Under the patronage of European Commission Vice-President, Neelie Kroes, ECDL Foundation brought together key actors from the European Commission (EC), the European Parliament, 12 national governments, and other stakeholders to discuss the progress of, and priorities in, delivering the ‘Digital Literacy, Skills and e-Inclusion’ action areas of the Digital Agenda for Europe (DAE).
During a Round Table event, which was hosted by Mr. Seán Kelly, Member of the European Parliament (EPP), representatives from European Member States discussed the realities of delivering the DAE, and highlighted the need for a common European definition and indicators for digital literacy. This event provided an ideal forum for national representatives to provide feedback to the Commission and other EU policy shapers on the reality of challenges that face the delivery of the DAE, in a national context.
In her keynote address to the Round Table, Vice-President Kroes underlined the need for transformation to take place to put digital empowerment at the heart of the political agenda.
Mr. Seán Kelly, MEP, stressed the importance of digital skills for jobs and growth, “…in the future, 18 million jobs in Europe will depend on Europeans having digital skills; this is about breaking down barriers with the millions of people who currently lack the necessary skills to be economically included”.
According to ECDL Foundation CEO, Mr. Damien O’Sullivan “Europe’s future is digital, and the development of the digital future lies very much in the hands of the Member State representatives that we brought together for the Round Table. At ECDL Foundation, we have been driving this issue for over a decade now; we work through our national partners, with governments at the national level, and policy makers in