New ESPRIT Work Programme
A new draft Work Programme for the specific RTD programme in the field of Information Technologies (ESPRIT) was launched by the European Commission, DG III, during the European Information Technology Conference (EITC'96), held in Brussels from 25 to 27 November 1996. The new Work Programme, which will apply for the calls planned in 1997, takes account of developments in the Information Society since the start of the current ESPRIT programme in 1994, and consequent changes in user needs. In addition to the eight domains in the previous ESPRIT Work Programme, the new Work Programme will introduce four thematic areas which cut across the original eight domains, and extend beyond the boundaries of the ESPRIT programme. The four new themes are: - Information technologies for mobility; - Electronic commerce; - Information access and interfaces; - Learning and training in industry. The work needed in these themes involves more than research and development, and will include policy and regulatory activities as well. The new draft ESPRIT Work Programme identifies the contribution that ESPRIT can make to these areas. The ESPRIT programme will closely coordinate its evaluation and follow-up of proposals addressing these themes with the Telematics Applications and ACTS specific RTD programmes. The draft Work Programme will be finalized before the launch of the next ESPRIT call for proposals on 15 March 1997, and only the final version should be used in the preparation of proposals.