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PITCH www.pitchworld.org |
Internet & Society
2020 |
 Click here for the Announcement and Agenda of the Event |
An Internet & Society
2020 Seminar, with the support of PITCH |
Report of the Event
The working group that met has involved some key people active in the field of development, Internet and new technologies. The meeting follows up on the conclusions of the European Council that met on May 30, which include a substantial reference to information and communication technologies. It intends to identify development projects that use applications of Internet as a development tool. It prepares for a large Conference to be organized during the Danish Presidency of the European Union (Second semester of 2002.)
Q&A sessions followed the various presentations, which addressed the following issues:
What are the ongoing projects of the Commission and of the Council that relate to Internet and development?
What is the impact of the legal and regulatory framework on the development of Internet activities in the developing countries?
What can be the consequence of a lack of legal framework?
What can be the consequence of an excess of legislation?
Is there an ideal legal framework?
What could the Conference planned during the Danish Presidency focus on?
The working group conclude on two major operational issues:
an initiative should be launched to examine the large number of demonstration projects financed by the EC programs, the World Bank Group, and possibly others from the viewpoint of learning from experience for improved legal frameworks;
the focused actions towards establishing a better legal framework in the developing countries could usefully involve a lawyer assisted with local technologists.
Participants included the following colleagues:
Ms. E. Mann, Member of the European Parliament and of the European Internet Foundation (Germany)
Mr. I. Averoff, Member of the European Parliament and of the European Internet Foundation (Greece)
Mr. J.L. Rocha, Directeur du Bureau de Liaison de l'Organisation Intergouvernementale de la Francophonie (Cap Vert)
Prof. G. Metakides, Director in DG Information Society, European Commission (Greece)
Prof. F. Filip, Président du Conseil scientifique de l'ICI, Vice-président de l'Académie (Roumanie)
Mr. E. Johnson, Managing Director, GIPI (USA)
Further to Prof. F. Filip and MEP I. Averoff, N. Pettiaux and M. Bosco of PITCH also contributed, as well as H. de Backer from the European Commission.
The following colleagues sent some representatives:
Mr. F. de Donnéa, Minister President of the Brussels Region (Belgium)
Mr. C. Picqué, Minister of Economy (Belgium)
Mr. P. Sicuro, former Minister, Director of the "Institut Francophone des Nouvelles Technologies et de la Formation" (Canada)
Mr. P. Frix, Représentant permanent adjoint de la Belgique auprès de l'OCDE (Belgium)
S.E. Mr. J. Obia, Ambassadeur de la République du Congo (Congo)
S.E. Mr. P. Sokhonn, Ambassadeur du Royaume du Cambodge (Cambodge)
For further information, please contact:
Jacques Folon
Eric Poskin
Michel Bosco
