ICT for Integration, Social Inclusion and Economic Participation of ...

PREFACE
Launched in 2005 following the revised Lisbon Agenda, the policy framework ‘i2010: A
European Information Society for Growth and Employment’ has clearly established digital
inclusion as an EU strategic policy goal. Everybody living in Europe, especially
disadvantaged people, should have the opportunity to use information and communication
technologies (ICT) if they so wish and/or to benefit from ICT use by services providers,
intermediaries and other agents addressing their needs. Building on this, the 2006 Riga
Declaration on eInclusion 1 defined eInclusion as meaning “both inclusive ICT and the use of
ICT to achieve wider inclusion objectives” and identified, as one of its six priorities, the
promotion of cultural diversity in Europe by “improving the possibilities for economic and
social participation and integration, creativity and entrepreneurship of immigrants and
minorities by stimulating their participation in the information society”.
In the light of these goals, and given the dearth of empirical evidence on this topic, DG
Information Society and Media, Unit H3 (eInclusion) asked the Institute for Prospective
Technological Studies (IPTS) 2 to carry out a study to explore ICT adoption and use by
immigrants and ethnic minorities (henceforth IEM) in Europe and the related policy
implications.
The study, entitled ‘The potential of ICT for the promotion of cultural diversity in the EU: the
case of economic and social participation and integration of immigrants and ethnic
minorities’, was designed and overseen by IPTS. It was carried out over twelve months in
2008 by a research consortium made up of IDC Italia Srl (main contractor), MIP Politecnico
di Milano, Fondation Maison des Sciences de l’Homme – TIC-Migration, Universität Bremen
- Institut für Medien Kommunikation und Information, Universidad Sevilla – Laboratorio de
Redes Personales y Comunidades, Sheffield Hallam University – Culture, Communication
and Computing Research Institute. Cristiano Codagnone of Università Statale di Milano
(Dipartimento di Studi Sociali e Politici) acted as scientific coordinator of the consortium.
The study entailed both desk-based research, especially of online services and other resources,
and field work. The first step surveyed a wide range of ICT-based initiatives carried out for
and/or by IEM in all EU27 Member States. A deeper investigation and analysis then followed
of national policies, supply and demand aspects and case studies of specific experiences of
ICT and digital service adoption and use by selected IEM groups 3 in four countries: France,
Germany, Spain and the UK. A foresight workshop later explored trends, challenges and
policy options, leading to the preparation of the final report.
The study's results are available in the following six publications (including this one):
o Overview of digital support initiatives for/by IEM in the EU27
o ICT supply and demand for/by IEM in France, Germany, Spain and the UK
o Case studies on ICT uses for/by IEM (publications 4 on Germany, Spain and France)
o The potential of ICT for the promotion of cultural diversity in the EU: final report
1 Available at http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/events/ict_riga_2006/doc/declaration_riga.pdf
2 IPTS is one of the seven research institutes of the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre
3 The groups selected by the research partners are: Argentinians (ES), Bangladeshis (UK), Bulgarians (ES),
Ecuadorians (ES), Indians (FR, UK), Moroccans (ES), Poles (DE, UK), Romanians (ES), Russians (FR, DE),
Turks (DE).
4 For editorial reasons, the two ICT usage case studies from the UK have not been published separately, but
have rather been included as Annex III of the 'ICT supply and demand' publication.
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