Internet: http://europa. eu. int/comm/research/energy Interested in European research RTD info is our quarterly magazine keeping you in touch with main developments (results, programmes, events, etc
Internet: http://europa. eu. int/comm/research/rtdinfo/index en. html European Technology Platform Smartgrids Vision and Strategy
for Europe†s Electricity Networks of the Future 2006 EUR 22040 Directorate-General for Research
A great deal of additional information on the European union is available on the Internet It can be accessed through the Europa server (http://europa. eu. int
Cataloguing data can be found at the end of this publication Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European communities, 2006
ISBN 92-79-01414-5  European communities, 2006 Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged Pictures  Belpress. com
granting connection access to all network users, particularly for renewable power sources and high efficiency local generation with zero or low carbon emissions
•Developing information, computing and telecommunication systems that enable businesses to utilise innovative service arrangements to improve their efficiency
information technologies. The benefits of new technologies will have a positive effect for Europe†s citizens and for international business.
and user For a successful transition to a future sustainable energy system all the relevant stakeholders must become
•User-centric approach: increased interest in electricity market opportunities value added services, flexible demand for energy, lower prices, microgeneration
benefits to all users, stakeholders and companies that perform efficiently and effectively •enables Europe†s electricity
create a strongly user-centric approach for all customers 8 E u R O P E A n T E C H N O L O G Y P L a T F
government members to everyday users, every stakeholder will help to shape the Smartgrids system. What are the different needs
Users: Users†needs include quality of service and value for money. In the coming years, users†expectations will broaden
satisfy the growing needs of users. Some users will seek simple â€oeturnkey†products. Cost efficiencies and savings
will need to be made visible, in monetary terms This must be accompanied by an increase in services delivered and a reduction of
to be adopted by the different players regarding data exchange, modelling grids ancillary services and their users.
They must also share a vision of electrical system performance. A pan European approach is essential since,
users, particularly for RES and high efficiency local generation with zero or low carbon emissions
•Develop information, computing and telecommunication systems that enable businesses to utilise innovative service arrangements to improve their efficiency
energy delivery to end-users 16 E u R O P E A n T E C H N O L O G Y P L a T F
User specified quality security and reliability of supply for the digital age Flexible, optimal and strategic grid
As the powers of computers advance rapidly, new technologies will be tested evaluated and modified on-line before physical
Today, most users are passive receivers of electricity without further participation in the operational management of the generation
Each user node is simply a †sink†for electricity However, in the last decade many countries have started the process of
communications capability and greatly improved user information, is now a reality and deployment is already taking place in some European countries
avoidance of usage or local generation enables each user node in the future network to behave as both sink and source.
developments including end user communications access 5. Setting up Smart Power grids Electricity grids of the future are Smart in several ways.
Just like the internet, the electricity grid will be interactive for both power generation sources and power consumption sinks (loads.
systems and telecommunications †together with other communications systems that use electricity supply networks as their delivery infrastructure †will serve as
Wide area monitoring and protection (WAM & WAP) systems will be applied to manage the congestions in the transmission systems in a way that improves the
two-way flows will exist between provider and user. This type of exchange has characterised the popularity of the internet-how is Smartgrids preparing
for success Many factors will shape future electricity networks and the actions and decisions taken today will influence longer-term outcomes.
users through smart metering systems •distribution grids that facilitate dynamic control techniques and high levels of
data transparency •Since grids are highly complex with multiple connection points, it is recognised that
Internet-style inspiration One possible model for the electricity network of the future would be analogous
to the internet, in the sense that decision-making is distributed and that flows are bidirectional. Applying this concept to the electricity networks would lead to
Such a system would require advanced hardware and management protocols for connections, whether for suppliers of power, for consumers or for network
well as the development of a flexible, multi-user connected network which establishes power and communication transfer possibilities among all players
It is important to emphasise the role of ICT †in particular telecommunications †in adapting electricity networks to the real time actions
which may not be supported fully by the present internet generation Even if the internet protocol is universal,
a serious effort is needed to effectively use communications equipment for a distributed real-time control of electricity networks
The real time performance of the internet as communication means is known to be very difficult to assess
It is possible to conceive such a network but the real hardware, protocols standards and markets at all levels are more difficult to realise.
