EC creates storm over cloud computing

The European Commission is calling on member states to make better use of cloud computing and to develop online public services to better meet the needs of their populations.

According to the EC, too many countries have been slow to “jump on the cloud computing train.”

Speaking at a conference in Sweden, European commissioner for information society and media Viviane Reding said: “This is not only an area where business should act.

"This is an area where I call upon Europe’s public administrations to take the lead to deliver what citizens need today- the Gov 2.0 experience.

“Europe’s public services cannot escape any longer collaboration with their users. In the future eGovernment will have to move from a ‘one size fits all’ to ‘tailor made customised services’.”

She added that cloud computing would allow public services, including health organisations, to be more inclusive and personalised.

“Public services will have the chance to be provided anywhere, anytime and anyhow to anybody. This means services will become inclusive, personalised and more user-driven than ever.”

Reding argued that accessing computing power over the internet would not only be cheaper, but that it woudl make it easier for businesses to maintain technologies, IT applications and services.

As well as critising the slow uptake of cloud computing, Reding also discussed the potential of IT to help Europe meet its energy efficiency targets.

“First and foremost, the ICT sector should make a collective effort to reduce its own carbon footprint which is currently set to double by 2020 due to increasing use of ICT.

“The recommendation therefore invites the sector to adopt, for the first time by 2010, a common measurement framework to quantify its own energy and carbon footprint, leading to energy efficiency targets that should exceed the EU targets already in 2015,” she said.

Link: European Commission