TO ACHIEVE a digital transformation of the European economy and European society, it is vital to understand the role of public authorities, a conference in Dublin heard yesterday.

These authorities need to correct market failures and at the same time create an environment in which economic entrepreneurs and social entrepreneurs can do their work, said Anthony Whelan, head of European commissioner for the digital agenda Neelie Kroes’s cabinet.

Speaking at the Irish Internet Association’s annual conference, Mr Whelan said a third of the European population had never used the internet. He highlighted problems with trust, whereby many consumers are worried about privacy and payment security.

“A lot of European citizens are unwilling to use cross-border online services, which is a lost opportunity for them [and] for internet entrepreneurs in Ireland,” he said. “It is also a major problem because the Irish market is unlikely to be sufficient to sustain long-term growth.”