Ambitious study published by Swedish EU Presidency

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Deutsch: [Schwedische Präsidentschaft gibt ehrgeizige Studie heraus | http://www.unwatched.org/node/1524]

The Swedish Presidency of the EU has produced a study entitled “A Green
Knowledge Society” that was made public in September 2009. The study aims to
set the scene for the “tipping point in the transition to the knowledge
economy” and to help prepare policy making for the “enormous consequences”
that this will have for society and interaction between governments and
citizens. The report also looks at the ways in which ICT can be used for
environmental protection. Key issues for the digital civil rights domain
include creativity and infrastructure.

As regards creativity the report underlines the changes in today’s
situation: “Some interviewees pointed to the need for Europe to move away
from a ‘permission to innovate’ culture. For instance, one of the few
examples of European innovation is the file sharing service Pirate Bay,
which challenges current intellectual property rules. Rather than attempt to
stymie this innovation, we need a more thoughtful response and to rethink
rules around protection of intellectual property rights so that they are fit
for a digital economy. Member State governments currently retain orthodox
views about protection of intellectual property but we may need to embrace
radical solutions if innovation and creativity is being held back (Boldrin
and Levine, 2008).”

Policy goals for infrastructure development are “a new regulatory regime
based on more effective ex ante regulation across all ICT layers”, open
source software and open standards for ICT infrastructure and public
procurement, strong Internet governance participation and ensuring that next
generation infrastructure can be built in a competitive market. Policy
actions include common enforceable regulation with service legal agreements
for ISPs and portal providers, harmonised spectrum policy and “vigorously”
deploying competition law with accelerated processes.

Full report – A Green Knowledge Society – An ICT policy agenda to 2015 for
Europe’s future knowledge society – A study for the Ministry of Enterprise,
Energy and Communications, -Government Offices of Sweden (09.2009)
http://www.se2009.eu/polopoly_fs/1.14425!menu/standard/file/A%20green%20knowledge%20society_low%20res_web_12_09_09.pdf

Executive summary
http://www.se2009.eu/polopoly_fs/1.12580!menu/standard/file/Revision03_executive%20summary_0830.pdf

(Contribution by Joe McNamee – EDRi)