RIGA - The Innovation Club of Latvia, Germany, Estonia and Lithuania has urged the European Commission (EC) to enhance the digital identity system, Latvian Environmental Protection and Regional Development Minister Inga Berzina (New Unity) said at a news conference Monday.
At the joint news conference of said countries' ministers, Berzina indicated that the Innovation Club's recommendations stress strategic partnership in the digital transformation, aimed at promoting consumer wellbeing and the improvement of the digital single market.
The Latvian minister underscored that the EC is being urged to to improve the European Digital Identity Framework and the European Digital Identity Wallet by reducing fragmentation and providing a secure and reliable way to authenticate digital identities.
"We (the EU) call for improved infrastructure capacity and resilience to continue the digital transformation, bridge the digital divide and ensure cross-border connectivity. On this basis, we focus on areas such as 5G and gigabit connectivity, which need sufficient political attention and investment on the EU level," Berzina said.
The minister said that AI and data are the cornerstones for the technological and innovation aspects of the growth of the data economy. This is why the EC is developing common guidelines for the attraction of professionals for technology and innovation development.
As LETA was told at the Environmental Protection and Regional Development, ministers at the press conference jointly presented their plans for a new EU digital agenda, a key element of which is the removal of market barriers.
Germany's Federal Minister for Digital and Transport, Volker Wissing, believes that Europe should focus more in the innovative power of the free market, particularly in the digital sector. This means less government interference, no isolation and more freedom for European companies.
"Through the Innovation Club, we want to remove market barriers and unnecessary reporting obligations for businesses. We want to increase data availability and promote common standards. The country should focus on important tasks such as pro-competitive conditions for broadband expansion," said Wissing.
Last November, Latvia, Germany, Estonia and Lithuania joined forces by establishing the Innovation Club and have produced a document with recommendations on digital policy areas such as data availability, connectivity and digital infrastructure, for a better European digital policy.
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