Consultation response: A strategy for a Digital Single Market in Europe (COM(2015) 192 final)
The referral was received from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
from the point of view of IT&Telecom companies
The fact that the European Commission is taking a comprehensive approach to the digital dimension of the EU's internal market is highly commendable in the view of IT&Telecom companies. Digitization, servitization and globalization are the strongest structural transformation forces of our time and their impact on the competitiveness of Swedish business cannot be emphasized enough.1
Sweden is one of the world's most knowledge-intensive and trade-dependent economies. To consolidate and further strengthen our competitiveness, it is therefore essential that companies, capital, labor, knowledge and goods can move as freely as possible across borders - both within and outside the EU.
With the right focus and understanding of the dynamics and logic of the above-mentioned structural transformation forces, the strategy can lead to strengthened European competitiveness, benefiting not least knowledge-intensive Member States such as Sweden.
At the same time, the strategy contains risks. The openings to regulate platform providers separately, and the relaxation of the e-commerce directive's clear rules on service providers' liability for users' actions, we feel go against the strategy's main objective of "... creating an investment-friendly climate for digital networks, research and innovation".
Read the full response to the consultation
Commission presents strategy for the EU Digital Single Market
The European Commission has presented "A strategy for Europe's Digital Single Market". This strategy aims to make the EU's single market work well in an increasingly connected and digital economy. The strategy contains both legislative and non-legislative proposals that will be discussed and eventually implemented by EU Member States.
The strategy focuses on three main areas
- improve access to online goods and services for businesses and consumers in Europe, by removing barriers to cross-border activity
- create the right conditions for the emergence of digital networks and innovative services; and
- maximize the growth potential of the EU's digital economy, for example through investments in IT infrastructure, digital skills and public e-services.