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Highlighted Events

Here you will find details of the confirmed official events taking place as part of EU Internet Week^TM.

The Internet of Things, the principle of connected devices and objects that are uniquely identifiable, is increasingly becoming a reality, with related technologies rapidly finding their way into everyday life. In order to achieve a single market for IoT and maximize the advantages that a safe and advanced IoT would bring, policymakers, citizens and industry need to continue to collaborate together.

The 4th Annual Internet of Things Europe will explore the co-existence of real and virtual worlds in everyday life within areas such as health, transport and retail. The event will facilitate debate among stakeholders on how both the public and private sectors need to work together to create an environment for increased innovation, investment and economic growth. The event will also explore other emerging key issues, including, privacy & security, ethics, technological developments, international cooperation and the various resources that are required for a fully integrated IoT.

The event also comes at a time when the results from the Commission's public consultation will be available and will therefore provide an opportunity for industry to share its views regarding this and to help shape the forthcoming recommendation on IoT Governance in early 2013.

Further information available at www.iotconference.eu

According to the European Commission, the Internet economy is responsible for around "21% of the growth in GDP in the last five years" and adds "2.6 jobs for every job cut".

With the emphasis across Europe turning towards growth, how can policy-makers and stakeholders alike ensure that the potential for e-commerce in Europe is maximised, given that the cost of failure to complete the Digital Single Market before 2020 has been estimated at around €500 billion? Is such a completion likely in this time-scale given the continuing patchwork of national laws and rules? What are the major barriers that need to be overcome and how can a step-change in the development of e-commerce be achieved?

This year’s European E-Commerce Conference hosted by EDiMA and EMOTA in partnership with Forum Europe, will focus on how policymakers and e-commerce businesses can increase consumer confidence in the online/digital retail space as a means of increasing competition and driving growth.

Further information available at www.eCommerce-conference.eu

There is no doubt that the internet has created a wide range of beneficial opportunities for children and young people in Europe. With European children starting to go online at a younger and younger age however, (a recent report suggested that the average age to start is 7 and 38% of 9 to 12 year olds who are online say they have a social networking profile) European policymakers and industry have a responsibility to protect children from the threats and risks that the internet may pose.

The European Child Safety Online Conference 2012 will bring together representatives from all of the key stakeholders for a full and frank discussion around what future measures are needed to protect young people online. In light of the Commission’s recently released European Strategy for a Better Internet for Children and other existing initiatives concerning young people and the internet (for example the recently formed ‘Coalition to make the Internet a better place for kids’), it will look at the regulatory and technology challenges ahead to respond in a fast evolving and changing environment and provide an Internet that is safer and more positive for European children.

Further information available at www.childsafety-conference.eu