Information Society Forum - New board and work programme
The Information Society Forum, which provides advice to the European Commission on the issues raised by the development of the Information Society, has recently elected a new board to direct its activities during 1997. The Forum has also defined a number of goals for its work during 1997. The new board are: - Chairman: Claudio Carrelli, of Telecom Italia (STET Group); - Vice-chairman: Caroline Kerstiëns, of the European Bureau of Consumer Unions (BEUC); - Vice-chairman: Fritz Pleitgen, of the Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR - broadcaster). Mr. Carrelli announced, on assuming the Chair, that the Forum would be involved in the preparation and follow-up of the new "Action Plan for the Information Society" adopted by the Commission in November 1996. The Forum will concentrate on the following activities in 1997: - Advice on current EU activities: The Forum will offer advice and act as a sounding board for the Commission's activities that are currently underway, including the Fifth RTD Framework Programme, and respond to the Commission's communications, specific programmes and Green Papers; - Strategic vision: The Forum will continue to give medium and long-term strategic overviews of the development of the Information Society; - Information Society awareness: The Forum will promote public awareness of the issues of the Information Society, in cooperation with existing and planned national, regional and local activities. The Forum has also established a number of working parties to examine specific issues in relation to the development of the Information Society during 1997. These include: - Employment and job creation; - Social and democratic value: culture and the future of new services and the media; - Universal access and consumer protection and support; - Sustainability in an Information Society; - Public services: bringing administrations closer to citizens; - Lifelong learning.