Participation of CEECs in "Telematics for Libraries"
The current call for proposals for the "Telematics for Libraries" sector of the Telematics Applications programme, launched on 17 December 1996 (OJ No S 244 of 17.12.1996 p. 55), is open to the participation of Central and Eastern European countries (CEECs), in accordance with the rules laid out in the Telematics Applications programme's Information Package. The participation of CEEC organizations in the "Telematics for Libraries" sector is foreseen through: - Extensions of existing projects by test sites in the CEECs; - Validation of results of projects that are almost completed by test sites in the CEECs; - Accompanying measures to facilitate know-how transfer and exploitation of results of projects to the CEECs; - CEEC libraries as full partners in new main stream projects (according to the usual rules of eligibility for EU projects). Funding for such participation is subject to the rules for international cooperation under the INCO-COPERNICUS programme, as well as those of the Telematics Applications programme. In general, organizations from outside the EU may participate in the Community's RTD programmes on a project by project basis, where such participation contributes to the implementation of the programme, and where it is to the mutual benefit of the EU and non-EU participants. For organizations from the CEECs and the New Independent States (NIS) of the former Soviet Union, the COPERNICUS sector of the specific programme for international RTD cooperation (INCO) makes financial provisions for supporting participation in selected programmes. In practice this means that an organization can, together with a minimum of two EU organizations, submit a proposal to any of the specific programme calls. Following the evaluation process, if the proposal is selected for a European Commission contribution, the INCO-COPERNICUS budget (within the limits of the available funds) will finance the CEEC/NIS participation. In addition, the national authorities in the CEECs make available a supplementary source of financing in the context of the PHARE programme or from their own budget to support participation in specific programmes.