I have picked some parts of the Bangemann report and appended below as a response to previous comments. Please note the section on Internet at the end. It of course recommended that those interested should take part of the full report available on-line as has been announced. One could question the influence this report will have. The group consisted of some major European industrial leaders and Bangemann (German commisionair ?) who was, I think, suggested as one of the many candidates to replace Jaques Delors. Bernhard. ======================================================================== An Action Plan - summary of recommendations This Report urges the European Union to put its faith in market mechanisms as the motive power to carry us into the Information Age. This means that actions must be taken at the European level and by Member States to strike down entrenched positions which put Europe at a competitive disadvantage: - it means fostering an entrepreneurial mentality to enable the emergence of new dynamic sectors of the economy - it means developing a common regulatory approach to bring forth a competitive, Europe-wide, market for information services - it does NOT mean more public money, financial assistance, subsidies, dirigisme, or protectionism. In addition to its specific recommendations, the Group proposes an Action Plan of concrete initiatives based on a partnership between the private and public sectors to carry Europe forward into the information society. ................................. An Action Plan This Report outlines our vision of the information society and the benefits it will deliver to our citizens and to economic operators. It points to areas in which action is needed now so we can start out on the market-led passage to the new age, as well as to the agents which can drive us there. As requested in the Council's mandate, we advocate an Action Plan based on specific initiatives involving partnerships linking public and private sectors. Their objective is to stimulate markets so that they can rapidly attain critical mass. In this sector, private investment will be the driving force. Monopolistic, anticompetitive environments are the real roadblocks to such involvement. The situation here is completely different from that of other infrastructural investments where public funds are still crucial, such as transport. This sector is in rapid evolution. The market will drive, it will decide winners and losers. Given the power and pervasiveness of the technology, this market is global. "THE MARKET WILL DRIVE ... THE PRIME TASK OF GOVERNMENT IS TO SAFEGUARD COMPETITIVE FORCES...." The prime task of government is to safeguard competitive forces and ensure a strong and lasting political welcome for the information society, so that demand-pull can finance growth, here as elsewhere. By sharing our vision, and appreciating its urgency, Europe's decision-makers can make the prospects for our renewed economic and social development infinitely brighter. ............................. The Group recommends Member States to accelerate the ongoing process of liberalisation of the telecom sector by: opening up to competition infrastructures and services still in the monopoly area removing non commercial political burdens and budgetary constraints imposed on telecommunications operators setting clear timtables and dead lines for the implementation of practical measures to achieve these goals. ........................ The Group recommends a review of the European standardisation! process in order to increase its speed and responsiveness to markets. - Urgent action to adjust tariffs Reduction in international, long distance and leased line tariffs will trigger expansion in the usage of infrastructures, generating additional revenues, and simultaneously giving a major boost to generic services and innovative applications ........................... The Group recommends as a matter of urgency the adjustment of international, long distance and leased line tariffs to bring these down into line with rates practised in other advanced industrialised regions. Adjustment of tariffs should be accompanied by the fair sharing of public service obligations among operators. ............................ New basic services are needed New basic services such as e-mail, file transfer and interactive multimedia are needed. The necessary technology is available. New networks are developing, such as ISDN, eliminating the present limitations of the telephone network. Two basic elements are needed for such services: unambiguous standards and critical mass. The attraction of a telecommunications service depends directly on the number of other compatible users. Thus, a new service cannot really take off until a certain number of customers has subscribed to the service. Once this critical mass has been achieved, growth rates can increase dramatically, as in the case of INTERNET. INTERNET is based on a world-wide network of networks that is not centrally planned. In fact, nobody owns INTERNET. There are now some 20 million users in more than 100 countries. The network offers electronic mail, discussion fora, information exchange and much more. INTERNET is so big, and growing so fast, that it cannot be ignored. Nevertheless, it has flaws, notably serious security problems. Rather than remaining merely clients, we in Europe should consider following the evolution of INTERNET closely, playing a more active role in the development of interlinkages.