Malta has performed well in the so-called scoreboard just published by the European Commission showing the performance of the EU and member states in delivering on the agreed targets of the Digital Agenda for Europe a year after it was launched.

The scoreboard shows that overall progress in the EU has been good, especially on the use of internet (65 per cent of EU population). But progress in some areas is disappointing, in particular the roll out of new super fast broadband networks, which is one of the key Digital Agenda goals, even if there is some progress in upgrading existing cable and copper networks.

The Digital Agenda committed the EU to carry out 101 specific actions (78 for the Commission, of which 31 are legal proposals, and 23 for member states) which will together boost investment in, and use of, digital technologies. Overall, 11 actions have been completed, six actions due in 2010 are delayed and the remaining actions are largely on track.

Malta’s report shows that our country is above the EU average in broadband take-up, both in terms of households and businesses. Fixed broadband coverage stands at 99 per cent. Seventy per cent of households are connected to the internet, 98 per cent of which have a broadband connection, the highest number in the EU. Broadband take-up by businesses is the fourth highest in the EU. Wireless internet markets are emerging.

Rates of regular and frequent internet use have been growing strongly in Malta over the past few years and are now not far off the EU average of 65 per cent and 53 per cent. Nevertheless, 36 per cent of the population has never used the internet. The take up of internet services is close to the EU average, except for uploading self created content and selling online, which are less developed. Shopping online by individuals in Malta is popular, (38 per cent) and buying from other EU countries is also popular, as is expected in a small country (34.6 per cent of population as opposed to the European average of 8.8 per cent).

Malta is recognised as performing at the top in terms of the provision of online public services with 100 per cent of public services for both citizens and businesses available online. In terms of take up, however, it performs less well, the report says. While an above average proportion of businesses use online public services (77 per cent, compared to an EU average of 75 per cent), use by citizens is relatively low (at 37 per cent).

In 2010, the Maltese telecoms regulator (Malta Communications Authority) undertook the re-assignment of the mobile 900 MHz and 1800 MHz bands. To ensure universal access to a broadband connection throughout the country, the MCA consulted on a draft decision aimed at including a broadband connection capable of a minimum data rate of four Mbps in the scope of universal service.

The report also refers to the switchover from analogue to digital broadcasting and mentions the full analogue switch-off on June 1, 2011. As reported by i-Tech, this deadline has not been met and could not be mentioned in the scoreboard report as this was ready before June 1.

The scoreboard shows good progress across the EU in terms of internet use as this has risen rapidly to 65 per cent of the EU population (target 75 per cent by 2015). Forty per cent of EU citizens now shop online, including 57 per cent of all internet users. More than half of the population in eight EU countries buys online. Forty nine per cent of citizens use e-government services, half of whom have returned completed forms online.

However there was mixed progress in terms of broadband availability. Basic broadband is increasingly available even in remote areas. Nevertheless, deployment and uptake of very high-speed broadband is currently concentrated in only a few (mostly urban) areas. The Commission said it is working with member states to implement the strategy to give every European access to basic broadband by 2013 and fast and ultra fast broadband by 2020.

Insufficient progress was registered in terms of cross-border e-commerce, which has barely grown in 2010. Mobile roaming prices are also an issue, and while they fell by €0.015 in 2010, they are still more than three times as expensive as domestic calls. The Digital Agenda’s aim is for the difference between national and roamed calls within the EU to approach zero by 2015.

Another missed target is public investment in ICT R&D. Expenditure by public authorities did not exceed the € 5.7 billion baseline of the previous year. A six per cent annual growth will be needed to reach the target of doubling to €11 billion by 2020.