The European Internet Foundation, in collaboration with European Commission's DG CONNECT, will hold an afternoon brainstorming with Discussion Groups followed by a cocktail reception on Tuesday 27 November 2012 (17.00-20.30) in the European Parliament in Brussels.

The occasion will be hosted by James Elles MEP and EIF Co-founder, and Robert Madelin, Director-General of DG CONNECT, European Commission. Discussion Groups will be chaired by EIF Political members: Pilar del Castillo MEP, Alexander Alvaro MEP, Malcolm Harbour MEP, Marietje Schaake MEP, Britta Thomsen MEP and others.

Discussion groups will focus on technological, economic and socio-political visions and emerging trends under the main theme ‘Toward the Age of Individual Empowerment'. The format for this meeting is based on the DG CONNECT's ‘Digital Futures' foresight model, which allows all participants to engage in creative dialogue and to share their knowledge, experience and expectations in order to discover new insights and ideas for future policies.

‘The Digital World in 2030' will be the kick-off exercise for the next edition of EIF's previous report ‘The Digital World in 2025 – Indicators for European Action' (2009). 

‘Digital Futures' is a DG CONNECT's project to prepare for reflections on ICT policies beyond ‘Europe 2020'. The project envisages scenarios on a time horizon 2040-50 and generates ideas for policies with a view to inspire future strategic choices of DG CONNECT and the European Commission. More information on ‘Digital Futures' is available at http://ec.europa.eu/digital-agenda/en/digital-futures.

• Programme - 27th November 2012

  Registration

  Welcome and Introduction

  James Elles, MEP and EIF Co-founder

  Robert Madelin, Director-General DG CONNECT, European Commission

  Discussion Group Kick-Off

  Participants will be asked to choose a discussion topic and will be invited to sit at the corresponding table. Participants will be free to shift during the session. Main topics:

  1. Technology:  Will digital technologies reinforce individual empowerment in the decades to come?

  2. Economic transformation through individual empowerment

  3. Social and political transformation through individual empowerment.

  Feedback Session

  Knowledge harvesters will report back from the discussion groups. Chairing MEPs will be invited to comment.

  Presentation of 'Futurium'

  Franco Accordino, Head of Digital Futures Task Force, European Commission

  Closing Remark

  Cocktail Reception