The European E-Business Report is the main annual publication of e-Business W@tch. It features summaries of the sector studies and contributions from international authors on specific aspects of e-business development.

W@tch out: new trends & issues ahead

>> The "missing link":
e-Business activities of large companies are maturing. They understand the benefits, and are steadily improving ICT tools to their own advantage. They have connected their systems to many of their major tier-1 suppliers for e-business. But supply chain integration often comes to a halt at that point: many of the small supply firms still cannot cope with system require ments, and they risk exclusion from the value network. Policy and industry initiatives are increasingly addressing this issue.

>> ICT outsourcing, out-tasking etc:
Spectacular, large-scale ICT outsourcing projects will be the exception in the future. New and more flexible arrangements with external service providers (e.g. for specific tasks, or for maintenance services) will often be preferred.

>> Open source and software as a service:
Business models for software service provision could change in the future. Rather than just selling a product, the service component is becoming increasingly important. Growth in the use of open source (OS) software components is reinforcing this trend. These changes can be a challenge for business advisors; the range of products and service models from which companies can choose has increased.

>> Information management:
The role of information management (IM) in companies may further increase in importance. IM will take on the role of intermediaries between the traditional ICT department, the management and the operational departments of a company (i.e. the internal ICT users).

Download The European e-Business Report, 2006/07 edition

PDF format, 8.1MB, 263Pages.

A portrait of e-business in 10 sectors of the EU economy
5th Synthesis Report of the e-Business W@tch

FORWARD

The European Commission has long recognised and emphasised the importance of information and communication technologies (ICT) for the European economy to thrive. First, the ICT producing industry itself is a major contributor to growth, with an annual average growth rate of about 6% until 2008. Second, as this report clearly demonstrates, companies from all sectors are increasingly using ICT for doing business.

"e-Business" has become a critical factor for competitiveness and productivity growth. However, we need to make a focused effort in Europe in order to allow the positive effects of ICT to fully unfold. The agenda is challenging. It requires close cooperation between policy makers and the private sector to accomplish the many-sided tasks that have to be tackled.

On the policy side, we need to create a favourable framework for our companies as they compete in a global business environment. This includes cutting "red tape", fostering innovation and – more specifically with regard to ICT – counteracting shortages in e-skills and promoting systems inter-operability.

Above all, companies need to demonstrate a positive attitude toward innovation and toward the broad use of ICT as a tool. I am glad to see that this has been confirmed by the e-Business W@tch special study on ICT impact, which finds that "positive effects of ICT on productivity are more likely to occur in firms that conduct innovations and that are advanced users of ICT."

The European Commission is fully committed to support the wide adoption of ICT among enterprises, in particular in small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). A high-level ICT Task Force was commissioned in 2006 to look in detail at ICT uptake and skills requirements, and to make policy recommendations.

We are determined to take these recommendations seriously. All actions will be embedded in the renewed Lisbon Strategy for Growth and Jobs in Europe. We also know that sector-specific requirements have to be taken into account, as stated in the "new industrial policy" communication.

With its focus on sectors, SMEs and the study of ICT use and impact in business, e-Business W@tch has taken a central position in this policy context. It has become an influential source of unbiased information.

This is why the initiative will be renewed until at least 2008. I place great expectations in the "new" e-Business W@tch as a vehicle to stimulate debate and to inform policymakers and industry about relevant developments.

Günter Verheugen
Vice-President of the European Commission

Visit The e-Business W@tch Website

The European Commission's Directorate General for Enterprise and Industry launched the e-Business W@tch to monitor the growing maturity of electronic business across different sectors of the economy in the enlarged European Union and in EEA countries.

Since late 2001 the e-Business W@tch has analysed e-business developments and impacts in 20 manufacturing, financial and service sectors.

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