Abstract
This chapter describes the evolution and results of the Spanish Policies of digital inclusion, since its inception in 2000 in the framework of the EU Lisbon Strategy (eEurope 2002) to the present, with special emphasis on cases of greater relevance. It reviews the different plans implemented at the country successively during that period of time. As a result of the Spanish political organization into Autonomous Communities, the direct application of these policies has corresponded to each of them, which adapted the outline to their interests and needs. So, it analyzes the situation in three of the Autonomous Communities, Catalonia, Andalusia and Extremadura, with different demographic and economic characteristics, providing recent indicators and the programs that are in development just now.
TopInstitutional Policies In Spain
In Spain, they started to promote digital inclusion policies since the initiatives for the promotion and development of the Information Society in the year 2000 began (Figure 1).
Figure 1. Timeline of public policies on SI in Spain
Key Terms in this Chapter
Autonomous Communities: In Spain, an autonomous community is a first-level political and administrative division, created in accordance with the Spanish constitution of 1978, with the aim of guaranteeing the autonomy of the nationalities and regions that comprise the Spanish nation.
RedIRIS: Spanish academic and research network that provides advanced communication services to the scientific community and national universities.
ONTSI: The National Observatory for Telecommunication and Information Society is a body attached to the Red.es public company, whose main objective is the monitoring and analysis of the telecommunications sector and information Society.
Catalonia: In catalan Catalunya, is an autonomous community of Spain and designated a “historical nationality” by its Statute of Autonomy. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Barcelona is too, the second largest city in Spain. It is bordered by France and Andorra to the north. The official languages are Catalan, Spanish and Aranse (an Occitan dialect).
Extremadura: Is an autonomous community of western Spain. Its component provinces are Cáceres and Badajoz. It is bordered by Portugal to the west. Extremadura was the source of many of the initial Spanish conquerors and settlers in America.
Red.es: The public corporate entity attached to the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism (MINETUR) which is responsible for promoting the development of the Information Society in Spain.
Andalucía: Andalucia is in the south of the Iberian peninsula. The Andalusian Autonomous Community is officially recognized as a “historical nationality” of Spain by its Statute of Autonomy. The territory is divided into eight provinces: Almería, Cádiz, Córdoba, Granada, Huelva, Jaén, Málaga y Sevilla. It is the most populated and the second largest in area of the autonomous communities in Spain.
Internet Public Access Points: Public places where people are able to access ICT technologies as well as other ICT oriented services. In Spain, they can have different terms: Guadalinfo centers in Andalusia, telecenters, CAPIS (Centers of Public Access to Internet), among others, and aims to extend the use and benefits of technology to disadvantaged groups.