In managing the transition to the internet-like model, it may be useful to consider concepts under development in a number of projects under the European
cost-competitive technologies as well as new communication systems with more sensors and actuators than presently in the distribution system
derived from status and ancillary data. This, along with the ability to re-route power means that the active network represents a step towards the internet-like model
Active management The evolution of active management, summarised in the next figure, can be described as follows •Initial stage:
the users of the network will expect a responsive system. They will experience connection according to simple and defined standards
internet-like model and its information and trading capability, rather than any hardware. Power is purchased
and delivered to agreed points or nodes Its source, whether a conventional generator, RES or from energy storage is determined by
modern information technology, advan -ced power electronic components and efficient storage 28 E u R O P E A n T E C H N O L O G Y P L a T F
only power engineering and information technologies, but also economics & market regulatory & legal and environmental aspects.
deployment, real user experience will be disseminated to the wider market place to generate awareness of and confidence
stimulates initiatives and monitors progress •Mirror Group: enables the involvement of Member States, candidate countries
You can find the list of sales agents on the Publications Office website (http://publications. eu. int
-ment tools, checklists and databases, as well as to present selected eco-innovation good practices This guide is for you
At its core, eco-innovation is about cre -ating business models that are both competitive and respect the environment by reducing
a resource-efficient Europe, www. eco-innovation. eu/index. php? option =com content&view=article&id=200&itemid=258
-use agreements between users and manufac -turers in relation to washing machines, carpeting tiles, furniture, lighting and power monitoring.
use of chemicals and improving the data manage -ment of the chemicals2 www. aga. com
accessible to registered users at all times. The main concept is that cars can be spontaneously â€oehired†(customers use a chip to unlock the car
211010. pdf Eco-innovate! A guide to eco-innovation for SMES and business coaches 16
¢www. oecd. org/dataoecd/7/34/49537036. pdf Workshop resources†¢www. oecd. org/innovation/innovationinsciencetechnologyandindustry
www. foranet. dk/media/27577/greenpaper fora 211010. pdf Revisit your business model Eco-innovate! A guide to eco-innovation for SMES and business coaches
www. factor10-institute. org/terms. html The ecological footprint is a measure of human demand on the Earth†s eco
EC€ s LCA database including carbon footprint data of over 300 materials energy carriers, and delivery of waste treatment and transport
-hold/commercial waste sites to take away their waste paint and retreat it. Newlife Paints also has
www. environmental-savings. com/megtakaritas. php Genan turning tyres into new products The Danish company
start-up Guide and a Web portal where technical guidance on measure -ment and relevant links are provided
www. unep. org/pdf/PRE-SME HANDBOOK 2010. pdf The Solid and Hazardous Waste Education Center•(Wisconsin, USA
website contains a wide range of resources that could be useful for eco -innovators www4. shwec. uwm. edu/shwec
But gathering market intel -ligence can be challenging for small companies In order to identify â€oehot spots†for eco-innovation
5 SERI 2011, Global Material Flow Database. 2011 Version www. materialflows. net 6 Ellen Mcarthur Foundation 2012:
and Outlook 2010. Material resources and Waste. European Environment Agency, Copenhagen Eco-innovations focused on improving material
www. eco-innovation. eu/index. php? option=com content&view=article&id =420&itemid=210 Source: EIO 2012 based on data from Demea (N=92
Figure 6: Yearly savings potential in SMES introducing material efficiency solutions Eco-innovate production processes
www. eco-innovation. eu/index. php? option=com content&view=article&id=514%3aweight-and -energy-efficiency-optimisation-with-flat-glass-syst
guarantees backup power in remote areas. The intel -ligent closed-loop system stores energy from the grid or when renewables
are plentiful and instantaneously releases energy when there is a power dip or outage. Electroself engages immediately whenever external power
