The 27-EU and Africa closer under a “strategic partnership”Improving cooperation on multiple fronts (democracy, rights, economy, culture) in the interest of both sides: this is the main goal of the institutional process initiated a few years ago between the EU and the African Union (a supranational body created in 2002, bringing together 53 countries in the continent). A meeting is held every year between the European Commission and the Commission of the African Union to take stock of the situation: in 2011 the meeting was held in Brussels from 31st May to 1st June to cover democracy and growth. The changes taking place in North Africa actually call for new answers, and the EU insists on a “strategic partnership”. José Manuel Barroso, head of the EU Executive 27, stated: “The encouraging epoch-making changes that are taking place in the African continent are an extraordinary opportunity to strengthen relations between our continents. Both Commissions will keep being the propellers of this ambitious joint partnership between the EU and Africa. Together, we can make real progress to the benefit of the European and African citizens, face global issues, create more business, investment and inclusive development opportunities, as well as responding to people’s aspiration to democratic reform and social justice”. Cooperation between Barroso and his counterpart, Jean Ping, is very close. As to Europe, they add: “Such strategic partnership pursues shared goals as part of a dialogue between equals that goes beyond the traditional donor-recipient set-up”. The EU is the main business partner for the African continent; in addition, the European institutions are the world’s second biggest donor of aids to Africa. “Through its many financial instruments, the European Commission has allocated 24.4 billion euros for 2007-2013 in support of the Africa-EU joint strategy”. The agenda of Brussels’ meeting includes lots of items: international policy; economic governance; raw materials; regional integration, trade and infrastructure; welfare; climate change and the environment; administrative partnership; agriculture and food security; science. The establishment of a steady partnership was launched in Lisbon in 2007 by a meeting of 80 heads of state and government of the two continents; another event was held in 2010, when a road map for 2011-2013 was adopted.EU Commission: digital agenda, an unclear outcomeDigital agenda, more can and must be done. One year after the start of the “European Digital Agenda” project, on May 31st the EU Commission published a review of the progress made in the expansion of the use of the Internet and the new communication technology in the twenty-seven member states. In some respects, significant progress has been made, while in other areas the EU Executive admits progress has been poor or non-existent. “The general outcome of the first year in the implementation of the Digital Agenda is good – the Outline Review states -, especially in the use of the Internet (65% of the EU population). But, in some areas, progress is disappointing, especially in the spreading of the new super-fast broadband networks, which is one of the main goals of the Digital Agenda”, while “progress has been made in the upgrading of the existing copper and cable networks”. The deputy president of the EU Commission, who is in charge of the project, Neelie Kroes, commented: “One year after the implementation of the Digital Agenda, I am pleased to notice the progress that has been made. But the member states, the whole sector, society and the EU Commission, we all must do more if we want to make the most of the potential of the Agenda to retain Europe’s competitiveness, boost innovation, create jobs and prosperity”. Hence her invitation to the EU institutions and the member states “to reflect on the huge long-term benefits of a decided action implemented today, especially in the area of high-speed broadband technology”. With the Digital Agenda, the EU has taken responsibility for completing 101 specific actions, “78 of which are under the jurisdiction of the EU Commission (31 are bills of law) and 23 under the member states’ jurisdiction”; such actions “will support investments in digital technology and in using it”. “Overall, 11 actions have been accomplished, six 2010 actions are lagging behind, and the other planned actions are under way as scheduled”. In addition, the Agenda covers the spreading of the Internet among the EU population (individuals, families, businesses, civil service), economy (business and online shopping), the extension of the broadband technology, improved capabilities to use the Internet for research, protection of health, defence of the environment, security.
