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06/12/05
EICTA Press Statement
Strengthening European Competitiveness and Cohesion through the European Infocommunication Sector
Only by intensive development of the Infocommunication sector can the European Union become competitive and achieve the Lisbon goals. This is the main message of the Budapest Infocommunication Summit, held in Hungary last weekend.
Representatives of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) industry in the New Member States and Associated Countries of the European Union - ministers, leaders of national ICT associations from 15 European countries and representatives of the current EU presidency - met in Budapest at the Infocommunication Summit to express their commitment to contributing to a prospering and competitive enlarged European Union.
Organized by EICTA, the European Association representing the digital technology industry, IVSZ, the Hungarian Association of IT Companies and the Ministry of Informatics and Communications of Hungary, the Summit took place on 2 December 2005 in Budapest, Hungary.
The morning session on Cohesion through ICT - concentrated on the needs and on the opportunities that ICT developments - both infrastructural and content - can bring to the EU economy. The afternoon session on Competitiveness through ICT - concentrated on the opportunities that cooperation within the ICT sector among member states can bring to the enlarged EU.
Participants agreed with the UK Presidency that the whole EU economy growth rate has increased as a result of enlargement, while New Member States have significantly higher growth rates than EU15 states. Structural and Cohesion funds were mentioned as the most important and effective budgetary tools for convergence, which in turn was mentioned as a crucial facilitator to achieving a stronger European economy growth rate. Thus the participants recommended to increase these funds as they are such a factor in EU economy growth.
Participants at the Summit expressed their firm belief that the ICT industry, both infrastructures and services in private and public sector, provides a catalyst to productivity and thus competitiveness in the European economy. As a consequence, Information Society readiness and the level of ICT industry development is a key factor to future competitiveness of the entire European Union
One of the keys to Cohesion and Competitiveness of the enlarged European Union is to assure that less developed regions receive a substantial portion of the Structural and Cohesion Funds in the 2007-2013 period that can be used for the development of ICT infrastructure, services and ICT related education in these countries.
The "Budapest Infocommunication Declaration", summarizes the conclusions of the conference. This document will be sent to decision makers at the European and Member State level.
Further information Mr. Szabolcs Katai EU Relations Director, Hungarian Association of IT Companies (IVSZ) T +36 1 266 6346 E This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Mr. Mark MacGann - Siada El Ramly Director General, Senior Manager – Public Affairs, EICTA T +32 2 7068470 E This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it W www.eicta.org
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