SP(2005)3507

SP(2005)2882

The European Parliament adopted a resolution based on the own-initiative report by Catherine TRAUTMANN (PES, FR) on the World Summit on Information Society. (Please see the document of 24/05/2005.) Parliament also stressed the need to develop entrepreneurial and innovative capacities to enable countries to use ICTs to develop services and systems that directly address their societal needs.

Parliament felt that the development of internet governance is a key to the success of the WSIS and should be pursued to a timetable compatible with the Declaration of Principles and the Plan of Action. However, an international and independent internet governance system should be maintained. It emphasised that accessibility and investment in ICTs depends on the stability and reliability of the internet. D igital literacy programmes are essential to building up a global area of freedom and security where citizens, who are potential consumers of information, enjoy full rights of citizenship. Education, including education in human rights, is central to an inclusive information society.

Parliament stressed the need to safeguard cultural diversity when planning governance arrangements. Innovation in educational systems, lifelong learning programmes and e-learning initiatives (for both teachers and students) should be fostered. Parliament recommended an explicit focus on education, training and tools for the creation of content that reflects cultural diversity. Globalisation brings in its wake risks in relation to respect for cultural diversity in terms of languages and identities. The information society can also represent an opportunity for the promotion of intercultural dialogue via global networks.

T6-0260/2005
OJ C 133 08.06.2006, p. 0031-0140 E

Results of vote in Parliament

The European Parliament adopted a resolution based on the own-initiative report by Catherine TRAUTMANN (PES, FR) on the World Summit on Information Society. (Please see the document of 24/05/2005.) Parliament also stressed the need to develop entrepreneurial and innovative capacities to enable countries to use ICTs to develop services and systems that directly address their societal needs.

Parliament felt that the development of internet governance is a key to the success of the WSIS and should be pursued to a timetable compatible with the Declaration of Principles and the Plan of Action. However, an international and independent internet governance system should be maintained. It emphasised that accessibility and investment in ICTs depends on the stability and reliability of the internet. D igital literacy programmes are essential to building up a global area of freedom and security where citizens, who are potential consumers of information, enjoy full rights of citizenship. Education, including education in human rights, is central to an inclusive information society.

Parliament stressed the need to safeguard cultural diversity when planning governance arrangements. Innovation in educational systems, lifelong learning programmes and e-learning initiatives (for both teachers and students) should be fostered. Parliament recommended an explicit focus on education, training and tools for the creation of content that reflects cultural diversity. Globalisation brings in its wake risks in relation to respect for cultural diversity in terms of languages and identities. The information society can also represent an opportunity for the promotion of intercultural dialogue via global networks.

T6-0260/2005

Debate in Parliament

A6-0172/2005

A6-0172/2005

The committee adopted the own-initiative report drawn up by Catherine TRAUTMANN (PES, FR) ahead of the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) to be held in Tunis in November 2005. It broadly endorsed the proposals made by the Commission for the second phase of the WSIS, particularly as regards the decisive role of an investment-friendly regulatory framework, ICT applications in priority areas including on-line government, the importance of research and innovation and the contribution of ICTs to development. The Commission was urged to develop a strategy that complies with the WSIS global action plan to be decided at the Tunis Conference.

MEPs emphasised that the development of ICTs might widen the digital divide by favouring those who have access to and know how to use ICTs. This risk should therefore be taken into account in all the actions recommended, which should be tailored to the regional, national or local circumstances. Furthermore, equal importance should be accorded to the economic and the cultural effects of ICT development, so that it benefits employment, enterprises and social cohesion. To guarantee ' e -Inclusion', consideration should be given to "the possibility of the most essential basic services being free of charge on the agreement of all partners".

The report recommended that the EU and the Member States should fast-track the setting-up of ICT research networks, view the WSIS as a spur for cooperation in traditional areas of geographical or historical proximity (the Mediterranean, the ACP states, etc.) and for new cooperation with developing countries, and take into account, as a priority, the infrastructure and training requirements of the least-developed countries (LDCs).

In conclusion, MEPs hoped that the Tunis Summit would:

- facilitate progress towards a common definition of Internet governance;

- deal collectively with subjects of general interest connected with management of the internet (domain names, address allocation);

- strengthen international cooperation in the field of security and Internet abuse (including spamming) and in combating cyber-crime (including child pornography) and attempts to restrict pluralism, freedom of expression and respect for human rights; and

- clarify responsibilities, including public responsibilities, in particular to ensure the neutrality and interoperability of digital technologies and platforms.

PE357.832

PE353.523