Fifth Framework Programme: Working Paper

Introduction and Overview

One of a set of pages forming the text of Annex 2 to a European Commission letter inviting early inputs regarding the workplan for the Fifth Framework Programme. For background and overall structure of the text see the letter and associated documents. [Text in square brackets = comments by European Telework Online].

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Creating a User Friendly Information Society:
Introduction

INTRODUCTION

We are undergoing a fundamental transformation: from an industrial society to the information society. Information society technologies increasingly pervade all industrial and societal activities and are accelerating the globalisation of both economies, in particular by providing SMEs with affordable access to the global marketplace, and societies.

Europe’s industrial competitiveness, its jobs, its quality of life and the sustainability of growth depend on it being at the leading edge of the development and take-up of information society technologies. Also, by enabling communities in remote and rural areas to overcome isolation and to compete in the global economy, information society technologies contribute to cohesion in the European Union.

At the same time, the technologies underpinning the development of the information society are in rapid evolution. Advances in information processing and communications are opening up exciting new possibilities. There is a shift from stand-alone systems to networked information and processes. Digitisation is resulting in the convergence of information processing, communications and media. Content is of increasing significance. However, the increasing diversity and complexity of systems is also presenting new challenges for their development and use.

It will not be possible to realise the full potential of the information society in Europe with only today’s technologies, systems and applications. Key requirements such as usability, dependability, interoperability and, above all, affordability are far from being sufficiently met for the broad deployment of information society technologies in all areas. Continuous efforts are required, in research, technological development, demonstration and technology take-up.

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Strategic Objectives of the Programme

The strategic objective of this programme would be
to realise the benefits of the information society for Europe
both by

The programme would have four inter-related specific objectives, which would both focus the technology developments and enable the close articulation between research and policy needed for a coherent and inclusive information society.

[the term would have is used throughout the text because at this time the programme is subject to final agreement between the Commission, the Parliament and the Council - read this as: if the programme were to be agreed it would have . . . etc. For all practical purposes we believe it is safe to assume that the programme will go forward in very much the overall way foreseen in this text, since the draft has been agreed in principle by all three parties]
  1. For the private individual the objective would be to meet the needs and expectations of European citizens for high-quality, affordable general-interest services.

  2. Addressing the requirements and concerns of Europe’s enterprises, workers and consumers the objective would be to enable both individuals and organisations to innovate and be more effective and efficient in their work and business.

  3. Multimedia content is central to the information society; the objective here would be to confirm Europe as a leading force in this field and enable it to realise the potential of its creativity and culture.

  4. For the essential technologies and infrastructures that form the building blocks of the information society the objective would be to drive their development, enhance their applicability and accelerate their take up in Europe.

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Novelty of the approach

Community-funded research in information and communication technologies is integral to the overall strategy of the European Union for the information society, which was defined by the Action Plan ‘Europe’s way towards the information society’ and revised in the Action Plan adopted in November 1996. In response to the needs of the next millennium, the Fifth Framework Programme introduces the Information Society Technologies Programme.
[This is the new name for the combined programme, which effectively will replace the Fourth Framework's ESPRIT (for IT systems), ACTS (Advanced Communications), TAP (Telematics) etc]

The context, rationale and objectives of this programme necessitate a new approach, one that introduces a single and integrated programme which

  1. reflects the convergence of technologies and media and of industries and markets, together with

  2. the increasing significance of content, and responds to the need to

  3. integrate research and development and take-up actions.

To this effect, this programme consists of a set of

four key actions
centred on the
four specific objectives
and a
specific activity on longer-term or higher-risk research on future and emerging technologies.
These activities complement each other and are derived by
grouping together the technologies, systems, applications and services and the research and development and take-up actions with the greatest affinity or interdependence.
Each activity has its own specific focus and priorities, however, the key issues of would be addressed ubiquitously throughout the programme.

The coordination and integration of the activities through a single work programme would allow a "theme" that cuts across the programme (e.g. interfaces, mobility or satellite-related activities) to be addressed in a coherent manner in more than one activity, each concentrating on and contributing from its particular perspective. Clustering and concertation would be used to focus, coordinate and integrate activities.