panels, which are cost-effective and have in -creased the speed of assembling houses at the
construction site. Ecococon houses rely on a wood frame, straw as a thermal insulator, and clay
www. eco-innovation. eu/index. php? option=com content&view=article&id=344%3astraw-panels& catid=65%3alithuania&itemid=65
www. wupperinst. org/en/publications/entnd/index. html? beitrag id=1926 &bid=169 The•OECD Sustainable Manufacturing Toolkit offers well structured
enables the user to Determine the applicability and compliance with the environmental legis-†¢lation affecting the sector, for example the WEEE, Rohs, Eco-design
The Eup Eco-profiler is a cost-free Life-cycle Assessment software tool for Energy-using products and processes for SMES in this sector
The most in demand information includes data on the origin of resources used in products and evi
Develop indicators to monitor performance. †¢Develop clear indicators based on the code †¢of conduct to monitor progress
Internal and external communication is also †¢very important at all stages Develop collaborative practices and strong relationships with
Foster the use of IT and information systems †¢in supply chain management Eco-innovate production processes
Chain Methodologyâ software makes it possible to maximise in real-time the total community gains in
to the telecommunication sector, mainly accompany -ing companies with envi -ronmental management solutions and recycling
â€oefonebak†initiative was the world†s first mobile phone recycling scheme. The company saw an
web-based map that pro -vides information on the supplier policy towards sustainability and results of Patagonia†s audits in
www. accenture. com/us-en/outlook/Pages/outlook -journal-2012-why-sustainable-supply-chain-is-good-business. aspx
www. unglobalcompact. org/Issues/supply chain/guidance material. html The UN Global Compact†s •Quick Self-Assessment and Learning Tool
-Report. pdf BSR Key Performance Indicators for Responsible Sourcing, †¢A Beyond Monitoring Trends Report (2009
Sourcing %20kpis summary. pdf www. bsr. org/consulting/working-groups/beyond-monitoring. cfm Learning Resources Eco-innovate production processes
¢innovation trends related to our core business Key challenges for your business Developing eco-innovative products, services â€
Regularly scan websites, join groups and †¢network proactively to identify emerging eco-innovative technologies, materials and
MATREC materials database showcases developments in new, recycled †¢materials www. matrec. it/en/materials-catalogue/recycled-materials
4e04a2ffe62f8a3c972f27a79d. pdf Enterprise Europe Network shares new technologies for partnering and †¢licensing portal. enterprise-europe-network. ec. europa. eu
repair, upgrade or recycle all/part of the product? Are parts separable Can less material and fewer material types â€
What data and tools are available to assess †¢the (quantified) environmental impacts in Key challenges
Communicating data or information on a †¢product†s environmental impacts is not always a strong motivator for customers or users to
change behaviour e g. reduction in energy in the use phase. Designers may choose to explore user-centred design approaches to
help customer and /or users reduce their envi -ronmental impacts Eco-innovate! A guide to eco-innovation for SMES and business coaches
43 eco-innovation observatory Business case for eco-innovation Identify the appropriate focal areas of eco-â€
typical user-behaviour. Similarly, define envi -ronmental validation requirements taking into account both customer specifications and
What product design features or user-infor-†¢mation will enable low-impact behaviours are marked materials, also with recycling
Strong product-user relation  What problems arise in the recovery and disposal of the product
site in Wales achieving a significant return on investment and reduction of materials sent to land
www. ecodesigncentrewales. org/sites/default/files /EDC ORANGEBOX ENABLINGECODESIGNINWELSHIN -dustry. pdf Crawford Hansford & Kimber a cleaner printed cicruit board
Crawford Hansford & Kimber developed a †cleaner†printed circuit board (PCB) that is in -corporated into equipment that
interfaces with data loggers that is now in use in higher education around the world. The eco-design approach
www. crawfordhk. com/study. html Eco-innovate products and services Quick wins Creative approaches and focused improv-â€
mtrl. com/portal/site/mtrl/Home â€oeinformation Inspiration†•supports ecodesign through combining infor -mation (materials, life extension etc.
