International cooperation in Intelligent Manufacturing Systems (IMS) The European Commission has published the exchange of letters on which international cooperation in research and development on intelligent manufacturing systems will be based. The IMS cooperation programme entered into force on 1 May 1997, following the completion of this exc... The European Commission has published the exchange of letters on which international cooperation in research and development on intelligent manufacturing systems will be based. The IMS cooperation programme entered into force on 1 May 1997, following the completion of this exchange. The agreement was concluded by the Commission, on the basis of a common understanding reached between the participating countries, following authorization from the Council given in January 1997. The participants which concluded the exchange are the European Community, the USA, Japan, Australia, Canada, Norway and Switzerland. Other countries may join at a later date, provided they comply with the Terms of Reference for the IMS programme. These participants will facilitate cooperation between entities from their territories in the domain of intelligent manufacturing systems. Such cooperation will ensure a balance of benefits and contributions, be of industrial relevance and be on the basis of mutual interest and understanding. Each participant will cover its own costs of participation. In the Community's case, funding will, initially, be available within the ESPRIT and BRITE/EURAM programmes. Technical cooperation under the IMS programme, which will run for ten years, will cover the following themes: - Total product life cycle issues; - Process issues; - Strategy/planning/design tools; - Human/organizational/social issues; - Virtual/extended enterprise issues. Countries Australia, Canada, Switzerland, Japan, Norway, United States
