Council resolution on electronic publishing and libraries
The Council of Ministers has published a resolution on electronic publishing and libraries, adopted on 25 July 1996, which aims to ensure that Europe takes full advantages of new electronic services and products. The resolution calls on the Commission to investigate the various legal, technical and cultural aspects of electronic documents, from their creation to their utilization. The investigation should also look at the fresh cultural and social challenges to be met by libraries, especially public libraries, in the new economic and technological environment, with particular emphasis on innovation and development of technical standards. The investigation, which is to be carried out with the help of Member States' experts, will compile existing national, Community and international trial schemes and programmes, which may be used as a basis for further work. The Commission is to submit a progress report by the end of June 1997.