ecodesign. lboro. ac. uk/index. php? section=1¤tsection=1& sectionname=Home Learning Resources Figure 7:
Understanding customer and user behaviour †¢is important. User behaviour may be a strong determinant of a product†s environmental
impact e g. reducing energy consumption in the use phase of product†s lifecycle is a key
via websites and online social networks rather than by simply talking â€oeat†customers through traditional media
-tics of our core customer groups (e g. mass niche, segmented? What type of relationship does each customer type expect from us
-vironmental performance related data in com -munications What is the product†s Unique Selling Proposi-â€
¢can be attached to the core concept and? How can stakeholders be rewarded for adopting and promoting pro-environmental behaviour
www. elvisandkresse. com/Press/Prints. html Determine if your product†s environmental †¢performance adds to your USP and inte
Use social neworks (Facebook, Twitter, †¢Linkedin etc. selectively and carefully to promote product-related environmental
messages Develop press relationships with environ-†¢mental media and websites and communi -cate good new
Eco-innovate! A guide to eco-innovation for SMES and business coaches 51 eco-innovation
www. projectsigma. co. uk/Toolkit/SIGMASUSTAINABILITYMARKETING. pdf Jacquie Ottman†New Rules of Green Marketing†¢www. greenmarketing. com/our-book
cfsd. org. uk/smart-know-net/smart-know-net. pdf The EU Eco-label helps identify products
¢www. iso. org/iso/environmental-labelling. pdf Defra†â€oegreen Claims Guidance†provides clear principles and examples. â€
you got evidence to backup your claims Greenwashing must be avoided How are you going to create â€oenoise†in the â€
that specialises in crowdsourcing ideas and crowdfunded â 100,000 for their entrepreneurs in a three month period.
¢www. crowdsourcing. org/directory Choose the category as Crowdfunding and then country. Results can be
¢blog. seedrs. com Funding Circle articles†¢www. fundingcircle. com/about-us/in-the-news Get your eco-innovation idea off the ground:
database www. eco-innovation. eu INNOWATER is a public-private partnership of public innovation agencies, water associations
The European commission has funded a range of projects collecting data and good practice examples on eco-innovation.
/megtakaritas. php; Newlife Paints Source: Â www. newlifepaints. com p. 27: Source: Â EIO 2012 based on data from Demea (N=92
p. 28: Source: Â www. lisec. com/LPS/Glas-Vorspannanlagen-speziell-fuer-Duennglas p. 29:
en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Green dot %28symbol%29 p. 34: The Footprint Chroniclesâ Â source: www. patagonia. com/us/footprint
www. crawfordhk. com/study. html About the Eco-Innovation Observatory The Eco-Innovation Observatory (EIO) is a three-year initiative financed by the European Commission†s Directorate-General
Visit our website to get open access to our reports, interactive database with charts and maps, EU country profiles as well as
anamarinoiu@yahoo. com http://www. rei. ase. ro Abstract: -The paper presents the results of a qualitative research on the perception and implementation of eco
†Social network Effects on the Extent of Innovation Diffusion: A Computer Simulationâ€, Organization Science, Vol. 8, No.
3 may-Jun.,1997), pp. 289 -309 2 Andersen, M m.,(,(1999) â€oetrajectory Change through Interorganisational Learning.
5). pdf 30 Oltra, V; Kemp, R; De vries, FP (2009 Patents as a Measure for Eco-Innovation, Cahiers du
e-commerce in retail sales (3. 4%in 2010) and that of the Internet sector in European
digital economy and the realization of the Digital Single Market for Europe are one of the four main drivers of a more prosperous and competitive Europe.
consumer rights, data protection, copyright), in line with proposals from the Commission. It also calls for measures to build confidence and trust in the Digital
particular through the extension of the Internal Market Information system IMI), the Consumer Protection Cooperation network (CPC) and an in depth
Internal Market Information system The Regulation on the Internal Market Information (IMI) system, adopted on 25
-effective and user friendly tool to implement Article 3 (4),(5) and (6) of the Electronic commerce Directive (ECD.
administrative cooperation through the Internal Market Information system and repealing Commission Decision 2008/49/EC http://eur-lex. europa. eu/Lexuriserv/Lexuriserv. do?
PDF 9 Created in 2005, it is composed by representatives of MS administrations in charge of the e-commerce
10 http://ec. europa. eu/consumers/enforcement/docs/cpc regulation inception report revised290212 en. pdf 4 be limited to section 4 of the E-commerce Directive.
downloads Main action 2: ensure that the European strategy for intellectual property rights is implemented rapidly and ambitiously, in particular by means of a
PDF 12 COM (2012) 261 final http://ec. europa. eu/internal market/services/services-dir/implementation report en. htm
http://ec. europa. eu/internal market/services/docs/services-dir/implementation/report/SWD 2012 146 EN. pdf 5 copyright in the information society (2012.
digitisation and online display of orphan works and introduces a new exception to copyright (one of the few ones to be fully harmonised at EU level.
framework for the mass digitisation of books and scientific journals. The practical implementation of the Mou is ongoing.
user-generated content and licensing for small-scale users of protected material; audiovisual sector and cultural heritage institutions;
and text and data mining As part of this exercise, a report will be published on the outcome of the consultation
launched by the Green Paper on the online distribution of audiovisual works in early 2013.
