Bridging the digital divide, stepping up IT research investment and strengthening e-government services are aims of a national strategy launched yesterday.

The Digital Malta strategy does not go further than specifying targets listed in the EU’s digital agenda, to which the country is already bound. It lists a number of goals for citizens, businesses and government services.

Addressing IT stakeholders during the launch, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said the aim was not to have a “prescriptive” strategy.

It would have been “preposterous” and “self-defeating” if the strategy, that runs to 2020, tried to set objectives to meet expected technological advances for the next six years.

The Prime Minister also referred to the rollout of electronic identity cards, hoping this would increase the use of e-government services.

The new cards, he added, could also open opportunities for online business services.

Promoting Malta as a digital hub, seeking strategic alliances with multinational companies and improving the government’s online platform are some of the objectives.

The document also mentions e-democracy and the concept of open government, saying the government is committed to using ICT to encourage citizens to take part in decision making.

Performance targets include those set by the Digital Agenda for Europe, where Malta has already scored a success by being in a position to offer fast broadband internet to all, six years in advance.

By next year Malta is bound to have a third of its small and medium enterprises selling online and half of the population purchasing services and products from the internet.

Other targets set by the EU’s digital agenda are to have half of the population using e-government services and to reduce those who have never used the internet to below the 15 per cent mark by 2015.

In the longer term the EU strategy seeks to see at least 50 per cent of the population with a broadband speed of 100Mbps by 2020 and to double IT research and innovation spending.