Ryan Heath 4 Neelie Kroes

Loving these photos of Neelie Kroes and Oscar-winner David...

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 15:14:37 +0100

Loving these photos of Neelie Kroes and Oscar-winner David Puttnam who is Ireland’s Digital Champion

Update on my computer

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 23:34:22 +0100

Re: computer situation during IGF12
“We now have a substantial update from our IT security services on my personal computer. Conflicting certificates and suspicious messages were received on the computer, and it is not possible to exclude that passwords were compromised. On the other hand, there is no data loss or malware left on my computer. We are relieved by this news and consider the matter closed.”
Naturally I will update again if I learn more. Merry Christmas, happy holidays.

Extra public funding needed to connect all Europeans to fast broadband

Tue, 02 Oct 2012 15:05:06 +0200

Neelie Kroes is making a forceful case to CEOs and MEPs for connecting an extra 45 million households to fast internet via the European Commission’s Connecting Europe Facility (CEF): “It’s time to give our economy an upgrade … ICT investment is the most productive investment” for advanced economies like Europe.

Kroes says that the Digital Single Market cannot be completed, and the goal of fast broadband for all Europeans cannot be reached, without CEF’s financial instruments being deployed at EU scale.

The special nature of CEF’s European Investment Bank supported financial instruments mean it “isn’t a donation, it’s a loan. Every Member State will get back more total investment than they put in. The EU budget gets its money back: with interest”.

READ THE FULL SPEECH HERE

Kroes says Europe will be condemned to a “world of blackouts and blackspots and dumb-phones,” not to mention permanent low economic growth, if it does not achieve €200bn in network upgrades.

Europe is not keeping up globally: 80% of US households have access to 100mb per second broadband; China is installing 35 million fibre connections in 2012. Just 1% of Europeans have such connections.
“In Germany alone broadband upgrades could boost the economy by 170 billion euros and create nearly a million jobs,” Kroes will say.

Winners of EU Contest for Young Scientists

Tue, 25 Sep 2012 16:30:39 +0200

Europe’s best young scientific minds met in Bratislava today for the 24^th annual Awards Ceremony for the EU Contest for Young Scientists (EUCYS). The top three prizes went to teams from Ireland, Poland and Austria for projects in Physics, Chemistry and Engineering. Runners up were also recognised for their projects in areas as diverse as Physics, Computer science, Mathematics, Social sciences and Biology.

The second prize winners include: Switzerland, Germany and Denmark and the third prize winners: Estonia, Polandand Belarus. This year, Canada won the International Prize for contestants from outside the EU with a project in Environment. This year’s competition attracted 117 contestants aged 14 to 21, grouped in 79 projects, from 36 countries and EU schools.

IP/12/1004

Commentaire de la Commission sur la réunion "Pellerin - Kroes"

Mon, 17 Sep 2012 17:14:00 +0200

La Vice Présidente a eu une réunion très fructueuse avec la Ministre. Elles ont toute deux échangé des points de vue sur la conjoncture actuelle, à la fois en matière économique et réglementaire. Elles se sont accordées que l’agenda numérique est une priorité commune et un vecteur de croissance essentiel pour la France et l’Europe. Le secteur des telecoms est dans une situation délicate en Europe et en France en ce moment, et il est nécessaire de développer une vision européenne de politique industrielle pour le secteur, notamment pour relancer l’investissement dans le très haut débit, dynamiser les services télécom et informatiques et renforcer la compétitivité des équipementiers. La gestion des fréquences devrait être mieux coordonnée pour favoriser le développement de la 4G en Europe. La ministre et la vice-présidente ont également évoqué des sujets touchant à la fiscalité en France et en Europe.

Enjoy a radio play of a nearly forgotten story about the early...

Fri, 07 Sep 2012 15:00:00 +0200

Enjoy a radio play of a nearly forgotten story about the early days of European networking, by Mariann Unterluggauer,

Forty years ago, in October 1972, a small team of young American researchers presented at the Hilton hotel in Washington DC the “Arpanet”. Also around was the British computer scientist Derek Barber. He presented at the International Computer Communications Conference a European research project called “COST Project 11”. COST 11 got renamed to “European Informatics Network” (EIN), “because it sounded better”.

