CORDIS Archive

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A European Context for our activities

1998-2002:The Fifth Framework Programme and the eEurope initiative

2002-2006: The Sixth Framework Programme and eEurope 2005

1998-2002:The Fifth Framework Programme and the eEurope initiative

In the period 1998-2002, theFifth Framework Programme (FP5) for Research and Technological Development and theeEurope initiative havedefined themain European policy lineswhich have informed our Unit's activities.

The Fifth Framework Programme, and more specifically Key Action III, have served as the institutional context for the development of the Unit's portfolioof IST research projects.Clickhereto accessa complete list of our IST projects.

The Fifth Framework Programme, adopted in December 1998, set the objectives ofthe Community activities in the field of research, technological development and demonstration (RTD)for the period 1998-2002. With a budget ofjust under 15million Euro, it focused on a number of objectives and areas combining technological, industrial, economic, social and cultural aspects, and therefore it was divided intoseven complementarySpecific programmes, of whichfour areThematic and three are Horizontal ones. Thematic programmes were designed to fund research in four strategically vital areas of science and technology, each one distributing its resources through particular research areas or Key Actions, while horizontal programmeswere conceived as wider in scope programmesaddressing issues common to all areas and thus serving tounderpin and complement the thematic ones.

The Information Society Technologies (IST) Programme wasthe largest of the thematic programmes in FP5 with a global budget of 3,600 million Euro.Its overall aim was to develop information and communication technologies for European industry and society. This programme brought together and extended the European Commission's earlier funded research programmes (i.e. ACTS, Esprit and Telematics Applications programmes), thusserving asa single and integrated programme reflecting the convergence of information processing,communications and media. It focused on improving the accessibility, relevance and quality of public services, especially for the disabled and the elderly; facilitating creativity and access to learning; helping to develop a multi-lingual and multi-cultural information society; ensuring universally available access and the intuiteveness of next-generation interfaces; and encouraging design-for-all. As all thematic programmes in FP5, the IST Programme organised its activities around Key Actions.

Multimedia Content and Tools (Key Action III) is one of the four Key Actions which constitute the IST Programme. Addressing R&D activities aimed at the effective creation, maintenance, dissemination and access to high quality knowledge assets, this Action Line has been of central importance to the achievement of the IST programme goals and the realisation of the future vision of Europe as "the most competitive knoweldge-based society in the world",according tothe Lisbon European Council declarationof March 2000. With a research focus on the exploitation of knowledgeresources heldby European libraries,museums and archives, Digital Heritage and Cultural Content (DigiCult) is one of the five thematic areas tackled within Key Action III.

Detailed plans for the activitiesin each research area or Key Action on a year to year basis are contained in the IST Workprogrammes. Follow these links to viewWorkprogramme 2002,Workprogramme 2001 andWorkprogramme 2000.

In addition tothe IST Programme within FP5, the eEurope initiative,also focusing on accelerating Europe's entry in the digital era,has provided a contextfor our activitiesconcerning the coordination of Member State digitization programmes. These activities have been running parallel with and complementingthe IST-funded ones.More details are availableinoureEurope Digitizationpages.

eEurope is a political initiative launched by the European Commissionin December 1999. Its aim has been tobring the benefits of the Information Society to all Europeans. The subsequenteEurope Action Planadopted by the Commission in May 2000 was endorsed by the EU Member States at the Feira European Council a month later. One of the objectives of this Action Plan was to stimulate European content in global networks, in order fully to exploit the opportunities created by the advent of digital technologies. Clickhereto access key documentation on the eEurope initiative.

The eEurope initiative was complemented byeEurope+, an inititiative launched by the candidate countries in reply to the invitation of the European Council to take on board the Lisbon strategy.

2002-2006: The Sixth Framework Programme and eEurope 2005

The Unit's activities in theperiod 2002-2006will be carried out under theSixth Framework Programme (FP6) and the eEurope 2005 Action Plan.

The Sixth Framework Programme has been adopted to replace the current Framework Programme. With a budget of 17,5 billion Euro, it will be instrumental in achieving the March 2000 Lisbon European Council goal through theestablishment of a so-calledEuropean Research Area. To this end this programme will introduce new forms of research actions, such as networks of excellence and integrated projects. The first calls for proposals under FP6will be launched in autumn 2002. Information Society Technologies in FP6 will be the form of the largest priority thematic area. For more information on the Sixth Framework Programme, clickhere.

Following the eEurope initiative, the European Commission has adopted a new Action Plan entitled"eEurope 2005: An Information Society for All". Whereas the previousAction Plan focused on extending internet connectivity across Europe,eEurope 2005 will concentrate on translating it into improved economic productivity and better, more accessible services for all European citizens, underpinned by secure, widely available broadband infrastructure. Concerning culture, the Commission is proposing to introduce an action on modern online public services and e-Government concerning culture and tourism. This action will provide for cooperation with Member States and the private sector and regional authorities, to define e-services to promote Europe and to offer user-friendly public information.These e-services should be deployed by 2005 and build on interoperable interfaces, use broadband communication, and be accessible from all types of digital terminals.