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Carl Bildt: Baltic Countries Moving Ahead Riga, 28 September 2001. On 28 September in the press briefing closing the Baltic Sea Region e-Business Forum, Mr. Carl Bildt, Chairman of Nordic Venture Network and the former Prime Minister of Sweden, referred to the Forum as a highly significant event in a number of aspects. "This is the first major international meeting on these issues after 11 September and all, also the financial, uncertainties that we are facing there. I think that two important messages are coming up: the first is that the world goes on which is an important message in itself in spite of what is happening or has been happening. The second message is that of the Internet revolution. We have only seen the first faint beginning of that, the first phase. We are gradually entering the second phase and that is going to be more powerful and more revolutionary in its implication. And after that second phase there are going to be further phases down the road and that means that there are vast opportunities for entrepreneurs, for regions, for cities, for countries, for continents to take Europe, if the proper policies are in place, if the vision is there to move ahead on these particular issues", said Mr.Bildt. In conclusion he mentioned that the Baltic countries are moving ahead and a couple of very good days in Riga, the natural centre of the region, will leave their mark on the developments in the sector.
On 28 September in the press briefing closing the Baltic Sea Region e-Business Forum, Mr. Carl Bildt, Chairman of Nordic Venture Network and the former Prime Minister of Sweden, referred to the Forum as a highly significant event in a number of aspects. "This is the first major international meeting on these issues after 11 September and all, also the financial, uncertainties that we are facing there. I think that two important messages are coming up: the first is that the world goes on which is an important message in itself in spite of what is happening or has been happening. The second message is that of the Internet revolution. We have only seen the first faint beginning of that, the first phase. We are gradually entering the second phase and that is going to be more powerful and more revolutionary in its implication. And after that second phase there are going to be further phases down the road and that means that there are vast opportunities for entrepreneurs, for regions, for cities, for countries, for continents to take Europe, if the proper policies are in place, if the vision is there to move ahead on these particular issues", said Mr.Bildt. In conclusion he mentioned that the Baltic countries are moving ahead and a couple of very good days in Riga, the natural centre of the region, will leave their mark on the developments in the sector.
The project management company Birojs 2000, the initiator and organizer of the Forum, reported that there were 435 participants representing 23 countries in the Forum, including 91 media representatives from 11 countries. Mr. Andris Berzins, the Prime Minister of Latvia, underlined that this has been the most significant forum endorsed by the government and held in Latvia on the issues related to the development of information society.
A statement* was signed by the Information Society Ministers of the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS) in the conclusion of the Forum. Mr Berzins noted a historic significance of the ministerial meeting in Riga and expressed a hope that such meetings could become a tradition. Mr. Erkki Liikanen, Commissioner, DG Enterprise & Information Society, European Commission said that the meeting of ministers was an important event that shows a strong political will that exists in all these countries to make information society as one of their key priorities.
To develop e-commerce, a wider Internet access should be provided in Latvia, noted Mr. Berzins and remarked that other important assignments are settlement of e-security issues, development of IT literacy among general public, especially among the younger generation, provision of legislative basis in the field of e-commerce, including authorisation of electronic documentation and allocation and application of electronic signature. The prime minister of Latvia marked the importance of Forum in facilitating cooperation among countries while working on the development of e-commerce. In conclusion the Prime Minister expressed his gratitude to "Birojs 2000" for good quality and precision in organising the Forum.
"The main objective of the Forum has been met as 78 top level speakers of the Forum led a serious discussion on the development of an information society and a fertile environment for e-business in the Baltic region", said Selga Laizane, Chairperson of the Board of the Forum organizer "Birojs 2000".
The Baltic Sea Region e-Business Forum was held on 26 - 28 September 2001 in Riga, Latvia. Its main objective was to share experience on the development of an information society and favourable environment for e-business in the Baltic Sea region, thereby creating the necessary pre-conditions for efficient e-business, e-commerce, e-government and ICT development. The Forum's motto - Towards a Harmonised e-Business Environment in the Baltic Sea Region - demonstrates the commitment of the organisers to promote a coherent e-business environment in the Baltic Sea region, thus contributing to the effective implementation of the e-Europe Action Plan.
The Forum was organised by the project management company "Birojs 2000" SIA in co-operation with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), as the international organisation partner of the Forum. The Forum's general sponsors were "VISA International", "Hansabank Group" and "Lattelekom SIA"; its international media partners were the magazine "Northern Enterprise" and Bonnier Business Press. The Forum was also supported by European Commission, Directorate General Information Society, "Alcatel", "Intel", "Microsoft", "Cap Gemini Ernst & Young", "Apollo", the ISP of "Lattelekom", Riga City Council, "Nordic Technology Park", "Reval Hotel Latvija", the official hotel of the Forum, "BIZPAK", the official courier of the Forum, "airBaltic/SAS", the official airlines of the Forum, "Verdi", the Forum's technology sponsor, "XXL Digital", the sponsor of the Forum CD presentation, the Advertising Company "Labvakar", the Internet portal "Delfi" and the journal "Baltic IT & T Review". Online access to the Forum opening addresses was provided by the Internet TV www.tv.lv and its parent company "Tilde".
More information about the Forum on the website http://www.birojs2000.lv/
* The statement will be e-mailed to all media representatives registered at the Forum. |