The UK government today warned that Europe must expand its commitment to information and communication technology (ICT) if it is to remain competitive on the world stage.

Industry and the Regions Minister Alun Michael said at the i2010 Conference in London: "Forty per cent of European productivity is due to ICT but our counterparts elsewhere in the world are doing even more to harness these economic benefits of ICT.

"We must not be complacent in Europe. We must raise our game. The i2010 Strategy is our blueprint to make Europe the most competitive and knowledge-based economy in the world by 2010."

Michael added that the i2010 initiative, which was adopted by the EU Commission on 1 June, can maximise the contribution that ICT can make to EU competitiveness by promoting an open market in ICT services, increasing IT R &D investment and helping to extend IT training programmes.

Viviane Reding, EU Commissioner for Information Society and Media, told i2010 delegates: "The EU and its member states need to give a clear and determined answer to the economic challenges we are currently facing in Europe.

"Many of our citizens are concerned about their jobs and about their future. We will not be able to address these concerns efficiently if we resort to economic policy instruments of the past, or even to protectionism.

"We will only strengthen economic growth and thereby create more and better jobs for Europeans if we open our markets, invest in ICT as the most productive sectors of the economy, and make sure that superfluous regulation is abolished. "