Plan Avanza2 looks towards 2012
Tomorrow the Plan Avanza2 will be presented in Madrid. The telecommunications and Information Society initiative of the Spanish government is looking towards 2012 as an immediate horizon.
After evaluating the milestones achieved with the Plan Avanza, and taking into account the context of the present budget, the new phase will reinforce some strategic lines to continue the success of the project. Taking part in the presentation will be the Secretary of State for Telecommunications and the Information Society, Francisco Ros, David Cierco, General Director for the Development of the Information Society and the Director of the .es network, Sebastián Muriel. The event will take place at 12 noon in the headquarters of the Secretary of State.
Milestones of the Plan Avanza
The implementation of the Plan has meant using a budget of more than €5 billion in the period 2005-2008 and more than €3.8 billion invested with the help of other public administrations, non-profit organisations and companies. One of the principal objectives of the Plan Avanza2 is to contribute to the economic recovery of the country through the intensive and generalised use of ICT, with a special focus on those projects which also feature sustainability and energy-saving. In this context, Avanza2 will not concentrate so much on stimulating supply but in creating demand, using the momentum of the sector to consolidate a Spanish ICT industry specialising in strategic sectors and centred in SME.
These are the main areas:
Development of the ICT sector
€663 million have been earmarked for 2009 to help companies which develop new products, processes, applications, content and ICT services, and promoting as priority, Spanish industrial participation in the construction of the Internet of the Future and the development of digital content. Within this area there will be financing for innovative programmes related to the Information Society which enable continuous advances in the improvement of the competitivity of the ICT sector and the Spanish economy on an international level. The small and medium enterprises will have priority in initiatives and public grants.
ICT training
€548 million will be destined in 2009-2 involve both the public and companies in the Information Society with a special priority placed on small and medium enterprises and their workers. Within this area special priority will be placed on the incorporation of special groups, disabled people, and senior citizens within the Information Society as well as the extension of the benefits of ICT in micro-companies.
Digital public services
Almost €186 million will be used in 2009 to improve the quality of services offered by the public administrations online with a special emphasis on support for local organisations and the development of the functionality of an electronic national identity card, an area where Spain is a pioneer on an international level. At the same time, the creation new platforms and content in the areas of education and health will be developed following on from the success of Avanza.
Infrastructure
€89 million will be dedicated in 2009 for the development and implementation of the IS in local areas, improving electronic public services for the citizen and companies through the use of ICT. At the same time analogue TV will be replaced by digital under the national plan. The development and application of the new norms of common telecommunications infrastructures in buildings and cabling in the public domain will be carried out.
Confidence and Privacy
Almost €11 million will be used in 2009 to pursue the double objective of reinforcing the confidence in ICT among the public and companies through public policies of information privacy and fomenting accessibility to ICT services.
