European policy options for digital access and inclusion – WS 09 2015: Difference between revisions

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Please use your own words to describe this session. You may use external references, websites or publications as a source of information or inspiration, if you decide to quote them, please clearly specify the source.


Session teaser

The Multistakeholder Advisory Group (MAG) of the IGF invited all national and regional initiatives to contribute to the horizontal global inter-sessional theme for this year: "Policy Menus for Connecting the Next Billion" by:

• Introducing the theme and sub-themes of the upcoming IGF to the discussions held during 2015 whenever possible; • Providing suggestions relating to ideas on the basic pillars that will help operationalize and advance inter-sessional work during 2015; • Contributing to the discussions regarding the development of “Policy Menus for Connecting the Next Billion”; • Distributing this message widely within their respective IGFs; and • Making any suggestions and/or inputs on how to maximise, facilitate and strengthen their engagement with BPF and inter-sessional work.

Session description

Europe is one of the most connected regions in the world, with an Internet penetration rate of 70.5% of the population and around 580 million Internet users (Internet World Stats). However, we also have to face our internal digital divide: between countries in the North and in the South, and in the West and the East, between urban and rural areas, between the digitally literate and those who lack the necessary skills to benefit from the Internet and, last but not least, the gap between those who can afford to connect and those who cannot. To tackle these problems, a wide range of policies and strategies are developed and implemented both at a national and at a regional level. As building networks and providing access to physical infrastructure is not enough, such policies also need to be focused on issues like affordability of services, cultural barriers and digital illiteracy.

Within this context, the session will be focused on four categories of issues:

1. Relevance and current situation

Why is Internet access important? What is the state of Internet access and use in Europe?

2. Policy options for improving access

What is the adequate environment to encourage investment in and roll-out of (broadband) networks? What are the policy options for creating such an environment? What are the best practices in this regard? And what are the roles of the different players (governments, intergovernmental organisations, the private sector, etc.)?

3. Policy options for closing the gaps

If the physical infrastructure is in place, what are the next steps for bringing people online? How do we move from access to actual use? What are the policy options for dealing with the other dimensions of the digital divide (improving digital literacy, empowering the un-empowered, etc.)

4. Europe and beyond – international connectivity

What does Europe do beyond Europe to contribute to connecting the next billion?

Keywords

access, inclusion, policies, digital divide, literacy

Format

Deadline 30. April 2015

Further reading

People

  • Focal Point: Lee Hibbard, Council of Europe
  • Org team: Cristina Monti, European Commission, Sorina Teleanu, Executive Committee SEEDIG
  • Key participants|Panelists: (deadline 15. Mai 2015)
  • Moderator: (deadline 15. Mai 2015)
  • Reporter: (deadline 15. Mai 2015)
  • Remote moderator: (deadline 15. Mai 2015)

Conf. call schedule & minutes

Current discussion

See the discussion tab on the upper left side of this page

Mailing list

ws9@eurodig.org

Live stream / remote participation

Final report

Session twitter hashtag

Hashtag: #eurodigws9