The imminence of a war in Iraq and the daunting world economic situation were the main concerns expressed at CeBIT 2003s overture by Herbert Schmalstieg, mayor of Hannover City and chairman of the supervisory board of Deutsche Messe AG. Volker Jung, President of BITKOM German Association for Information Technology, Telecommunications and New Media, reiterated the legislators the usual demands for business flexibility. The organisation expected around 6,526 exhibitors (against 7,962 last year) in an area of 380,000 sq. metres (against 432,000 in 2002).
Although we have gathered for the opening of a major international trade show in a key business sector, we can surely not ignore the grave political situation in which the world finds itself today.
The question of war or peace hangs over us all, affecting us in many different ways. I trust that you will bear with me when I, as mayor of this city, use this opportunity to comment on the current state of affairs, said Herbert Schmalstieg.
Despite the optimism, Schmalstieg acknowledged that he was not expecting this years trade show to produce record results. it would be wrong to ignore the fact that the results lag behind last year’s figures. However there is no point in lamenting over our fate at this stage. Instead we should use CeBIT to turn the tide and improve the situation facing us.
Mr Schmalstieg showed yet his concerns over cyber-criminality and supported the initiative of Erkki Liikanen, European Commissioner for the Information Society, of establishing a European Agency for Net and Information Security.
Volker Jung, president of BITKOM, noticed the fictive considerations underlying the concept of new economy. Network operators are still enjoying high growth rates, whereas hardware and software suppliers are experiencing a decline in turnover of over 10 per cent. Many people in our sector have had their dreams brutally interrupted. Having listened to hymns of praise and jubilation we are now subjected to mournful laments. Neither response is appropriate.
Mr. Jung urged on legislation to tighten up the personal liability of managing board members on losses to shareholders and companies, although it is important that we maintain a sense of proportion.
Incidentally, politicians also make the wrong decisions. I am convinced that Ms Zypries [German Minister of Justice] will also extend the tougher legislation on personal liability to politicians at a national and regional level. Politicians, after all, are figures of respect who must set an example.
In a session attended by the German chancellor Gerhard Schröder, Jung appealed to a more flexible legislation on work, taxation systems, copyright royalties, urging that PCs and printers were exempt from duties.
If the convergence of information and communications technologies market the first industry growth cycle (1995-2000), Mr Jung believes that a new thrust to worlds economy can only be achieved through broadband applications.
Who would have thought five years ago that cameras would be linked to the Internet, or that we could take photographs with mobile phones? These technology interfaces provide the basis for explosive market developments.
Digital photography, IT-assisted medical technology, transport telematics, multimedia systems, industrial automation these are innovative ICT applications which are responsible for the emergence of new markets with growth rates of over 100 per cent. Nowadays there is much talk of B2B and B2C applications, but the key internet relationship of the future will be the M2M relationship from machine to machine, Mr Jung concluded.
Filipe Samora
2003-03-13
Em Foco – Projecto