Lect.dr. Roxana Ştefănescu

         As well as we are today largely using concepts like E-Commerce, E-activities, E-business, E-learning, E-health, etc., we are also using the concept of e-Europe. The eEurope concept was initiated in December 1999.

         eEurope is increasingly affecting more and more people lives, because this society intends to bring almost every European citizen closer to the Information Society. The eEurope Action Plan aims at key aspects like: e-research, e-education, e-commerce, e-working, e-health, e-government,

e – transportation, etc.

         It is obvious, even at this point, that eEurope is contributing  at economic and social growth of the entire Europe, particularly by improving growth and employment.

         Each of us, urban or rural, every community, during our day to day lives noticed the impact of the Information Society, the change that occurred in last few years on every aspect of our Society.

Because of that reason, and not only, European Commission brought this significant initiative : eEurope.

For a better presentation of the  aims and intents of the Europe’s Information Society will be given bellow:

“The Information Society Directorate-General ("DG") of the European Commission is charged with ensuring that Europe's citizens, governments and businesses continue to play a leading role in shaping and participating in the global information society.

The Directorate-General is driven by the European Commission's eEurope action plan and has specific responsibility for increasing the understanding, development and uptake of information and communication technologies and their applications within the European Union.

It does this by stimulating research into the development and deployment of new information and communication technologies; establishing and maintaining a framework of regulation and standards designed to generate competition; and stimulating the development of applications and content while supporting initiatives that encourage and enable all European citizens to benefit from, and participate in, the information society. “[1]

         An important issue of European Commission, having in scope a larger participation of all European citizens at the Information Society is the initiative eEurope 2002 – An Information Society For All. This initiative consists in directing efforts toward modernizing European Economy through several main areas, part of an well organized Action Plan. This Action Plan covers eleven key areas called Action Lines – where the main effort should be focused. These are:

-    Cheaper Internet

-         e-research

-         e-security

-         e-education

-         e-working

-         e-accessibility

-         e-commerce

-         e-government

-         e-health

-         e-content

-         e-transport.

After analyzing this Action Lines it can be concluded that they cover all kind of economic activities and organizations as industry, service,  consumers, educational institutions, national and European authorities, research organizations, etc.

At the end of this phase, after analyzing the results, European Union concluded that the following progress[2] was made during this period:

Internet penetration in homes has doubled;

Telecom framework in place;

Internet access prices have fallen;

Almost all companies and schools are connected;

Europe now has world’s fastest research backbone network;

e-commerce legal framework largely in place;

More government services available online;

A smart card infrastructure is emerging;

Web accessibility guidelines adopted and recommended in Member States.

The Second phase in following these aims, from May 2002, was represented by the Communication  “ eEurope 2005: An Information Society for all – An Action Plan ”.

This phase based on the achievements from the first phase but it intends to get improved results, as[3] ” to simulate secure services, applications and content based on a widely broadband infrastructure, improve participation, open up opportunities for everyone and inhance skills”.

Based on these targets Europe will have by 2005 mainly the following:

Ø     Modern on-line public services as e-government, e-learning, e-health

Ø     A dynamic business environment based on widespread availability of broadband access, competitive prices and a secure information infrastructure.

In order to reach these  goal, it is important to follow The Action Lines of The Action Plan presented at the beginning of this paper. The present paper will briefly describe what has to be done and what was done regarding the most important Action Lines. The results will be monitored at EU level, at Member State level and data collection in benchmarking context.

Regarding the desire to get a Cheaper Internet eEurope proposes the rapid adoption of the telecomm regulatory package.

An important Action Line refers to the academic community – researchers and students that are using the Internet – as an important tool for supporting their collaborative activity, and also as a tool with a great innovative potential. Under these circumstances, eEurope proposed the upgrading for existing linkages between European research on networks, as well as further research on new approaches such as World Wide Grid technology .

Another constant concern of the European Union Council regards insecurity of users while using Internet due to various aspects like: viruses, hacking attacks, credit card frauds and a lack of confidentiality and authentication .

For improving security of electronic communications, eEurope proposes to contribute at the development of certification services and of Internet security solutions, as well as that of  common specifications for smart cards.

Another important aspect of the Action Plan regards the e-education. This is an important aspect, because the youth, beside all  specific knowledge and skills they get in school, lies to fit to the Information Society, because they live and work in it. This is why eEurope considers that the most important measure that had to be taken consists in connecting all schools to the Internet, adapting school curricula and train teachers and instructors to use digital technologies.

Beside the education field, another domain is changing rapidly and also it changes the way that companies operate and consumer purchase. We refer at the increasing process of e-commerce. Regarding the e-commerce process, in order to realize the Internet Market for e-commerce, eEurope suggests that e-commerce legislation and also promotion of self-regulation are necessary. Other measures suggested are establishment of electronic market-places for public procurement and encouragement for SMEs to“Go Digital ”.

Next Action Line for eEurope refers to e-govermment. The purpose refers at the electronic access to public services of citizens and businesses.

For reaching this goal eEurope suggests online access to government and commission services, also quick and accurate procedures to set up companies as well as large use of electronic signatures and open software.

The eHealth programme refers at the Health Online action. This action will mainly refer at the implementation of an user friendly infrastructure, also medical care systems validated and interoperable, disease prevention and health education through national and regional networks which connect citizens, practitioners and authorities on line. The administration of this action is of course, up to the Member States.

Next field considered under The Action Plan refers to e-Transportations. In order to solve nowadays problems of transportation like congestion, lock of safety and shortage of new service, e-Europe comes with solutions like single European Sky, development of new services and Goller.

After analyzing the strategic and numerous programms that are action lines of e-Europe, we can conclude that e-Europe could be a decisive factor in modernizing European Union.