Latin America and the Caribbean still have low access to Internet compared to developed countries, with only 27.1% of its population using the service. The price of Internet services exceeds US$35 a month, much higher than in wealthier countries, where prices average US$19 a month, according to the Monitor of the Information Society.

In addition, in most countries in the region, broadband penetration rates do not surpass 5%.

Access to broadband Internet is crucial to reducing the digital gap in the region, and in consequence, ECLAC has suggested considering it a paid global public good guaranteed by the State.

These and other essential issues of the region’s digital agenda will be discussed at the V European Union - Latin America and the Caribbean Ministerial Forum to be held in Segovia, Spain on March 14-15.

The forum, titled “Digital Contents for a Digital Society” is organized by the Spanish presidency of the European Union in cooperation with the European Commission and with the support of ECLAC.

The meeting aims to make a balance of public policies implemented over the past few years and discuss the needs and priorities of future digital agendas that may contribute to reduce the digital gap and promote economic growth, taking into account the characteristics of each region.

ECLAC acts as Technical Secretariat for the Regional Action Plan for the Information Society in Latin America and the Caribbean (eLAC2010), which sets goals and priorities for developing the information society in Latin America and the Caribbean. This plan, accorded by its 33 member countries, has been implemented since 2005.

At a plenary session last December at ECLAC headquarters in Santiago, Chile, over 80 representatives of governments, civil society, academic institutions, the private sector and international organizations discussed these priorities.

The Ministerial Forum organized by the Spanish presidency of the European Union takes place as Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as the European Union, reformulate their digital agendas to foment the development of the Information Society on both sides of the Atlantic. The Forum will deliver its conclusions to the next EU-LAC Summit of Heads of State and Government to take place in Madrid on May 18, 2010