The Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism supports the Digital Single Market to boost the European economy and create jobs

The State Secretary for Telecommunications and the Information Society, Víctor Calvo-Sotelo, who opened the event, stressed the potential economic growth from the implementation of a digital single market with 500 million consumers, replacing national markets. Victor Calvo-Sotelo also said that the main objective of this project, which is headed up by the European Commission, is to eliminate digital barriers in the market and eliminate the gap in technological development with respect to other competitors.

The next speaker was the representative of the European Commission, Linda Corugedo-Steneberg, Director of the Directorate General for Communications Networks of the European Commission (DG CONNECT). She explained that "Europe has to create the right conditions so that digital networks and innovative companies can grow through the Digital Single Market. The aim of the Digital Single Market is to tear down regulatory barriers, and in the final analysis, shift from 28 national markets to a single market. A fully operating Digital Single Market could contribute 415 billion euros per year to our economy and create some 3.8 million new jobs."

The conference was closed by the Director of Information and Communication Technologies of the General State Administration, Domingo Molina.

The event focused on the specific challenges for Spain. It highlighted on the need, first, to speed up the deployment of infrastructures such as 4G technology and fibre optics; and second, to improve access to services and digital goods for Spanish consumers and companies, supporting the new business models and creating favourable conditions for electronic commerce. Also taking part in the event were the main telecommunications operators in Spain, e-commerce businesses and platforms, and consumer representatives.

A strategy based on three fundamental pillars

The strategy for the Digital Single Market proposed by the European Commission includes a set of specific actions to be carried out before the end of 2016. A total of 16 initiatives have been established grouped into three pillars:

• Improve consumer and business access to digital goods and services across Europe through regulations that facilitate cross-border e-commerce. Investigate the problems of competition affecting the European e-commerce markets and propose a more modern and Europe-wide focus for copyright legislation.
• Create the right environment and guarantee equal conditions to ensure that digital networks and innovative services can prosper; for example, through a revision of the EU regulations on telecommunications and the framework of audiovisual communication. The current rules will be adapted to the new business models for content distribution. Trust in online services and their security will also be strengthened, particularly in the handling of personal data.
• Maximise the growth potential of the digital economy by introducing standards and interoperability in fundamental areas for the digital single market, such as online healthcare, transport planning and energy (smart meters). To achieve this, initiatives will be supported to improve the skills of individuals and boost e-government.

The Digital Single Market is on the agenda of the meeting of the EU Telecommunications Council on 12 June and the upcoming summit of the Heads of State and Government of the European Union, which will take place on 25 and 26 June.

For more information

Contribution of the Spanish Government on the digital future of Europe

Why do we need a single digital market? (ES)

Links to the European Commission proposal:

European Commission proposal: the 16 measures in "A Digital Single Market Strategy for Europe"

Analysis and Evidence document of the European Commission

Country sheet: the Digital Single Market in Spain

Questions and answers on the Digital Single Market Strategy for Europe (Fact Sheet)