OW's Report : Task-Force on ICT Sector Competitiveness and ICT Uptake

[Jean-Pierre.Laisne@xxxxxxxx]

Dear members,

OW has been invited by European Commission DG InfoSoc (Da Silva, Villasante, Bucher) to join the taskforce on ICT Sector Competitiveness and ICT Uptake to present the Open Source vision of European ICT and to counter balance the BSA, ESA, EICTAs of this world. 

Despite the very short notice, the "unfamiliar"environment  and the fact that we did not participate to establish the list of topics nor the content, we accepted the challenge and we proposed some ObjectWeb member names as candidates for this TaskForce (where you find also Alcatel, Microsoft, Cisco, Sun, IBM, etc.). E. Newcomer (IONA) and F. Bancihlon (Mandriva) have been selected by commission as world wide renowned SMEs using/producing Open Source. The existing members are mainly big (I mean huge) companies while EC considers SMEs as "the vast majority of Europe's innovative community" (7.000 SMEs in ICT in Europe i.e. 7 million people). Despite these facts, in the list of the attached document, you will identify very few SMEs despite.

Now EC wants us to participate to these workgroups and to have our position about the topics (see attached document). I think it is a key opportunity to expose our views but also to send right messages to Commissioners and MEPs. But it won't be easy: I know we have allies in the place but also enemies. Thanks to IONA and MANDRIVA we will be well represented. We are also counting on other members' help to contribute to these workgroups knowing that they are almost all related to OW's ecosystems and to the activities of OW's members. We have proposed to contribute to 4 of the 6 topics i.e. 1- ICT Uptake (JPL), 2- IPR FOR COMPETTIVENESS AND INNOVATION (Mandriva), 3- INNOVATION (INRIA), 4- SMES AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP (IONA).  We need extra help to be sure that these subjects will be well covered and will include a fair position for Open Source and all related activities. Please feel free to send your comments about these topics and I will make sure to transmit it to the right people. 

I think it is key for our organisation to take part of the European strategy . So let's put ObjecWeb's fingerprint on the papers that will be issued by this taskforce. Let's try together to influence Europe's future to the benefit of our interest might they be business related, citizen, academic or all these mixed. Let's make sure our points will be part of the big picture that this taskforce will deliver to the commission and the policy makers in Europe. We have a unique opportunity, let's try to get benefits out of it. Let's count on ObjectWeb's members to build a better future fro Software in Europe.

If you are interested participating, please do not hesitate contact me directly for more infos, to call me, email me etc. 

JPL.
Mobile # +33 6 86 56 16 33.

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Task-Force on ICT Sector Competitiveness and ICT Uptake

What are the Goals?:
Gather all segments of Industry
Identify major obstacles and incentives to uptake of ICT in Europe
Advise the Commission as a whole (not only InfoSoc + Enterprise)
The Commission will inform Council & Parliament of the results of the work
This work is complementary to existing initiative such as i2010

What is ICT Task Force?: 
25 members nominated by Commission (see the list below)
2 meetings (1 to begin-1 to end) under the presidence of Mr Collasante with participation of commissioners Reding and Verheugen (??)
Sherpa group: 3 meetings (next one in September)
6 workgroups for 6 topics :
1- ICT Uptake
2- IPR FOR COMPETTIVENESS AND INNOVATION
3- INNOVATION (R&D, MANUFACTURING, SERVICES)  
4- SMES AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
5- SKILLS AND EMPLOYABILITY
6- ACHIEVING A SINGLE MARKET

Each workgroup has to produce a position paper representing a consensus (not somebody's agenda)
Workgroups are open to all members and trade associations can associate experts to this work
Each workgroup has a coordinator designated by the workgroup members 

Attached the topics of ICT TF and the list of participants,

Attachment: CE ICT TF Sherpa Group 17-05-2006 JPL.doc
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