ESPRIT second call imminent
As mentioned in RTD-News items of October 1992 and January 1993, a second call for proposals is to be issued shortly in the context of the framework of the specific Community research and development programme (EEC) in the field of information technologies (the "European Strategic Programme for Research and Development in Information Technologies", ESPRIT 1990-1994) It is confidently expected that the call will be released on or about 12 March 1993 for publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities. Technical areas covered by ESPRIT include: Microelectronics; information processing systems and software; advanced business and home systems, peripherals; CIM (Computer Integrated Manufacturing) and Computer Integrated Engineering; basic research. Proposals will also be invited for the Open Microprocessor Systems Initiative (OMI). Drawing on all other areas of the programme, OMI seeks to extend the open systems concept to on-chip microprocessor systems and software. The last ESPRIT call for proposals (the first call under ESPRIT III, published in OJ C 198 of 27.7.1991) resulted in the selection of over 200 industrial projects together with some 100 basic research projects plus nine networks of excellence bringing together research teams with common long-term technological goals. Special actions were also launched in a number of Member States to promote awareness of particular technologies and their potential industrial applications. In addition, large scale actions were structured to focus technology advances in critical areas. Full details of projects selected under the first call, including objectives, participants and contact addresses were published to coincide with the annual ESPRIT conference in November 1992. A list of these projects is also available on the CORDIS RTD-Projects Database. The information pack associated with this call states that the indicative budgetary allocation for the new work to be contracted in 1993/1994 is in the region of ECU 400 million with the exclusion of the work on ESSI referred to under supporting initiatives. Depending on the subject matter and timing of the technology, the main call may be supplemented by more focussed special calls, where and when appropriate. For further information plus details of ESPRIT projects and publications resulting from the earlier call, contact the network of ESPRIT National Contact Points (NCPs) throughout the European Community and the EFTA Countries, Commission Offices in the Member States, or: Commission of the European Communities ESPRIT Information Desk Attn. J-J Mannin 200 rue de la Loi B-1049 Brussels Tel. +32-2-2968596; Fax +32-2-2968597