Proposed TEN-ISDN Community action
A proposal of the Commission of the European Communities for a Council Decision adopting a multi-annual Community action concerning the development of Integrated Services Digital Networks (ISDN) as a trans-European network, TEN-ISDN (COM(93) 347) has been published in the Official Journal of the European Communities. The proposal sets out plans for a five year Community action to support projects of common interest concerning the development of ISDN as a trans-European network. The development of such a network is set out in a further proposal for a Council Decision also included in (COM(93) 347)submitted on 1.9.1993. Support under the action shall relate to the implementation of ISDN facilities in conformity with the relevant harmonized standards produced by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) with a view to ensuring the full interconnectivity and interoperability of ISDN implementations. The TEN-ISDN action is to consist of the implementation of projects of common interest under the guidelines set out in the abovementioned proposal together with measures ensuring interoperability. Three categories are distinguished: - Projects of an infrastructural nature; - Projects concerning telematic services and applications of a trans-frontier nature, projects promoting the ISDN usage including promotion of ISDN terminal availability; - Measures concerning the end-to-end compatibility of a limited range of basic telematic services and corresponding terminal equipment. Projects of common interest can be supported by feasibility studies and by support for implementation. These will normally comprise a number of phases including: Analysing the requirements; definition of the action; specification of technical requirements; preparation of an action plan including the methods suited for implementation of the project; validation, on a small scale, of the essential functions of the solutions adopted (in some cases); assessment of the results obtained. In addition to the feasibility studies there will be regular monitoring of the projects and measures undertaken in the context of the TEN-ISDN action. Community support for the implementation of projects of common interest may take, in particular, the form of interest rate subsidies and loan guarantees. Measures to ensure interoperability consist of: Contribution to the development of prototypes and software functions; promotion of interoperable solutions specifically by the use of a EURO-Label; interoperability testing; standardization of work; incorporation of relevant RTD results notably from Community programmes and the flanking measures; support for awareness for the notion of interoperability; organizational support for the implementation of the above measures. The Commission will be authorized to negotiate agreements with non-Community countries with a view to their full or partial involvement in the action.