Time for the savings to start and the whingeing to end

Mon, 25 Jun 2012 19:57:51 +0200

From 1 July there are price caps for mobile internet roaming inside EU. You will get maps, email, photos and social networks at less than half the roaming price you are paying today. Prices for voice calls and SMS also fall – to lower than typical domestic rates in some Member States.

That’s saving of €200 euros for a family on a holiday abroad, and around €1000 euros for a regular business traveller. Overall, consumers will be saving €15 billion in the next year on roaming services compared to 2007 prices.

This does not mean companies will be losing revenue. Revenue is not falling because of this regulation, and that’s a fact. Why? Because with each price cut fewer and fewer people are scared to use their phone abroad.

In fact smart companies making price offers below new caps. They know this will encourage more people into the mobile internet market – the most profitable market. So the Commission says to companies: don’t complain, just follow the data. That’s where the money is.

We also remind consumers to choose data offers carefully. For example, agreeing to pay 2 or 3 euros a day for unlimited data roaming is a great deal. But you will pay whether you use the data or not. So if you are not a big data user, please remember that the price caps are your safety net.

New EU roaming price caps: what changed

Sat, 14 Apr 2012 11:56:00 +0200

Just before Easter the EU institutions agreed a new roaming regulation system. A long term solution after 2015 which will mean you can choose your roaming provider like you choose a wifi network, and up until then the certainty of ever decreasing prices.

Neelie’s Kroes’ video message is here, subtitled in 22 languages: http://youtu.be/FgIjYkceW5w

EU and e-Signatures

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 17:09:33 +0100

#esignature

To my surprise I’ve been getting a few requests for info about the EU’s e-Signature plans. Here’s the lastest basic info.

The Commission plans to adopt a proposal before July 2012 for a pan European Framework for electronic identification, authentication and signature. It will include the revision of Directive 1999/93/EC.

You will find information on the consultation process carried out in this context on http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/policy/esignature/eu_legislation/revision/index_en.htm

The proposal will be accompanied by an “impact assessment report”.

The Digital World Is For Everyone

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 18:52:00 +0100

Full list of signatories at: http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/digital-agenda/ict-and-women.html

More info on Neelie Kroes and International Women’s Day here:
http://blogs.ec.europa.eu/neelie-kroes/iwd2012/

“The empowerment of women and the recent rise of digital technology have changed our world for the better.

Now it is time to bring these two revolutions together. You may have heard of Moore’s law, but what about a more women law?

Technology should not be a boy’s and man’s world. Our technology gurus and heroes cannot be limited to men.

It’s a digital world now and the digital world is for everyone. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”

Latest on media situation in Hungary

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 19:29:02 +0100

#KlubRadio #Hungary @NeelieKroesEU
A Hungarian court has ruled that KlubRadio can continue broadcasting (subject to appeal). Also, Neelie Kroes has explained to Hungarian MEPs why her actions are needed and within her mandate. See latest open letter here:
http://blogs.ec.europa.eu/neelie-kroes/files/Neelie-Kroes-to-Jozsef-Szajer-EN.pdf

EU Heads of State/Govt agree to cut costs of broadband

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 19:18:57 +0100

Investing in new and better broadband is expensive. The EU voted on Friday to make it cheaper. Full text of the agreement is here: http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/en/ec/128520.pdf

Even mobile industry agrees with us that roaming prices are too high

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 13:27:00 +0100

#roaming #mwc12
This story from Agence France Press, about tells it all about roaming. Even the mobile industry hates and fears roaming charges, if the people at the world’s largest mobile event - Mobile World Congress - are anything to go by. Key quotes:

“We probably have two-thirds of the people here who have turned off their data, because they’re scared to death of the roaming prices, and we’re talking about people from the telecom world!” noted Jeff Gordon, chief executive of Syniverse, which deals with roaming issues for 700 mobile operators across the world.

According to Syniverse, out of 75 million people who travel to another country in a month, close to 70 percent never use the data service and half make no calls at all. Analyst firm Greenwich Consulting estimates that data roaming alone is an untapped 1.5 billion euro business in Europe alone.

“A smartphone is a great travelling companion and data services should be kept on rather than turned off, as they are today,” said Magnus Rehle, director of the consultancy.

