For the Association of the Internet Industry, the responsibilities and liability for IT security must be regulated in a balanced manner within the framework of the IT-SiG 2.0 and security gaps must be closed quickly: State back-doors and the targeted weakening of encryption are counterproductive for IT security and jeopardise confidence in the use of digital services.

eco draws up a 6-point catalogue of requirements from the Internet industry for the strengthening of Europe as a digital location

The Alliance for the Strengthening of Digital Infrastructures in Germany, founded under the umbrella of the eco Association, welcomes the decision of the energy ministers and senators of the German states to reduce electricity costs and thereby initiate a sustainable energy transition economic programme.

The lock down measures implemented in reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic are leading to negative consequences for all economic sectors. This will also slow the previous growth of the Internet industry in Germany. However, these negative effects are expected to be fully compensated for by the end of 2022. The prerequisite for this, however, is that the economy must be ramped up again as far as possible in 2020. This is the conclusion reached by eco – Association of the Internet Industry and the management consultancy Arthur D. Little in preliminary extracts of the study “The Internet Industry 2020 – 2025”, which presents current industry trends and growth forecasts every five years.

eco is celebrating its 25 years of existence this year under the motto of “Internet with Responsibility”. At the same time, the concept of digital sovereignty is being discussed increasingly in the media, politics, and parts of the Internet industry. But what does digital sovereignty actually mean and how does it relate to the anniversary motto? We asked Alexander Rabe, Managing Director of eco – Association of the Internet Industry, for his thoughts.

Beyond, of course, the health consequences and the impact on public life, the worldwide spread of COVID-19 means that many people are now staying put at home. This also has an impact on Internet use: With 9.1 Terabit data per second, the Frankfurt Internet exchange DE-CIX set a new world record on 10 March. This shows that functioning digital infrastructures are indispensable for a functioning economic structure and social life and are needed more urgently than ever in Europe.

Today, the German Federal Environment Minister Svenja Schulze presented Germany’s Environmental Digital Agenda. On this topic, Dr. Béla Waldhauser – Spokesperson of the Alliance for the Strengthening of Digital Infrastructures in Germany, which was founded two years ago under the umbrella of eco – had the following to say: “Digitalization and digital enterprises form part of the solution to achieving climate goals.”

We are looking forward to a keynote talk by State Secretary Klaus Vitt, Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community on the topic of IT security challenges in a connected world. Registration is only possible with a personal code, which you will receive with an invitation via email or post.

Digital sovereignty in the form of high-performance and secure digital infrastructures is a key success factor and decisive for the future viability of Germany as a business location. This is the opinion of the overwhelming majority (80 percent) of decision-makers in German companies, according to the results of a current representative survey commissioned by eco.

eco participates in consultation on the 3rd Amendment of the German Telemedia Act, with the core message: Website blocking without judicial decisions causes legal uncertainty for Wi-Fi operators and impedes Germany's international competitiveness.