Brussels, Belgium — Luxembourg takes over the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union today (Wednesday) at a crucial moment. After a meeting with outgoing European Council President Martin Schulz earlier this week, the Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel told reporters priorities will include Europe’s economy,competitiveness, jobs and the single market.
The Computer & Communications Industry Association released a summary of various studies on the digital economy including one that noted the EU Internet economy is projected to grow 7 times faster than the overall EU GDP. The following can be attributed to CCIA Europe Vice President James Waterworth:
“The European Union has ambitious plans to build a Digital Single Market. Luxembourg has impeccable single market credentials and we will be looking to Luxembourg to provide a lead on key economic measures from e-commerce to competition to telecoms reform. The decisions will set the framework for not just Europe’s new economy, but all traditional businesses that rely on the Internet to do their work or to reach customers. We hope that Luxembourg will ensure that legislation in the fields of cybersecurity and data protection is truly adapted to the Digital Single Market, avoiding unnecessary administrative burdens.”
“We should be confident about the digital transformation of our economy whether in creating start ups or in established business embracing the Internet opportunity. The European Union should ensure its measures are enabling and not re-regulatory and we look to Luxembourg’s leadership on this.”