The technological scope of the activities would provide the flexibility to re-focus over time, through the single rolling work programme (defined in consultation with the key actors [this being oyur opportunity to provide input!]), to respond to changes in industrial and societal needs and the technological context.

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Socio-economic needs

A vast range of goods, services and processes are being transformed through the integration and use of information society technologies. Work would target the benefits that information society technologies offer in all industrial and societal activities, from more competitive methods of working and doing business to higher-quality, lower-cost general interest services or new forms of leisure and entertainment. Socio-economic research would be integrated throughout the programme, to support the take-up of information society technologies, and into its management. As too would be work on statistics, which are central to the information society and for which information society technologies offer new ways to attain the highest standards of quality and the widest and most rapid and accessible dissemination.

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European added value

Realising the full potential of the information society requires technologies, infrastructures, applications and services, accessible and usable by anyone, anywhere, anytime, whether it be for business or individual use. Collaborative research and technological development are needed to create both the critical efforts and the interoperability necessary to ensure this in Europe. Pan-European research is also needed to ensure that content, together with its creation and use, properly reflects the EU’s cultural diversity and many languages.

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European competitiveness

Information society technologies are integrated in or support products and processes in all sectors of the economy. To be competitive in the global marketplace Europe needs to master both the supply and use of information society technologies. To this end, to accelerate the realisation of knowledge as innovation, this programme would integrate: actions to stimulate the take-up of information society technologies with the research and technological development to ensure that the conditions and requirements for their use can be met. In addition to demonstrations and trials, these include actions to stimulate the development and diffusion of the skills necessary to take-up research and development results (such as

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Links with Other Programmes

Articulation with the other thematic programmes is based on concentrating the activities concerned with the development, demonstration and take-up of information society technologies in this programme and concentrating their deployment (application-specific integration research as well as use) in specific domains in the other thematic programmes. In particular:
  1. work addressing health or the environment, particularly that under the key action on ‘Systems and services for the citizen’, would be closely coordinated with the related work in both Programmes 1 and 3, in particular that in the key actions on ‘Health and the environment’ and ‘Quality and management of water’;

  2. work related to transport and transport means, in particular that under the key action on ‘Systems and services for the citizen’, would be closely coordinated with the relevant work carried out under Programme 3, in particular that under the key actions on ‘Sustainable mobility and intermodality’ and ‘New perspectives in aeronautics’; and

  3. work addressing new methods of work and electronic commerce would be closely coordinated with the corresponding work on competitive and sustainable development in Programme 3. In addition, the satellite-related activities in this programme would be coordinated with related activities in Programmes 1 and 3 in the context of the Commission’s Space Coordination Group.

    Reflecting the global nature of the information society, international cooperation would play a major role in the development and take-up of information society technologies. This needs to be reflected in the participation in and operation of this programme and in its linkages with the horizontal programme on ‘Confirming the international role of European research’ addressing support for organisations from third countries. Specific activities to facilitate the participation of organisations from third countries and to maintain links with European-trained specialists in third countries would also be used in addressing the international dimension of the programme. Links with the horizontal programme on ‘Innovation and participation of SMEs’ and with EUREKA, Trans-European Network actions and the Structural Funds would be used to establish routes and mechanisms for the further take-up and the deployment of results. The work on skills development and socio-economic research integrated in this programme would be enhanced through the appropriate links with the horizontal programme on ‘Improving human potential’ and European Social Fund initiatives. This programme’s work on ‘Research networking’ would interface with the ‘Improving human potential’ programme’s support for access to large computing facilities and with the ‘support for research infrastructure’ activities of the other thematic programmes. Where appropriate, work will complement and be coordinated with that in the COST Programme.

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    Key Actions:
    Systems and Services for the Citizen
    New methods of work and electronic commerce
    Multimedia content and tools
    Essential technologies and infrastructures

    Other actions:
    Generic research and development of new technologies
    Research networking

    Related texts:
    European Commission letter
    Annex 1 - Excerpts from the draft Programme
    Form for submission of possible action lines

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