Community support to the European multimedia industry
The European Community provides support to the European multimedia industry through a variety of means, including regulatory action, technological research and support for training and market development. In the regulatory field, the EU is working towards the liberalization of telecommunications by January 1998. In addition, the Commission's Green Paper on copyright and related rights in the Information Society should lead to greater protection for the inventors of new technologies in this area. EU support for the development of new technology is provided under three specific RTD programmes within the Fourth Framework Programme: the Information Technologies programme (ESPRIT); the specific programme in the area of Advanced Communication Technologies and Services (ACTS); and the Telematics Applications programme. In the area of training, the SOCRATES action programme for education and the LEONARDO DA VINCI action programme for the implementation of a Community vocational training policy both have areas in which the provision of skills training in the use of multimedia services could be developed. The multimedia industry is, moreover, specifically targeted by the MEDIA 2 (Training) programme which provides support for the training of professionals in the European audiovisual industry. A number of EU programmes specifically address the development of the market for multimedia services. These are: - IMPACT 2: Programme for establishment of an internal information services market; - INFO2000: Programme to stimulate development of a European multimedia content industry and encourage the use of multimedia content in the Information Society; - MEDIA 2 (Development and Distribution): Programme to support the development and distribution of European audiovisual works; - RAPHAEL: Action programme aimed at exploiting multimedia to make cultural assets more visible, accessible and affordable. The European multimedia industry will also be supported by the development of trans-European Telecommunications Networks, essential for the establishment of the Information Society. This Community action will benefit from a budget of ECU 256 million for the period 1996-1999. In addition, the Commissions "Multimedia educational software" Task Force, set up in 1995 to encourage the use of multimedia in education, will contribute to the stimulation of the educational multimedia market. Opportunities for Community funding in this area are available under the following calls for proposals which are currently still open: - MEDIA II - Development and Distribution (OJ No S 55/C 81 of 19.3.1996) (RCN 5746): Closing dates April/May 1996; - RAPHAEL (OJ No S 45/C 67 of 5.3.1996) (RCN 5645): Closing date 15 May 1996; - LEONARDO DA VINCI (OJ No S 42/C 60 of 29.2.1996) (RCN 5624): Closing date 24 May 1996; - Information Technologies (ESPRIT) (OJ No S 53/C 75 of 15.3.1996) (RCN 5721): Closing date 19 June 1996. In addition, calls for proposals are expected to be published in the following areas during 1996: - SOCRATES (April 1996); - Trans-European Telecommunications Networks (April 1996); - INFO2000 (April/June 1996); - Information Technologies (ESPRIT) (15 September 1996); - Telematics Applications (15 September 1996); - "Multimedia educational software" Task Force (15 September 1996).