| THE BUCHAREST DECLARATION
THE BUCHAREST PAN-EUROPEAN CONFERENCE
IN PREPARATION OF THE WORLD SUMMIT ON THE INFORMATION SOCIETY:
TOWARDS AN INFORMATION SOCIETY: PRINCIPLES, STRATEGY AND PRIORITIES
FOR ACTION
9 November 2002
The Member States of the United Nations Economic Commission
for Europe met in Bucharest at the Pan-European Conference
on the Information Society (7-9 November 2002) and agreed
on the following set of principles and priorities:
Vision of an Information Society beneficial to all (E-inclusion)
The European regional conference proposes the vision of an
Information Society, where all persons, without distinction
of any kind, exercise their right to freedom of opinion and
expression, including the freedom to hold opinions without
interference, and to seek, receive and impart information
and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.
The Information Society offers great potential in promoting
sustainable development, democracy, transparency, accountability
and good governance. Full exploitation of the new opportunities
provided by information and communication technologies (ICTs)
and of their combination with traditional media, as well as
an adequate response to the challenge of the digital divide,
should be important parts in any strategy, national and international,
aimed at achieving the development goals set by the Millennium
Declaration. There is also a need for a people - centered
approach, one that emphasizes social, cultural, economic and
governance goals. This approach must ensure that the knowledge
and experience of citizens is integrated into this process
as the driving force behind the new information society.
The Information Society is based on broad dissemination and
sharing of information and genuine participation of all stakeholders
- Governments, private sector and civil society. Their contribution
is vital in the efforts to bring full benefits of the Information
Society to all. Governments and other stakeholders should
also provide the necessary conditions to ensure women's equal
access to information and knowledge, as well as equal opportunities
as participants and decision-makers in all aspects, related
to the shaping of ICT policies and frameworks. Global and
regional initiatives should build upon previous and current
initiatives by Governments, regional and international organizations
as well as from the contribution of the private sector and
civil society.
Member States welcomed the active participation of these stakeholders
and their contribution to the overall work.
The following fundamental principles aim at defining the
main directions for e-strategies for developing an information
society. A number of priority themes of e-strategies can already
be identified.
Principle 1. Securing access to information and knowledge
Individuals and organisations should benefit from access
to information, knowledge and ideas. Notably, information
in the public domain should be easily accessible. Information
is the basis of a well-functioning and transparent decision-making
process and a prerequisite for any democracy. Knowledge is
the key agent for transforming both our global society and
local communities. Public policy should broaden opportunities
in providing information for all, including disabled, inter
alia by creating content, and thereby redressing inequalities.
ICTs have the potential not only to strengthen the effectiveness
of public service delivery, but also to involve individuals
in shaping government policies. Moreover, communications technology
is not an end in itself, but a means of supplying quality
content in the information society. In this regard, mass media
- in their various forms - are recognized as important means
of fostering public information, societal development and
social cohesion.
Principle 2. Promoting universal access at affordable cost
An adequately developed infrastructure is the precondition
for secure, reliable and affordable access to information
by all stakeholders, and for the upgrading of relevant services.
The improvement of connectivity is of special importance in
this respect, and it is undertaken by the public and the private
sectors, acting in partnership. Community-led development
is a critical element in the strategy for achieving universal
access to information and knowledge. Community access centers
and public services (such as post offices, libraries, schools)
can provide effective means for promoting universal access
in particular in remote areas, as an important factor of their
development. Moreover, in order to ensure greater affordability,
policy action should aim at setting up an appropriate open
and competitive environment.
Principle 3. Promoting linguistic diversity and cultural identity
The Information Society is founded on respect for, and enjoyment
of, cultural expression. New ICTs should stimulate multiculturalism
and plurilinguism and enhance the capacity of governments
to develop active policies to that end. Access and contribution
to knowledge and information broaden the contents of the public
domain and foster mutual understanding and respect for diversity.
Principle 4. Developing human capacity through education
and training
It is important for Governments to develop comprehensive
and forward-looking education strategies. People should be
enabled to acquire the necessary skills in order to actively
participate in and understand the Information Society and
fully benefit from the possibilities it offers. Individuals
should be engaged in defining their own needs and in the development
of programs to meet those needs.
These skills integrate ICT - related specific notions with
broader knowledge, and are generally obtained through primary,
secondary and higher education, on-the-job training, but also
increasingly through distance learning. Technological change
will progressively require life-long learning and continuous
training by all. Public policy should take into account inequalities
in access to quality education and training, particularly
in the case of vulnerable groups and underserved or remote
areas. Specific attention has to be paid to training of trainers.
ICTs open completely new opportunities for e-learning. New
forms of partnership between public and private sectors are
needed in this field.
Principle 5. Setting up an enabling environment, including
legal, regulatory and policy frameworks
To maximise the economic and social benefits of the Information
Society, governments need to create a trustworthy, transparent,
and non-discriminatory legal, regulatory and policy environment,
capable of promoting technological innovation and competition,
thus favouring the necessary investments, mainly from the
private sector, in the deployment of infrastructures and development
of new services.
