European Parliamentary Research Service Blog
Mar Negreiro
How digital technology is easing the burden of confinement [Policy Podcast]
The coronavirus pandemic is bringing an unforeseen acceleration in the digital transformation of societies around the world. Continue reading
The rise of e-commerce and the cashless society
Sales in the EU still predominantly take place offline – in bricks and mortar shops – and purchases are still predominantly made with cash. However, thanks to the level of convenience they offer, both online shopping and cashless electronic payments are booming and are among the key drivers of the digital transformation taking place in our economy and society. Continue reading
EU policies – Delivering for citizens: Digital transformation [Policy Podcast]
A digital revolution is transforming the world as we know it at unprecedented speed. Digital technologies have changed the way businesses operate, how people connect and exchange information, and how they interact with the public and private sectors. Continue reading
The new European cybersecurity competence centre and network [EU Legislation in Progress]
On 13 September 2017, the Commission adopted a cybersecurity package containing a series of initiatives to further improve EU cyber-resilience, deterrence and defence. Continue reading
Re-use of public sector information [EU Legislation in Progress]
The mid-term review of the digital single market strategy in 2017 identified the data economy as one of the top three priority areas for action in the second half of the strategy’s implementation, and announced a legislative proposal to improve access to and the re-use of publicly funded data. Continue reading
Adapting to new digital realities: Main issues and policy responses
Digital technologies have changed the way we live and transformed the world around us at unprecedented speed. They have affected all important aspects of life, both at work and at home, and have influenced almost everything from human relations to the economy, to the extent that access to the internet has now become a basic human right recognised by the United Nations. Continue reading
European high-performance computing joint undertaking [EU Legislation in Progress]
Following a declaration made by seven EU Member States in March 2017, the European Commission adopted a proposal to establish a joint undertaking for high-performance computing (HPC) under Article 187 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) on 11 January 2018. Continue reading
ENISA and a new cybersecurity act [EU Legislation in Progress]
On 13 September 2017 the Commission adopted a cybersecurity package with new initiatives to further improve EU cyber resilience, deterrence and defence. Continue reading
Free flow of non-personal data in the European Union [EU Legislation in Progress]
One of the 16 key elements of the Commission’s digital single market strategy, presented in 2015, was a legislative proposal to facilitate the free flow of non-personal data. Continue reading
Developing supercomputers in Europe
A number of companies, universities and start-ups are racing to develop the fastest supercomputer in global rankings. So far China, Switzerland and the USA occupy the top four places in this regard, while the EU does not feature in the top 10. Continue reading
Roam like at home as of summer 2017 [What is Europe doing for its citizens?]
Written by Mar Negreiro, From 15 June 2017 on, using your mobile phone anywhere in the EU will cost you the same as at home. The long-awaited end to roaming charges within the EU was agreed upon by the Council of the EU and the European Parliament two years ago. The Parliament played a crucial … Continue reading
Wholesale roaming regulation: A precondition for ‘roam like at home’ [EU Legislation in Progress]
Written by Mar Negreiro (3rd edition), In 2015 the Council and European Parliament agreed in Regulation 2015/2120 that on 15 June 2017 roaming charges for mobile phone use would be abolished in the EU. After that date, ‘roam like at home’ (RLAH) would become a reality for all Europeans. The regulation did not, however, address the wholesale … Continue reading
Towards a European gigabit society: Connectivity targets and 5G
Written by Mar Negreiro. In September 2016, the Commission put forward new strategic connectivity objectives for 2025 as part of its digital single market strategy. These should prepare Europe for the roll-out of the next generation of broadband infrastructure with gigabit speeds, including both fixed and mobile internet access (5G). Once available, from 2020 onwards, … Continue reading
Roam like at home by default
Written by Mar Negreiro, The end of roaming costs within the EU – promised at the political level for over a decade – seems near. Four successive regulations decreased (but did not end) roaming charges for calls, text messages and data by more than 90 %. In 2015, the Council of the EU and the … Continue reading
Bridging the digital divide in the EU
Written by Mar Negreiro Digital technologies play an important role in the everyday life of most Europeans; the internet allows people, businesses and governments to transform the ways they communicate and engage with one another. Yet some parts of the population are still excluded from using these new methods. Improving the EU fast broadband internet … Continue reading
EU lagging behind in fast broadband
Written by Mar Negreiro The high speed broadband gap between the EU and U.S is widening as the U.S performs better than the EU in most broadband metrics: this is the main message from the publication: U.S. vs. European Broadband Deployment: What Do the Data Say?, presented by its author in a meeting at the … Continue reading
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