14 COM (2011) 287 final http://ec. europa. eu/internal market/copyright/docs/ipr strategy/COM 2011 287 EN. pdf
BEREC), jointly with the Commission services, launched a Europe-wide data 21 For further info see IP/12/1367 http://europa. eu/rapid/press-release ip-12-1367 en. htm and MEMO/12/983
-paper en. pdf 8 collection exercise on traffic management practices. On 29 may 2012, BEREC transmitted a report with the final results of the questionnaire on traffic management
practices to the Commission services and published it on its website. According to the data gathered by BEREC, the majority of ISPS offer unrestricted Internet access
However, certain restrictions affect a significant number and portion of users especially in the mobile sector.
More than 21%of subscribers are affected by peer -to-peer (P2p) restrictions on fixed networks and Voice over internet Protocol (Voip
restrictions on mobile networks. Additionally more than 36%of users are experiencing restrictions regarding P2p on mobile networks.
Such restrictions affect access to several legal services that use P2p technology and often seem to be
implemented to restrict competition, for instance in the voice market Moreover, a recent Commission in depth market study on internet services provision
from a consumer perspective showed that very little information was provided to consumers on internet providers'websites on issues such as blocking/slowing down
of services and download limits (94%and 56%respectively of websites assessed by mystery shoppers provided no information on the aforementioned issues) 23
BEREC also investigated other aspects related to net neutrality, including transparency and switching. It highlighted the importance of transparent information
in this context and it also identified barriers to switching that still exist in European Member States
in an Open Internet"on between 23 july and 15 october 2012. The Commission services are currently working on guidance that will include measures related to
or throttling policies or download limits 24 COM (2011) 851 final COM (2011) 851 final
11 851 en. pdf 25 http://ec. europa. eu/taxation customs/common/consultations/tax/2012 vat rates en. htm http://ec. europa. eu/taxation customs/common/consultations/tax/2012 vat rates en. htm
impact on VAT rules and notably a possible alignment of offline and online VAT rates.
which determines the necessary technical details for exchanges of data under the mini OSS was adopted under the â€oecomitology†procedure
Open Data Strategy, adopted by the Commission on 12 december 2011, which includes support to R&d on data along with the development of European data
-portals and other actions designed to facilitate EU-wide access to PSI and to stimulate the creation of information products
special schemes for non-established taxable persons supplying telecommunications services http://ec. europa. eu/taxation customs/common/legislation/proposals/taxation/index en. htm
PDF 28 Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 815/2012 of 13 september 2012 laying down detailed
established taxable persons supplying telecommunications, broadcasting or electronic services to non taxable persons (OJ L 249,14. 9. 2012, p. 3†10.
PDF 29 http://ec. europa. eu/information society/policy/psi/revision directive/index en. htm 10 which will greatly contribute to bringing the economic value of PSI to the market.
31 http://ec. europa. eu/consumers/ecc/docs/report ecc-net 2012 en. pdf 32 http://europa. eu/youreurope/citizens/shopping/buy-sell-online/index en. htm
comparison websites, retailers, regulators, consumer organisations •map best practices in the comparison of products and services across different
Private operators of comparison websites have also been invited as speakers The initiative is horizontal in scope, covering various sectors such as retail, travel
In order to increase internet enforcement capability in the EU, the latter co-funds a large cooperation project involving a partnership of 16 national consumer
33 COM (2013) 36/2 http://ec. europa. eu/internal market/retail/docs/130131 retail-action-plan en. pdf
videos or music downloads, in order to verify compliance of such websites with EU consumer protection legislation.
Of the 333 websites checked, 76%were flagged for further investigation and will be followed-up by the competent national authorities in
2012 and 201335 Main action 7: adopt a â€oeeuropean Consumer Agenda†putting forward a strategy and initiatives to place consumers at the heart of the Single Market
comparison of products and services, including through comparison websites see above at page 11 Main action 8:
consumers from using unregulated sites Main action 9: Via the implementation of the Directive on falsified medicinal
identify sites providing the public with legal offers of medicinal products through distance sales (2013-2014) and, primarily by means of a report the
when buying on the Internet. Consumers will have to be provided with essential information before they order goods
bans pre-ticked boxes when offering additional services, internet cost traps and charges of which the consumer was informed not in advance.
single set of core rules across the EU that will not only promote consumers'trust but
PDF 40com (2011)/ 635 final http://ec. europa. eu/justice/contract/index en. htm 15 high level of consumer protection.
