The EU is keen to ensure that European businesses, governments and citizens are at the forefront in shaping and participating in the global knowledge and information based economy. It therefore stimulates research into the development and deployment of information technology, establishes a framework of regulations to generate competition, and stimulates the development of applications and content, while encouraging all citizens to participate in the information society.

The main strategic document shaping the political direction of the EU’s information society policy today is i2010 - a European Information Strategy for Growth and Employment. This is a five year strategy laying out the broad policy orientations. The 'i' in the i2010 goals stands for:

• information space: the priority is to complete a single European Information Space which promotes an open and competitive internal market for information society and media,
• innovatioin and investment: strengthening innovation and investment in ICT research to promote growth and more and better services,
• inclusion: achieving an inclusive European information society that promotes growth and jobs in a manner that is consistent with sustainable development and that prioritises better services and quality of life.

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