The Observatory for the Information Society, based on the evidence of a study titled “Current situation and prospects of the Information and Telecommunications Sector” that was brought in public in the middle of December, foresees recovery of the domestic Information & Telecommunications enterprises. IOVE (Foundation for Economic and Industrial Research) prepared the study together with SEPE’s support.

It should be noted that the Observatory makes specific proposals to the Greek ICT enterprises by saying that they should adopt a different mixture of strategy, depending on the size, their operation time period and scope of works so as they gain the benefits from the wider – as expected - growth of the sector. 

The 2006-2013 Digital Strategy provides for the development of broadband services in Greece through the Operational Programme “Information Society” as well as for the enhancement of transparent competition in the market of electronic services by means of three categories of actions with regard to: the development of broadband infrastructures, development of broadband content and services and increase of the demand for broadband services.

A strategic, preferential but non-binding agreement was signed at the beginning of February by George Alogoskoufis, the minister of Economy and Finance, and the president of the top software company, Bill Gates. The agreement utilizes the Microsoft software which has either been purchased to date or will be purchased in the framework of the projects and tenders in progress of the Operational Programme “Information Society” so that additional benefits for the citizens, small and medium sized enterprises and the public will be achieved.

The new digital plan for 2006-2013 aims at materializing a ‘digital leap’ in productivity and in the quality of life, up until the year 2013. A digital leap with a dual purpose: an improvement in the productivity of the Greek economy and an improvement in the quality of the citizens’ everyday life. The Information Technology Committee, the highest legislative mechanism for the implementation of the new scheme and the development of Information Technology in the country, presented the proposal for the digital scheme of the period 2006-2013.

If this ‘leap’ takes place, the new digital scheme will develop and reinforce ‘Information Community’, the subordinate Business Programme, while simultaneously, will set up the foundations for the country’s development in the context of the fourth Programmatic Period (2007-2013). All the same, the implementation of the digital scheme also does take into consideration all tools available to it, particularly, the ability of the public and private sector to co-exist, but also take into consideration the New Investment Law to ensure the development of the new information and communication technology…