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Content & Services News - Europe's Information Society

• New price caps for mobile data roaming expected to save families over €200 each year
  From 1 July 2012, the European Union's mobile roaming regulation will be extended to include price caps for data downloads which will mean significant savings for those using maps, email and social networks when travelling. For a typical businessperson travelling in the EU this will mean savings of over €1000 per year. A family taking an annual holiday in another EU country can expect to save at least €200.
  
  
• Council for Education, Youth, Culture and Sport (10-11 May)- Background memo
  Vice-President Kroes will welcome draft conclusions on a European Commission Recommendation which aims at making European cultural heritage more widely available and boosting growth in Europe's creative industries. The Commission presented this proposal last October, in which EU Member States are asked to step up their efforts, pool their resources and involve the private sector in digitising cultural material. The digitised material should be made available through Europeana, Europe's digital library, archive and museum. The goal is for 30 million objects to be placed in Europeana by 2015; at getting more in-copyright and out-of-commerce material online; and at adapting national legislation and strategies to ensure the long-term preservation of digital materials.
  
  
• Commission adopts first report on the application of the Audiovisual Media Services
  The European Commission today presented a report on the application of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD). The AVMSD enables the free circulation of audiovisual content and meets important public policy objectives such as banning incitement to hatred, protecting minors from harmful content and promoting European audiovisual works.
  
  
• Joint Statement EU-Japan: Future comprehensive cooperation in ICT
  Neelie Kroes, Vice President of the European Commission and Mr. Tatsuo Kawabata, Minister for Internal affairs and Communications, Japan, met in Brussels on 3 May to reaffirm their close partnership in the area of ICT. In particular, they discussed Internet policies, Internet security, cloud computing, Safer Internet for children, Cooperation on ICT R&D, and Healthy Ageing.
  
  
• Using ICT to build Sustainable Cities
  Smart Energy & Sustainable ICT Conference, Brussels, 3 May 2012
  
  
• Semantic Interoperability Conference 2012
  This event will offer an opportunity to explore and discuss how semantic interoperability solutions are being embraced by eGovernment initiatives. The conference combines plenary sessions and interactive panels. eGovernment and semantics experts will present their case studies and real-life examples and experiences with semantic technologies. Semantic Interoperability is a major step for achieving the provision of cross-border digital public services.
  
  
• New strategy for safer internet and better internet content for children and teenagers
  The Commission has set out a plan to give children the digital skills and tools they need to benefit fully and safely from the digital world. The internet was not designed with children in mind, but today 75% of children use the internet, a third of them on mobiles. The new strategy is to build up the market for interactive, creative and educational content online, in a partnership between the European Commission and Member States, mobile phone operators, handset manufacturers and providers of social networking services.
  
  
• Transition to Digital Broadcasting, Borderline Frequency Coordination and Digital Dividend
  This event is organised by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in collaboration with the Polish Ministry of Administration and Digitization and the Office of Electronic Communication. This ITU Regional Development Forum should provide an opportunity for high level dialogue between the ITU's Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT) and decision-makers of ITU Member States as well as Sector Members on key challenges and actions related to the spectrum management and digital dividend, to better assess strategic orientations that may have an impact on BDTs regional workplan in between World Telecommunication Development Conferences. The Seminar is an integral part of the European Regional Initiative on Digital Broadcasting for Europe that searches to provide a basis for the exchange of best practices encountered on the path of digital migration, and the ways to maximize the economic and social benefits of the digital dividend.
  
  
• Meta Forum 2012
  This event will feature both interactive and informative sessions focusing on multilingualism, the challenges and opportunities presented by the multilingual information society and how a solid strategy for developing innovative Language Technologies is key in developing solutions to respond to these opportunities and challenges. It will address issues such as technological support for smaller languages and innovative Language Technology applications to better enable communities in the information age. A research overview will present visionary applications, current developments and priority themes in the field and show how this work could enrich the lives of European citizens while creating an economic boost. There will be discussions with major stakeholders on work plans, programme development and both national and European strategies.
  
  
• ICT - Driving the City of tomorrow?
  This 2012 conference of Major Cities of Europe will focus on the challenges faced by most large, medium and small cities and towns across Europe: budgets are tighter and tighter, citizens press for more direct participation in decisions and for better services and for more jobs opportunities for individuals, local companies strive to resist the economic downturn and to identify growth areas to develop their business. The need for radical transformation of local government is key to address all these challenges. The question that will be addressed during the conference is how much ICT can drive the city of tomorrow. The advent of Open Government, Open Data, Social networks, Cloud Computing, Smart Cities are some of the main topics that will be explored during the conference.
  
  

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