CORDIS Archive

Future Perspectives

Beyond the present ACTS programme, EU-funded research in telecommunications will be conducted as an integral part of the Information Society Technologies programme, now being prepared under the EU's 5^th framework covering the period 1998-2002.

A first Call for Proposals for IST research is currently expected to take place early in 1999, with the first projects starting work towards the middle of the year. As is customary for the EU's Framework Programmes, this will lead to an overlap of up to a year with ongoing research being conducted under the existing 4^th Framework.

Moves are already being made to draw together the results of the present Information Technologies (Esprit), Telematic Applications and ACTS programmes and to facilitate greater contact amongst the organisations that are currently supporting these. The various dimensions of convergence (technological, organisational, regulatory) now taking place throughout the industries will be portrayed at a first IST conference and exhibition, to take place in Vienna 30 November - 02 December 1998 under the theme 'Living and Working in an Information Society'.

This event is being jointly prepared by the Commission Services responsible for ACTS, Esprit and Telematics, and will be strongly supported by the project participants of all three of the current Programmes.