European policy options for digital access and inclusion – WS 09 2015
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This session is a European oriented version of the UN IGF initiative "Policy Options for Connecting the Next Billion".
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 Options 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: according to the International Telecommunication Union, by the end of 2015, the Internet penetration rate will be at 77.6% of the population, and the number of Internet users will reach 487 million. 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:
- Relevance and current situation: Why is Internet access important? What is the state of Internet access and use in Europe?
- 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.)?
- 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.)
- 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
Panel
Further reading
- SMART Internet Measurement and Monitoring Study
- Digital Agenda for Europe
- A Digital Single Market for Europe
People
- Focal Point: Lee Hibbard, Council of Europe
- Org team: Cristina Monti, European Commission; Sorina Teleanu, Chamber of Deputies, Parliament of Romania
- Key participants|Panelists:
- Mark Carvell, Department for Culture, Media and Sport, United Kingdom Government
- Frédéric Donck, Regional Bureau for Europe, Internet Society (ISOC)
- Jānis Kārkliņš, Ambassador of Latvia, Chair of the IGF Multistakeholder Advisory Group
- Desiree Miloshevic, Afilias
- Megan Richards, Directorate General for Communications Networks, Content & Technology, European Commission
- Moderator: Lee Hibbard, Council of Europe
- Reporter: Cristina Monti, Directorate General for Communications Networks, Content & Technology, European Commission
- Remote moderator: Sorina Teleanu, Chamber of Deputies, Parliament of Romania
Current discussion
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Mailing list
ws9@eurodig.org
Live stream / remote participation
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Final report
Session twitter hashtag
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