Openforum Europe (OFE) welcomes the European Commission's Digital Agenda, and commends Vice President Neelie Kroes for her determined effort to build an open, competitive and innovative ICT market for the benefit of citizens and businesses in Europe.

OFE Brussels, 19th May 2010 -  The Digital Agenda rightly focuses significant effort on fostering interoperability and openness, and on the development of the standardisation process.

"The Commission is right to see the reform of information and communication technology (ICT) standardisation as an essential and urgent requirement," said OFE Chief Executive, Graham Taylor.

Consumers, as well as the ICT industry will benefit from the plan to allow a wider range of organisations, including industry fora and consortia to decide what innovative technologies should be recognised as industry standards.

OFE applauds Commissioner Kroes for setting concrete targets by which to judge the success of the Digital Agenda, in particular her commitment to get half of all E.U. citizens communicating with their local and national governments by 2015.

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