The priorities of the Digital Agenda

The speech features interesting elements related to the challenges ICT based structures might face in the future, as well as eHealth:

On regulation,

• Cooperation between administrations should be emphasized
• The application of US neutrality rules in the EU could ensure the benefits of the open internet for creative start-ups. This could be interesting for VPH.
• A deeper harmonization in the EU would improve competitiveness.

On standards,

• Mrs. Kroes mentions eHealth as an area that matters, where interoperability could stimulate a growing market.
  

On public procurement,

• The commissioner for the Digital Agenda states that  openness will help as public authorities are big buyers of new digital solutions. The public bodies need the widest possible choice in terms of suppliers. Measures improving market access to public procurement could translate into profitable opportunities for VPH in the future.
  

On data and privacy,

• Mrs Kroes acknowledges that our understanding of privacy is rapidly evolving. Recalling the ‘PRISM’ scandal, Mrs. Kroes highlights that being strong on privacy can be a competitive advantage. She wishes for Europe to be seen as the ‘safest corner of the internet’.
• Mrs Kroes clearly asserts that EU-US relations will be ‘more beneficial’ if we give priority to the digital economy, but nevertheless insists on trust and security in terms of privacy. Mrs Kroes’s stance on privacy should be followed, as it could impact on the future developments of the Data protection regulation.

• The full speech can be found here.