By Felicity Ussher, 23 March 2000 00:20
NEWS The European Commission's plans for an electronic Europe will be scrutinised in Lisbon today and tomorrow by the continent's Prime Ministers. Erkki Liikanen, Commissioner for Innovation, will argue that e-Europe cannot happen without shared targets for IT training, online health services and entrepreneurship across member states. In particular, he aims to create a more dynamic European economy by training young and elderly people in IT. But Liikanen's framework for an electronic Europe looks set to come under fire from members of the European Parliament. In a report released earlier this month, UK Labour MEP Imelda Read said Liikanen's proposals leave a number of gaps, such as the role of SMEs and the promotion of business-to-consumer electronic commerce. As rapporteur for the European Parliament's committee on employment and social affairs, Read made three key points. First, that a high-quality multimedia infrastructure must be set up to cater for PC and TV-based services; Second, the EU must establish legal guarantees for consumers; and third, that the EU should fund an advertising campaign to promote the arrival of electronic commerce. Read told Silicon.com: "I hope Lisbon will get the right balance between liberalisation and regulation, and between the needs of businesses and citizens. It is not always easy to decide when market invention is needed." The President of the European Parliament, Nicole Fontaine, will open this summit at 10:00 GMT today, then Liikanen will be called to the stage.
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