Today SEDEC commission members adopted by a large majority the opinion of
Cllr Kieran McCarthy, Cork City Councillor and EA Coordinator for SEDEC on Digitising European Industry. With about 4% of GDP, the ICT sector in Europe represents an important share of the economy employing more than 6 million people. Recent studies estimate that digitisation of products and services will add more than 110 B€ of revenue for industry per year in Europe in the next 5 years.
Cllr Kieran McCarthy underlined the need for convergence between sectors to promote Digitising European Industry. He also mentioned insufficient level of digital skills among EU workers. He said: "About 40% of EU workers have an insufficient level of digital skills. There are also large disparities between large companies and SME. We need to do more in education in this context."
He also added "LRAs are in a position to foster innovation and competitiveness through tailored demand-and-supply-side solutions including broadband roll-out, the digital economy, e inclusion and e government. E-Commerce remains a missed opportunity for many smaller businesses, especially due to the prohibitive costs involved. The priorities of the Digital Agenda for Europe – notably addressing digital literacy and skills shortfalls as well as missed opportunities in tackling societal challenges – are fundamentals for the quality of life and social and economic activity, which can be best dealt with at local and regional level to stimulate more efficient and personalised services for the public as well as local businesses"
