INFO2000 multimedia content projects selected
The European Community's INFO2000 programme which aims to promote the use of multimedia content in Europe and develop a European multimedia content industry was adopted in May 1996. The first calls for proposals under this programme were launched on 21 June 1996 (OJ No S 118 of 21.6.1996) for a multimedia information network and for multimedia content projects. The Commission has recently published the results of these calls. The call for multimedia content projects aimed to attract high quality proposals for pilot projects which would contribute to the establishment of a European capacity to produce multilingual, interactive multimedia information products. These projects should demonstrate ways to overcome technological, cultural, market, and other barriers to the growth of a European information industry. A total of 501 proposals were received, of which 477 were eligible for evaluation. A shortlist of 55 projects, together with a reserve list, was established, following evaluation by independent experts, and this was approved by the Commission in December 1996. The Commission hopes that as many as 80 projects will be supported during a six month pilot phase, depending on outcome of negotiations. Following this, some 15 to 20 of these projects will receive support for more advanced work. The projects selected by the Commission were chosen because of their likely effect on wider aspects of multimedia production. For example, projects selected demonstrate innovative ways of handling traditional material, aim at overcoming barriers to access and exchange of information, and make available particularly interesting content resources. Some of the projects focus on history, recent or distant, while others will use innovative technology such as virtual reality or 3D animation to reconstruct cultural or scientific features. A number of projects will provide specialized information for particular industries. The numbers of projects to be supported in each sector of the programme, together with the total funding awarded (subject to succesful completion of contract negotiations), are as follows: - Economic exploitation of Europe's cultural heritage: 35 projects (ECU 3.2 million); - Business services for firms, in particular SMEs: 19 projects (ECU 1.8 million); - Geographic information: 13 projects (ECU 1.1 million); - Scientific, technical and medical information: 13 projects (ECU 1.2 million).