Digital Agenda (Communication)

The “Digital Agenda” designates “key actions” which will facilitate “smarter work” and the establishment of the Digital Single Market. It aims at a sustainable economic and social use of the Digital Single Market, rooted in fast internet connections for EU-wide services.

The Commission names as “key performance targets” for 2015, amongst other things, that 50% of the population buy online, the removal of tariff differences between telephone calls at home and abroad (“roaming”) and an average price per minute of 13 cents (including roaming).

cepPolicyBrief

Expectations regarding a Single Digital Market should not run too high. It is obvious that many EU citizens simply do not want to buy online. "Key performance targets" for online trading are therefore to be rejected. "Key performance targets" for telephone call prices are wrong from an ordoliberal point of view. They are harmful to overall economic efficiency and threaten to lead to a price regulation which is unlawful under EU law.