Data protection reform As regards the protection of personal data, the European commission adopted on 25 January 2012 a comprehensive reform of data protection rules, aiming in particular at
strengthened online privacy rights and boosting Europe's digital economy The Commission's proposals update and modernise the principles enshrined in the
Data protection Directive 95/46/EC, to guarantee privacy rights in the future. They include a policy Communication setting out the Commission's objectives and two
legislative proposals: a General Data protection Regulation proposing a general EU framework for data protection41 and a Directive on protecting personal data
processed for the purposes of the prevention, detection, investigation or prosecution of criminal offences and related judicial activities42
The proposed General Data protection Regulation, by providing a single law, will substantially reduce the current fragmentation and costly administrative burdens
leading to savings for businesses of around â 2. 3 billion a year, and will help
reinforce consumer confidence in online services, thus providing a much needed boost to growth, jobs and innovation in Europe
acceptability, electronic delivery service and website authentication. The legislative process is ongoing 3. 3 RELIABLE AND EFFICIENT PAYMENT AND DELIVERY SYSTEMS
payments by card, internet or mobile phone, on the basis of a Green Paper adopted at the same time as this Communication with the aim of (i) assessing
41 COM (2012) 11 final COM (2012) 11 final http://ec. europa. eu/justice/data
-protection/document/review2012/com 2012 11 en. pdf 42 COM (2012) 010 final COM (2012) 010 final http://eur
PDF 43 For further info, see http://ec. europa. eu/justice/data protection/index en. htm 44 COM (2012) 238/2
http://ec. europa. eu/information society/policy/esignature/eu legislation/regulation/index en. htm 16 the barriers to entry and competition on these markets and proposing legislative
standardisation and interoperability of payments by card, internet or mobile phone, and (iv) increasing the level of security of payments and data protection
The Commission will present the conclusions of this exercise and the next stages by mid-2012
As pointed out in its Green Paper on card, internet and mobile payments45, the Commission is working to promote an integrated European market for card, internet
and mobile payments for the benefits of consumers and merchants. The benefits stemming from a more integration market include
card, internet and mobile payments most of which are relevant in the context of e -commerce and online services.
•Obstacles for (web) merchants who wish to benefit from the cross-border or central acquiring of card payments
•Standardisation and inter-operability gaps for the provision of card, internet and mobile payments across the EU
-commerce/summary report en. pdf 48 â€oenotice-and-action†(â€oen&aâ€) procedures are put in place by online intermediaries to allow a citizen or
"storage of information supplied by a recipient of the service"(hosting services such as social networks, web
In the L'Orã al/ebay case (July 2011) the Court clarified that"awareness"of illegal content can in particular be
of e-commerce, by using the internet to offer goods and services which are infringing IPRS
of counterfeit goods via the Internet concluded between 33 companies and trade associations and covering 39 different internet sites in Europe, focusses on disrupting
and deterring the supply side of the online counterfeit market and improving 49 http://ec. europa. eu/internal market/consultations/2012/clean-and-open-internet en. htm
The Commission services have gathered information and data as regards ADR systems for disputes between businesses (B2b ADR) via a SME-panel survey and a
as'botnets')to carry out attacks against information systems. The Council and the European parliament reached a political agreement on a compromise text in early
will have four core functions •To serve as the European cybercrime information focal point •To pool European cybercrime expertise to support Member States
http://ec. europa. eu/consumers/redress cons/docs/directive adr en. pdf and COM (2011) 794 final http://ec. europa. eu/consumers/redress cons/docs/odr regulation en. pdf
53 COM (2010) 517 http://ec. europa. eu/dgs/home-affairs/policies/crime/1 en act part1 v101. pdf 20
•To provide support to Member States'cybercrime investigations •To become the collective voice of European cybercrime investigators (across
and promoting core EU values, including by proposing norms for responsible behaviour, and encouraging the application of existing international
54 COM (2012) 9609/2 http://ec. europa. eu/competition/state aid/legislation/broadband guidelines en. pdf 22 The Commission has set up the S3 Platform55 to support the regions through peer
investments in the EU telecoms markets. Regulatory consistency across Europe ensures that telecoms operators benefit from regulatory predictability and clarity
which are necessary for, in particular, the large scale investments required to roll out next generation networks capable of supporting the Digital Agenda for Europe's
In practice, however, national telecoms regulators use diverging costing methodologies to set copper -and fibre-based wholesale access prices in their
of Electronic communications (BEREC), individual national telecoms regulators market players as well as investors. The Commission services have in addition
High speed broadband Internet is the backbone of the digital single market. Hence the broadband targets of the Digital Agenda for Europe,
access to high speed broadband (30 Megabits per second or more) for all Europeans by 2020, with at least 50%of European
households having high speed subscriptions above 100 Megabits per second The costs of Next Generation Access (NGA) deployment in Europe are estimated to
adopt an overall strategy on cloud computing in order to stimulate that sector and provide the legal certainty which economic operators
The Communication"Unleashing the Potential of Cloud computing in Europe"57 was adopted and published by the Commission on 27 of September 2012.
