Die IfKom nehmen zum 7. Forschungs-Rahmenprogramm auf dem Gebiet der I&K-Technologien Stellung.

Der Bundesvorstand hat sich mit einem Kommentar zum Dokument "Strengthening Competitiveness Through Co-operation" an die Europäische Kommission gewandt. Das Programm beschreibt die wesentlichen Eckpunkte der Europäischen Forschungsförderung auf dem Gebiet der Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologien in dem ab 2006 zur Anwendung kommenden 7. Rahmenprogramm.

Nachfolgend der Kommentar der IfKom im Wortlaut:

IfKom supports the idea of strengthening the European competiveness in the ICT sector.

In particular Europe has to continue its leading role in communications technology.

Most important factors for this are the advanced skills and the existing research potential in many European countries. European human capital is the resource we must use to strengthen the good European position in the ICT sector, in particular in communication technology.

The concept of life long learning - one of the main focusses of IfKom activities - is the right concept to ensure success in the ICT more than in any other sector. Information competence is one of the key skills in the European region, however more effort is needed to reach this.

Europe must provide the political and socio-economic framework that allows to keep and enhance the skill potential in ICT. Also, the framework must be provided, that research, development and other innovative activities stay in Europe.

It is IfKom's opinion that this needs more funding focussed on selected areas, where Europe has an excellent position to defend. Research funding must be less bureaucratic and able to react on the increasing pace of innovation.

IfKom supports the ideas for expanding the European ICT research effort as provided in the paper. It must be an objective of European ICT research to keep key industry players in European countries and to strengthen Europe's economy by the creation of high skill research jobs.

IfKom sees a big potential for strengthening Europe's position in the covering of networks and computing systems. One particularly important topic is "seamless networking". Another topic of special importance is security for all kinds of e-activities.