eHealth week – digital innovation isn’t just for the young!
May 17th, 2013
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This week in Dublin it has been eHealth week. A chance to look at all the great things digital technology can do for health and care – especially as the average European gets older.
It can be things as simple as a smartphone app helping you take control of your own healthcare (I have a little gadget on my wrist that counts my steps for my exercise regime). Or it can be whole ICT-enabled living environments that make life easier and safer for the elderly or infirm, without costing them their independence. And it’s great to see some of the new ideas we’re coming up with here in Europe, and how we can put them into practice to benefit all our citizens. Read the full entry
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Some fresh ideas on digital education
May 8th, 2013
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I often find it’s the younger generation – digital natives – who are most aware of the opportunities of digital technology. And that’s why I’ve assembled a group of “young advisors” – talented and inspiring young people shaping our digital society. Last time we met I asked them to put together all their bright ideas. And they’ve done so, in two fascinating documents: Read the full entry
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European Month of the Brain: the EU and US putting our grey matter together
April 30th, 2013
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To kick off European Month of the Brain (#brainmonth), a blog about the exciting brain research initiatives being led from both sides of the Atlantic.
You may have seen our recent announcement about the human brain project (HBP). The deserved joint winner of our Future and Emerging Technology scheme; and hence recipient of around €1 billion euros in funding over 10 years.
Separately you may also have seen President Obama’s initiative on Brain Activity Mapping (BAM), worth $100 million in the first year.
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In case you’re not on Twitter
April 29th, 2013
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A tweet I sent this morning has proven surprisingly popular, at least I was not expecting it. And you might want to see it.
To me the point is: mobile operators need to respond to what customers want, wants that may change quickly.
What is for certain is customers don’t want to be overcharged for SMS and if they are, they’re happy to get what they need elsewhere.
And millions clearly like chat apps, so they should be able to get access to them.
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Photonics for Europe
April 29th, 2013
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Lasers used in manufacturing
The EU has billions set aside for research and innovation. The intention isn’t to subsidise industries – but to invest in an innovative, competitive and sustainable future.
The best publicly-funded research and innovation supports areas that both sustain and boost wider sectors of the economy – and also fix the problems of our society, from climate change to healthcare. And preferably it should be in areas where Europe is in the global lead - and where a little push can help us stay that way. Read the full entry
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Guest blog: OuiShare et l’Economie collaborative
April 29th, 2013
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*** A special note: thank you once again for coming to read my blog posts. I am very aware that with so many talented, creative people in Europe, it is a waste for me to always do the talking.
So with that idea in my mind, I want to open up this blog to guest bloggers. Not just as an experiment in the summer, like I did in August 2012, but all year round, in all languages.
If you are working on or in support of Europe’s Digital Agenda and have such a guest post in mind, please be in touch with my Cabinet or my spokesperson to discuss it. ***
Now to our first guests, “OuiShare” from France, from the open source generation.
Oui Share Fest takes place 2-4 May in France.
Sous l’écume, la lame de fond: construire une économie centrée sur l’humain, plus ouverte, plus respectueuse des ressources naturelles et génératrice de bien commun : au premier abord, les promesses de l’économie collaborative ne sont pas bien nouvelles. Après tout, le bon sens de tout un chacun se retrouverait largement dans ces idées.
Nous sommes les témoins d’une tendance de fond qui pourrait bien, pour une fois, faire de ces utopies la réalité de demain. De la finance participative aux circuits courts de l’alimentation en passant par la mobilité partagée, c’est toute la chaîne de la création de valeur économique qui est transformée au crible de la participation et de l’ouverture.
Bien sûr, l’émergence d’internet et des réseaux sociaux contribue largement au succès de la consommation collaborative, notamment en générant la confiance entre particuliers. La crise, elle aussi, favorise ces nouveaux comportements de consommation, les redirigeant vers “l’économie de la débrouille” comme l’appellent parfois les médias.
Mais la réalité est plus profonde et plus complexe.
L’économie collaborative est portée par une lame de fond plus puissante que la crise. Le fait que l’Amérique latine – continent en forte croissance – soit aussi l’un des moteurs du mouvement n’est pas anecdotique : cela démontre qu’il ne s’agit pas simplement d’une réaction à la crise économique que l’Europe et les États-unis subissent. Read the full entry
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Smart Cities – Europe’s NOBEL prize
April 17th, 2013
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I often blog about the capacity of ICT to change lives for the better, and make a real difference on the ground. Here’s one very solid example of where it’s saved energy, saved public money, and empowered people to take control: the pioneering NOBEL project
Nothing to do with the Prize – it refers to the Neighbourhood Oriented Brokerage ELectricity and monitoring system. Aided by EU funding, last year, Alginet in Valencia, Spain got to try it out. A small town with just over 13,000 people, the energy grid in Alginet is owned not by a commercial company, but by a cooperative – whose members are the inhabitants themselves. And they were chosen to test out an “energy brokerage system”: meaning that businesses and ordinary consumers could communicate their energy needs directly to energy producers – who could in turn optimise how they produce and distribute energy. Read the full entry
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Remembering Margaret Thatcher
April 9th, 2013
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Very sad news from the UK about the death of Margaret Thatcher; so today a blog on my personal reflections of her, and what she stood for.
I remember meeting her first in the seventies; and also a decade later, when I was a Dutch Minister and she Prime Minister. I was myself a young woman in politics; and here was someone who showed that women could succeed, lead and reach the top. Independently of her politics, that inspired me; as it must have inspired a whole generation of women, in politics and beyond. Read the full entry
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A single market in ICT: what the European Council means for you
March 15th, 2013
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The conclusions of yesterday evening’s European Council contain a very significant message for the Digital Agenda. It asks for work to be prioritised in a few areas essential to growth and competitiveness—in particular information and communication services (ICT):
the European Council notes the Commission’s intention to report well before October on the state of play and the remaining obstacles to be tackled so as to ensure the completion of a fully functioning Digital Single Market by 2015, as well as concrete measures to establish the single market in Information and Communications Technology as early as possible.
For anyone who uses digital communications – from mobile phones to the internet – this is important and welcome news. And I would guess that’s everyone reading this blog. Read the full entry
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International Women’s Day: every woman should be able to take control of her life
March 8th, 2013
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Today is International Women’s Day.
I think every woman should have the tools and skills she needs to take control of her own life. Not to be trapped by social expectations, financial dependence or a lack of the right skills.
There’s no doubt for me that ICT is a powerful tool here. Not only is it the key to tomorrow’s labour market, with ICT skills in strong demand. But it can also help achieve your life goals, whatever they are. Read the full entry
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