The Information Society is, by nature, a global phenomenon
and issues such as privacy protection, consumer trust, management
of domain names, facilitation of e-commerce, protection of
intellectual property rights, open source solutions etc. should
be addressed with the active participation of all stakeholders.
Principle 6. Building confidence and security in the use of
ICTs
To realise fully the benefits of ICTs, networks and information
systems should be sufficiently robust to prevent, detect and
to respond appropriately to security incidents. However, effective
security of information systems is not merely a matter of
government and law enforcement practices, nor of technology.
A global culture of cyber-security needs to be developed -
security must be addressed through prevention and supported
throughout society, and be consistent with the need to preserve
free flow of information.
ICTs can potentially be used for purposes that are inconsistent
with the objectives of maintaining international stability
and security and may adversely affect the integrity of the
infrastructure within States, to the detriment of their security
in both civil and military fields, as well as in relation
to the functioning of their economies. It is also necessary
to prevent the use of information resources or technologies
for criminal or terrorist purposes.
In order to build confidence and security in the use of ICTs,
Governments should promote awareness in their societies of
cyber security risks and seek to strengthen international
co-operation, including with the private sector.
Principle 7. Addressing global issues
International policy dialogue on Information Society at global,
regional and sub-regional levels should promote the exchange
of experience, the identification and application of compatible
norms and standards, the transfer of know-how and the provision
of technical assistance with a view to bridging capacity gaps
and setting up international cooperation programmes, in particular
in the field of creation of content. Sharing success stories
and best practice experiences will also pave the way for new
forms of international co-operation.
***
E-Strategies
It is important for the Governments to promote comprehensive
and forward-looking national strategies for the development
of the Information Society, involving private sector and civil
society. Private sector involvement is crucial for a sound
and sustainable development of infrastructures, content and
application. National e-strategies need to be adapted to the
specific requirements of varied communities and reflect the
stage of development and the structural characteristics of
the national economy. Such strategies can benefit from existing
knowledge and experience and exchanges notably on best practices
would play a key role, allowing countries to learn from one
another through peer dialogue.
To be effective, beyond the identification of goals, the
strategies should include timeframes, indicators and mechanisms
for monitoring performance based not only on quantitative
but also qualitative criteria.
In the case of smaller countries, regional strategies can
contribute to the emergence of larger markets, offering more
attractive conditions for private sector investment as well
as for a competitive environment. Furthermore ICTs could be
of particular relevance in the development context, because
they offer opportunities to Public Administrations, help attract
private investments and allow for leapfrogging using new and
advanced technologies.
***
Based on these principles the following priority themes for
e-strategies were identified to develop future strategies.
Priority Themes
E-Government: More Efficient and Accountable
ICT tools will make policies more accountable and transparent
and will enable better monitoring, evaluation and control
of public services and allow for greater efficiency in their
delivery. Public administration can make use of ICT tools
to enhance transparency, accountability and efficiency in
the delivery of public services to citizens (education, health,
transportation etc.) and to enterprises.
E-Business: More Competitiveness and Better Jobs
Enterprises both large and small can use ICTs to foster innovation,
realize gains in productivity, reduce transaction costs and
benefit from network externalities. In support of this process,
Governments need to stimulate, through the adoption of an
enabling environment services, regulatory framework for the
promotion of private investment applications and content,
based on a widely available broadband infrastructure, and
foster public - private partnerships. Use of digital technologies
can enhance the role of enterprises in promoting entrepreneurship,
the accumulation of knowledge, the upgrading of skills, and
thereby increasing productivity, incomes and jobs and promoting
qualitative improvement of working life. Special attention
should be given to small and medium enterprises both as beneficiaries
and promoters of e-business.
E-Society: Broader Local Content and Applications
In the Information Society, the involvement and participation
of all, irrespective of gender or economic status, as well
as the facilitation of ICT use in daily life and work, is
a major objective.
Governments should actively promote the involvement of different
stakeholders in the development of applications that improve
overall quality of life, particularly in key areas such as
education and health, both globally and at the local community
level. Public policy should also foster the creation of varied
information content, which helps to preserve and disseminate
local and national culture, language and heritage. Local authorities
have an important role to play, because for citizens they
represent the first level of contact with the administrations
and they could also foster the development of local communities.
Promotion of cultural diversity and identity, including the
creation of varied information content and the digitalisation
of the educational, scientific and cultural heritage is an
important priority in the development of the Information Society.
Research on the social and cultural impact of ICTs should
be continued.
E-learning and E-Education: Empowering people
E-learning is about development of skills to access knowledge,
which addresses numerous issues such as local content, multi-lingual
and cultural diversity and intellectual property rights. Access
to knowledge is an essential tool in economic, cultural and
social development. The potential exists for all those still
outside the reach of the formal educational system to be offered
education and information tailored to their need and culture.
Education empowers people to overcome poverty, therefore e-learning
is one of the most important issues in the bridging of the
digital divide.
* * *
Follow-up
The abovementioned principles and priorities should be submitted
as a regional contribution to the WSIS process and its follow-up,
and should assist Governments to shape policies and to take
necessary action, with a view to developing the Information
Society.
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