overall goal of the recently adopted EU cloud computing strategy is to make Europe cloud-active and cloud-friendly
services for the benefit of users and services providers alike Key actions of the strategy described in the Communication include
•Cutting through the jungle of standards so that cloud users enjoy interoperability data portability and reversibility.
A common mapping of the necessary standards needs to be identified by 2013 •The development of voluntary EU-wide certification schemes for trustworthy
which enable users to evaluate and compare, in a simple manner, the level of conformity with standards, interoperability and data portability.
Certification would also encompass the verification that the provider has implemented the appropriate IT SECURITY and data protection measures, as well as technical and
organisational measures and the appropriate safeguards for data transfers •The development of model contract terms to cover issues not covered by the
Common European Sales Law such as: data preservation after termination of the contract, data disclosure and integrity, data location and transfer, ownership of
the data or direct and indirect liability. Identifying and developing consistent solutions in the area of contract terms and conditions is a way of encouraging the
wide take up of cloud computing services by increasing consumer trust 57 COM (2012) 529 http://ec. europa. eu/information society/activities/cloudcomputing/docs/com/com cloud. pdf
24 •Establish a European Cloud Partnership (ECP) to drive innovation and growth in the public sector. The European Cloud Partnership is driven an alliance by key IT
services procurers from European public bodies in cooperation with CEOS of the IT and telecom industry
Main action 16: adopt a Communication on spectrum-sharing including a strategy for the promotion of shared access to the spectrum in the Single
Market and allowing a structured political debate on the economic, technical and regulatory issues surrounding the various methods of spectrum-sharing
The Radio spectrum Policy Programme (RSPP) 58 was adopted on 14 march 2012 The Decision contains a number of provisions fostering the availability of spectrum
which are crucial for access to high-speed Internet services such as E-commerce services As a first milestone of the RSPP implementation, the Commission adopted a
The RSPP aims at a target of 1200 MHZ available spectrum for wireless broadband by 2015 and imposes the obligation on Member States to make available the 800
MHZ band for wireless broadband by 1 january 2013. The 800 MHZ band is crucial for the economic roll out of nationwide wireless broadband services.
The Commission services are closely monitoring the deadlines for making this spectrum available and administrative procedures will be launched where appropriate
In order to step up its efforts to achieve the goals of the Radio spectrum Policy Programme, in particular in the area of wireless broadband, the European
Commission is developing and pursuing a targeted action plan accelerating the process for making available the necessary spectrum resources and thereby the roll
-out and usage of high speed wireless communication networks and services 4. CONCLUSION Many actions included in the action plan have been completed already, and the
of 14 march 2012 http://ec. europa. eu/information society/policy/ecomm/radio spectrum/rspp/index en. htm 59 COM (2012) 478 final http://eur-lex. europa. eu/Lexuriserv/Lexuriserv. do?
PDF 1. INTRODUCTION 2. RECEPTION BY STAKEHOLDERS AND EUROPEAN INSTITUTIONS 3. STATE OF PLAY OF THE ACTION PLAN ONE YEAR AFTER ADOPTION
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