Plans to turn Europe into online leader falter

Close to a million jobs will be created in the digital area over the two years but plans to turn Europe into an online leader were faltering at the EU summit as member states fought to retain their national supremacy.

Plans announced to abolish roaming charges for mobile phones across the EU, a single authorisation for telecom companies to operate throughout the EU, harmonising the spectrum, are all being put on the long finger.

The ambition to end roaming charges, which the European Parliament especially would like to see agreed before the MEPs go to elections next May, was not due to be even mentioned in the summit’s conclusions.

Officials said much of the ambition, that includes a major reform package for telecoms, was “a step too far” both for member states and the industry which has been putting huge pressure on politicians to ease up on the idea, saying it will leave no profits for reinvestment.

Instead it calls for intensive examinations of commission proposals for a “connected continent” with a view to its “timely adoption”, replacing an earlier draft that talked about its “swift” adoption.

In an effort to encourage the EU leaders meeting in Brussels for their two-day summit to have greater ambition, their chair, President Herman Van Rompuy had put just one main question before them for their main session — “how to restore Europe’s online leadership”.

The commission set up an expert group on taxation in the digital economy which is to report next summer.