“The prices of international roaming have got to come down. None of us like surprises, we don’t want to have to live in fear of the 5,000 euro bill,” noted Gordon.

Barroso's broadband call to EU Council

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 11:45:51 +0100

#broadband #DAE #DSM12

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso was banging the broadband drum yesterday and today ahead of the Summit of European heads of state and government.

“We need to cut the cost of broadband roll-out. A study we released yesterday shows that €110 billion a year could be generated – more than 0.8% of GDP if the internal market for electronic communications were completed.”

Barroso’s full speech here: SPEECH/12/135

Kroes & ETNO's shared vision on ICT research

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 11:17:00 +0100

#research #H2020

European Commission Vice President Kroes and Luigi Gambardella, Executive Board Chairman of European Telecoms Network Operators (ETNO) have issued a statement on their shared commitment to EU ICT research, following a meeting in Brussels today

“Information and Communication Technology is responsible for half of Europe’s productivity growth and a quarter of our GDP growth. ICT is therefore at the heart of our economy.

ICT research and development also plays a large and growing role in overall European research – constituting already 25% of business R&D. In the recent past, an initial €120 million EU investment enabled today’s 3G mobile market - now worth €250 billion.

Further public investment in ICT research and development, as outlined in the Commission’s ambitious Horizon 2020 proposals, would enable further successes like this. Horizon 2020 is therefore key to Europe’s future competitiveness and tackling our essential social challenges - these investments will help create tomorrow’s jobs and growth.”

Kroes hits back at Vodafone CEO on roaming

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 09:43:59 +0100

Neelie Kroes was surprised to read the comments at 2012 Mobile World Congress of Vodafone CEO Vittorio Colao - and she has this to say in response:

“Message to Vittorio and Vodafone: I call your bluff, and indeed do not respond well to threats. I take the side of the Vodafone customer. And I remind everyone that we want to get the mobile sector more spectrum and a bigger market. A fair competition in roaming is a good exchange for those opportunities. Remember, if consumers lose their fear of using their smartphones and tablets when travelling across Europe, operators will benefit as well.”

Vodafone’s comments are here:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/feb/27/vodafone-boss-moratorium-mobile-phone-regulation

Kroes’ speech from yesterday on Boosting Mobile Broadband, is here
http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=SPEECH/12/124&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

In the speech she explained the mobile would play a very big role in future fast broadband in Europe, would support it with more spectrum and announced her support for the simplest way to reduce data roaming prices: a permanent solution known as “local break-out”, which allows users to choose the best offer like they would choose a WiFi network. “Local break-out is the best answer for data users: it is a simple solution, a boost for competition and consumer confidence,” Kroes said

Am fascinated by reactions to ACTA ECJ referral

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 12:02:38 +0100

It’s been fascinating to read the very divergent coverage of the Commission’s decision to refer ACTA text to the European Court of Justice. This seems the wisest course of action given the concerns raised about people’s freedoms.

The Commission decision to do this was both consensual and discussed in advance. Anyone suggesting otherwise is either not in possession of the facts or is misrepresenting them.

The full remarks of the EU Trade Commissioner (Karel de Gucht) are here

Good to see White House joining our DNT efforts

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 11:52:31 +0100

Neelie has just blogged about her reaction to the White House’s support for a Do Not Track standard for web privacy.

This standard has been a long-held goal of Kroes and the Commission, backed through workshops and discussions for more than a year. Good to see this movement from the States.

Blog is here

Latest Broadband figures from Dec 2011

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 11:17:32 +0100

A frequent question I get is “what are the latest EU broadband statistics?”.

We tend to get updates twice a year, and in order make sure the statistics are solid, and not just PR puff, it takes about six months for full verification, which is why we don’t have minute by minute statistics on this sort of thing.

All the latest figures are here: http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/digital-agenda/scoreboard/docs/pillar/cocom_broadband_july_2011.pdf

And also many statistics in graphical form here in 2011 digital scoreboard: http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/digital-agenda/scoreboard/index_en.htm

A one line summary would be – doing very well on basic and mobile broadband, but progress on very fast fibre broadband is moving more slowly. We almost have 100% broadband coverage in Europe now.

This is me, your humble Digital Agenda spokesman

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 23:13:36 +0100

This is me, your humble Digital Agenda spokesman