Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Plan 2012-2020 Digital France: between self-satisfaction and lack of budget

Strategy - The Minister in charge of the Digital Economy has presented the results of the first component of the Plan France Numérique and announced the axes for the next eight years. Without funding ...
Present at the Assembly of the Digital taking place today, Eric Besson, Minister in charge of the Digital Economy has outlined the second part of his famous Plan France Numérique for the years 2012 to 2020.
But before that, the minister has sought to take stock "very positive" the first phase launched in 2012. 700 000 net jobs have been created since 2000, and 95% of proposals are completed or in process of being. We will first examine the rather vague notion of "about to be."
Of course, things were made (TNT, including 3G), but the memory of Eric Besson is selective. Of the 151 measures introduced in 2008, many targets were not met. Far from it. We can mention the partial failure of the fiber at the end subscriptions but also cover sparsely populated areas in which funding is still not completed.
Digital radio is still in draft form, the personal medical records still moving forward, about the Mobile TV "a subject not to be missed," it was simply abandoned.
One can also wonder about the success of the Ordi 2.0, which organizes an industry recovery, reprocessing and redistribution of computers on the reform of the private copying which does not meet many people apart from the rights holders.
450 000 jobs over the next 3 years
Same reservations for the establishment of "SME advisors to digital" equipment intended to boost these small businesses but the results do not seem convincing.
Nevertheless, the minister shows a high appreciation of the work. And a few months of the presidential elections, he does not hesitate to present the main lines of development for the coming year with 57 goals identified. Provided that the majority is renewed ...
Above all, it is to carry out these reforms "without increasing state spending." Translation, the measures presented have not been financially assessed and will be without additional budget. This raises questions about the possibility of implementing them.
Example of optical fiber. Eric Besson has indeed promised that by 2025, 100% of French people will be connected to high-speed fixed and mobile. The issue of coverage of low-density areas and funding is still relevant ... Another promise, in 2013, 100% of administrative procedures are feasible online against 78% today. The paper will have completely disappeared, the minister promised ...
It will also continue to support innovative SMEs through research tax credit that would have benefited in 2009 to 12 000 companies have benefited. Objective: "to the digital engine No. 1 in our competitiveness and our growth, our job creation." And estimate that these measures could lead to the creation of 450,000 jobs over the next three years. Ambitious.
It is still pushing the country's SMEs to adopt digital tools. Eric Besson and bet on cloud computing could accelerate changes. But what about the support tools for these businesses that have neither the time nor the resources to complete these projects.
Remember that France is still in 20th place worldwide in terms of the ratio D / GDP. So there is indeed a lot of effort to accomplish. But in the context of public spending down sharply, France gives she really means to achieve its ambitions by simply, as the minister has done, mere declarations of intent?

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