Transport Minister targets digital world during Presidency
© European Union 2015 - EP 22 January, 2015

Transport Minister targets digital world during Presidency

The Latvian Minister for Transport has placed the EU’s digital future at the centre of his address to the European Parliament’s Industry, Research and Energy Committee (ITRE).

Addressing MEPs during the first day of the two-day meeting, Anrijs Matīss acknowledged that Latvia has taken over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union at a time when digital issues have assumed an important role on the political agenda. He admitted that rapidly growing information technologies are providing unprecedented opportunities that have the potential to boost smart, sustainable and inclusive growth for the EU, adding that present challenges need to be addressed in order to fully realise these opportunities.

Speaking to the ITRE Committee, he said: “We believe that Europe must take action to restore economic growth, encourage investments and create jobs by making full use of the digital opportunities.”

Matīss added that the Presidency will aim to strengthen the Digital Single Market by focusing efforts on Telecoms Single Market package, informing MEPs “we are committed to reach a compromise between the EU member states to start negotiations with the Parliament in the coming months”.

The Latvian Presidency plans to organise political discussions on the Digital Single Market Strategy in different Council configurations. The minister also outlined that talks between the Parliament, Council and Commission could be held in March on the Network Information Security proposals with the aim of approving the directive by July, he suggested.

A Digital Assembly will be hosted in the Latvian capital Riga in June, which will contribute to discussions on the Digital Single Market Strategy.