E-business of EU is interested in ICT

The European Commission's Directorate-General Enterprise and Industry made an e-business report called "European e-business Report - Impact of ICT and e-business on firms, sectors and the economy". It was published on 17 November 2008. This survey determined EU e-business tendencies and priorities. In fact it shows that banking is one of areas focusing on the use of information and communication technology (ICT). It is analyzed that over 30 percent of standard banking transactions take place via online channels.

Other researching data made by German financial services provider Deutsche Bank shows that the share of online banking customers in EU-15 rose from 19 percent in 2003 to 29 percent in 2007. So it is reasonable to consider that consumer's interest in online banking services is constantly growing as well as the concerns of consumers of e-banking security.

The survey focused on two general issues that influence e-business sector. Firstly, online banking offers the opportunities to manage their personal finances and make payments. Secondly, even though online banking is increasing many citizens refrain from switching from traditional banking to online banking because they think that the latter as being unsafe.

For changing such situation EU banks take some efforts and offers some benefits for those who resist e-banking adoption. For example, 70 percent of EU citizens who are currently reluctant to this service are provided with the best possible conditions to join e-banking. The report also shows that banks offer individuals users a series of basic security measures to ensure the safety of their internet-based transactions.