Europe's digital strategy
In its Speech on the occasion of the Digital World Congress 2016 in Frankfurt, the scientist and entrepreneur called for Europe-wide efforts to counter the dominance from the U.S. and Asia.This dominance takes on a dramatic significance due to the feared protectionism of the U.S..
According to Scheer, many questions could no longer be answered only from Germany be determined nationally, but would require at least a Europe-wide vote and concerted action.
August-Wilhelm Scheer, In his opening speech to the congress:
"This year, Commissioner Oettinger, the most important representative figure of the IT-sector of the EU at the National IT-summit will be present. This shows quite clearly that we have many IT-questions, such as questions of Infrastructure or the standards, no longer only from Germany nationally, but that we need at least a Europe-wide vote and concerted action here. This is the only way we can defend ourselves against the overwhelming power of the big IT-suppliers from America and Asia. This is the only way we will be able to meet the post US-Presidential election to counter the threat of protectionism. We have in Europe and also in Germany a very large market for IT-But on the supplier side, we play too small a role in terms of hardware and software compared with our market significance. It must not be the case that the USA supplies the Brain, Asia produces and Europe only buys"
This can only be changed by a Europe-wide catching-up strategy with the aim of integrating national and thus also German competencies into a European initiative in order to take a leading role in the IT-sector.
This is not only for the IT-industry required.
Developments such as Industry 4.0 showed that even the traditional industries in which Germany with other European nations, through the IT be changed.
In this context, Scheer sees the danger that, if one does not work in Germany and Europe via the corresponding IT-In the future, these industries can only be modernized through cooperation with the USA and Asia.
August-Wilhelm Scheer:
"That means we are dependent and no longer at the forefront of development. However, we must retain and expand precisely this leading role in our successful industries, and this can only be done with the appropriate digitization expertise. What is needed here is a joint effort on the part of policymakers, Economyand in particular the ICT sector, research and society as a whole".