation, RTD and industrial policy measures. Measures should be taken in sectors of public interest such as health, education and the fight against social exclusion. Public authorities must guide, encourage and coordinate investment, in partnership with the private sector, and promote European standards for interconnection. They should also encourage the diffusion of multimedia products across Europe, while respecting cultural and linguistic differences. The resolution examines the impact of the developing Information Society on the following major areas: - Consequences for society; - The rights of citizens; - Industrial policy; - Telecommunications policy; - Legal aspects; - Intellectual property. In particular the Parliament calls on the Commission to study the effects of teleworking, and calls for appropriate legal protection to be established for teleworkers. The Parliament also stresses the need for guaranteed low-cost communications in the framework of a universal telecommunications service. In addition, the Parliament calls for Community information to be available on-line, in all official languages, free of charge.