Trans-European telecommunications networks - Guidelines The Decision of the Council and European Parliament on guidelines for trans-European telecommunications networks has recently been published. The Decision lays down the objectives, priorities and broad lines of measures envisaged for developing trans-European telecommunicatio... The Decision of the Council and European Parliament on guidelines for trans-European telecommunications networks has recently been published. The Decision lays down the objectives, priorities and broad lines of measures envisaged for developing trans-European telecommunications infrastructure networks. The objectives of Community support for the interconnection of telecommunications networks are: - Facilitating the transition towards the Information Society; - Improving the competitiveness of Community firms, in particular SMEs; - Strengthening economic and social cohesion, in particular linking island, land-locked and peripheral regions to the central regions of the Community; - Accelerating the development of new growth area activities leading to job creation. Annex I to the Decision lays down projects of common interest which may receive Community financial support, in accordance with the TENs financial Regulation. These are as follows: - Applications: . A network for universities and research centres; . Distance education and training; . Health telematics; . Transport telematics; . Telematics for the environment; . Teleworking; . Telematics services for SMEs; . Electronic tendering; . City information highways; . Library services; . Telematic services for the job market; . Cultural and linguistic heritage; - Generic services: . Implementation of operational trans-European generic services, including e-mail, file transfer systems, on-line access to electronic databases and video services; . Progressive extension of generic services towards a multimedia environment; . Introduction of non-proprietary digital signature as a basis for open service provision and mobility of use; - Basic networks: . Euro-Integrated Services Digital Networks (EuroISDN); . Commercial introduction of Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) and other integrated broadband communications networks; . Interoperation of existing and integrated broadband communications networks; . Development of fixed, mobile and satellite networks with the aim of supporting the above applications and services; - Supplementary, support and coordination actions. Projects will be selected for funding on the basis of calls for proposals, to be launched by the Commission following publication of the TEN-Telecom work programme. Certain project areas are judged to be of particular importance, and calls for these areas will be launched at least once per year.
