The new information technologies

 

Doc. 7547

9 May 1996

MOTION FOR A RECOMMENDATION

presented by Mr. BIRRAUX and others

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only the members who have signed it

1.         The new information technologies (which include information superhighways - or high-speed networks - and multimedia) have gone far beyond the emerging-technology stage.  They are coming into mass use, and their rapid development affects all of the most important spheres of life, first and foremost in technological terms but also from the political, economic, social and cultural points of view.

2.         The United States already have a considerable head start in the promising market of information superhighways and multimedia. They owe this lead, inter alia, to the support the public authorities have given the components, consumer software and programming industries.

3.         From the point of view of the protection given to the confidentiality of communications, intellectual property and people's private lives, the scientific and technical means are at present inadequate.

4.         The Assembly therefore recommends that when determining the Council of Europe's activities, the Committee of Ministers pay special attention to the following:

i.          definition of European policies in respect of the technological challenges and strategic options connected with the new information technologies;

ii.          provision of the technical and legal means to regulate the use of these new technologies;

iii.         promotion of equal access to the new information technologies for citizens of all member States. 

Signed[1]:

Birraux, France, EPP

About, France, LDR

Beaufays, Belgium, EPP

Caccia, Switzerland, EPP

Cherep, Ukraine, SOC

Connolly, Ireland, LDR

Cunliffe, United Kingdom, SOC

Dees, Netherlands, LDR

Fleetwood, Sweden, EDG

Golu, Romania, SOC

Hoffmann, Germany, SOC

Hurta, Czech Republic, SOC

Lenzer, Germany, EPP

Lie, Norway, EPP

Luhtanen, Finland, SOC

Nestor, Estonia, SOC

Plattner, Switzerland, SOC

Priedkalns, Latvia, EDG

Proke�, Slovakia, EPP

Roseta, Portugal, LDR

Ryabov, Russia,-

Speroni, Italy, LDR

Stiborova, Czech Republic, SOC

Sudarenkov, Russia, SOC

Terborg, Germany, SOC

Theis, Luxembourg, EPP

Tiuri, Finland, EDG

Yablonsky, Ukraine, EDG

Y�r�r, Turkey, EDG

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[1]        SOC : Socialist Group

            EPP : Group of the European People's Party

            EDG : European Democratic Group

            LDR : Liberal, Democratic and Reformers Group

            UEL : Group of the Unified European Left