European information society for growth and employment, i2010

2005/2167(INI)

This Staff Working Document accompanying the 2005-2009 report on the i2010 initiative sets out the trends and main achievements of this initiative.

The i2010 initiative is successfully meeting its challenges and delivering on its promises. Take up of ICT by European enterprises and citizens has risen substantially over the past four years and the rapid spread of broadband is stimulating a more intensive use of advanced internet services.

The quality of access has improved and has become cheaper, while use has intensified, in particular through the advancement of user-created content and social networks.

More and more people are going online, including those belonging to more disadvantaged social groups. Use is becoming more interactive and sophisticated and the internet has become a popular tool for communication and entertainment services.

This report analyses developments in Europe's information society and benchmarks Member States' progress in implementing the i2010 initiative. It also looks at developments in the ICT sector in the face of the economic crisis, with a focus on the impact it is having on R&D investment.