04/07/11
European cyber crime fight strengthened thanks to Wales-led network
A pilot to trial a secure online platform for a European Regional e-Crime Partnership is to be developed and tested over six months, as part of the DE-LAN project.
DE-LAN is a three-year INTERREG IVC project aiming to establish the practical implications of creating new types of digital networks amongst small to medium enterprises (SMEs) across Europe.
e-Crime is the fastest-rising form of criminality worldwide, with latest figures showing the problem costs Welsh business close to £1billion each year.
The potential for organisations and agencies across Europe to share intelligence and experience on e-Security activities online could be a key weapon in the evolving battle against cyber criminals.
e-Crime not only has a significant direct financial impact on the economy but can result in lost opportunities for innovation and growth as businesses and individuals are deterred from ICT adoption through security fears.
The pilot project will be based on a Digital Ecosystem (DE) - which can be used to create a collaborative online environment to digitally connect organisations, companies and individuals that trade together.
The Welsh Government, through the e-Crime Wales programme and DE-LAN, is exploring the possibilities of a DE for online crime-fighting collaboration with regions from Spain, Greece, Lithuania, Sweden, Finland, Scotland and Yorkshire.
DEs can be applied by SMEs across sectors to more widely promote products and services, improve innovation, streamline working practices and increase competiveness and growth in the global marketplace.
This Wales-led pilot will test existing good practice from other European Regions.
The objective of DE-LAN is to give businesses across Europe practical steps and identify tools through a European Good Practice guide and implementation tool kit to enable them to work together more effectively using new digital technologies.
DE-LAN also aims to inform governments on policy which can help create an environment to enable sustainable digital networks.
This can stimulate the ICT supply sector and help businesses compete in today's dynamic, global markets, allowing them to create wealth and increase the number of skilled jobs in their regions.
Minister for Business, Enterprise, Technology and Science Edwina Hart said: "The internet has an important role to play in helping businesses to work together but few are taking advantage of this.
"Wales is leading the way through the DE-LAN project in exploring how new technologies can be used to help organisations collaborate online – e.g. for fighting e-Crime, winning bigger and better contracts by working together or streamlining their supply chain. This pilot gives us the opportunity to work with and learn from likeminded regions across Europe to share good practices and help strengthen the Welsh economy."
Further information on DE-LAN is available at www.de-lan.eu and e-Crime information at www.ecrimewales.com
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