The 1st Press Release and Invitation to the Media (Published on: 29.04.2002) The European Ministerial Conference on Information Society will be held in Ljubljana on 3 and 4 June. The conference is organised by the Ministry of the Information Society of the Republic of Slovenia and the European Commission (Information Society DG and Enlargement DG). The conference will witness the 13 candidate countries presenting and publishing the first report on progress achieved in the implementation of eEurope+ Action Plan, a programme for the development of information society in candidate countries. For the first time the candidate countries will report on the progress they have made in developing knowledge based economy, modernising public (electronic) services and bridging the digital divide. In June 2000 in Feira, Portugal, the EU Member States adopted the eEurope Action Plan aimed at fostering information society through a cheaper, faster and safer internet, and promoting internet use and investment in human resources and knowledge. A year later the eEurope+ Action Plan was introduced at the Gothenburg summit. This is a programme for the development of information society and was prepared by EU candidate countries in cooperation with the European Commission (EC). It covers all the activities included in the eEurope Action Plan but it has been adapted to the various levels of information society development in candidate countries and the extent of the harmonisation of national legislations with the acquis communautaire. A year on from the start of the eEurope+ Action Plan the European Commission will publish the first progress report on the 13 candidate countries efforts to implement eEurope+. This report will be presented for the first time at the European Ministerial Conference on Information Society in Ljubljana on 3 and 4 June 2002, to be organised by Slovenia’s Ministry of the Information Society in cooperation with the EC’s Directorate-General for the Information Society. The European ministers will adopt conclusions and recommendations for information society development. Participants can attend two plenary sessions, three thematic sessions and an exhibition of applications in the spirit of inclusion, participation, trust and security in the information society. In addition to senior government officials, the conference will be attended by representatives of industry (information and communications technology), civil society and scientific institutions. It is anticipated that some city mayors will sign the Helsinki declaration "Global Cities Dialogue". Some 400 participants from EU candidate countries, EU member states and countries from south-eastern Europe are expected to attend the conference. The conference will be chaired by the European Commissioner for Enterprise and Information Society, Mr Erkki Liikanen, and the Slovenian Minister for the Information Society, Dr Pavel Gantar. We expect 30 European ministers and high-level representatives from the industry, civil society, the scientific community and international institutions, as well as other important figures from the ICT industry. We would also like to invite the media to attend this conference! Please return the application for credentials immediately or latest by 20 May 2002 to the address: Government Public Relations and Media Office Slovenska cesta 29, Ljubljana, SI Fax: ++386 1 478 25 62; ++386 1 478 26 53 Contact person for credentials: Ms Natasa Marvin Tel.: +386 1 478 26 06 Please return the hotel booking form for press latest by 20 May 2002 by fax or e-mail: Ministry of Information Society Fax: +386 1 478 83 75 e-mail: gp.mid@gov.si Contact person for Press Release content: Ms Nina Novinec, Ministry of Information Society Tel.: +386 1 478 84 33 Republic of Slovenia, Ministry of Information Society in co-operation with the European Commission, DG Information Society and DG Enlargement Contact info: gp.mid@gov.si Web: http://emcis.gov.si, http://www.europa.eu.int/eeuropeplus