Objective
Specific Objectives:
Sub-action A. IST roadmapping and their future impacts on productivity and employment in an enlarged Europe:
1. Manage the FP5 shared cost action FISTERA (more than 20 partners all over EU 25) which aggregates on a systematic basis the past and ongoing national foresights in IST, determines the key technologies defined and analyses the existing or missing European knowledge base to come to an integrated European IST future;
2. To finalize the last deliverable of EMTEL (a FP5 Thematic Research and Training Network). The deliverable is a technology roadmap on ambient intelligence technologies in home based environments;
3. To study the baseline conditions for a successful information society in the Candidate Countries;
4. To produce and synthesise baseline studies on key aspects of the information society in Candidate Countries (banking, economic productivity, mobile technologies, IST skills);
5. To launch an ESTO study on the impact of IST on the productivity of the health sector in view of new evolutions in life sciences and the changing demography of Europe. To organise a policy workshop. Sub-action B. ISTs for a mobile and sustainable Europe;
6. To finalise an ESTO project on the impact of IST on transport and mobility and to organise a policy workshop;
7. To study the future impact of IST on environmental sustainability and to organise a policy workshop;
8. To launch an ESTO study on virtual communities and 3G and to organise a policy workshop;
9. To study on the impact of new transmission technologies on spectrum. Anticipated milestones and schedule Fully functional FISTERA web site (see sub A, 03/03). Final report of the Thematic Research and Training Network (Emtel) on European Media and everyday life (05/03) Series of monographs on the baseline conditions for a successful information society in the Candidate Countries (focus: banking, economic productivity, mobile technologies and skills). 06/03. Synthesis report, validated via a policy workshop, of 3.1 which will outline the potential for CC13 countries to catch up in IST with the EU. 10/03. Report, validated via a policy workshop, on the impact of IST on the productivity of the health sector in view of new evolutions in life sciences and the changing demography of Europe (09/03) Report, validated via a policy workshop, on the impact of IST on transport and mobility. (04/03) Report and policy outlook workshop on the future impact of IST on environmental sustainability (11/03) Report on the impact of new transmission technologies on spectrum (11/03) Translate the results for communication to the policy maker (12/03).
Planned Deliverables Interactive FISTERA web site: the website will be the platform for exchange of the FISTERA project (see A1) and will develop into a gateway for relevant information on foresight in IST. Final report of the Thematic Research and Training Network (Emtel) on European Media and everyday life. Series of monographs on the baseline conditions for a successful information society in the Candidate Countries (focus: banking, economic productivity, mobile technologies and skills) Synthesis report of 3.1 which will outline the potential for CC13 countries to catch up with the EU. Report on the impact of IST on the productivity of the health sector in view of new evolutions in life sciences and the changing demography of Europe. Report on the impact of IST on transport and mobility. Report on the future impact of IST on environmental sustainability Report on the impact of new transmission technologies on spectrum The research results will be communicated in 2 special issues of the IPTS report (one on mobility and one on enlargement), and at least 3 scientific papers will be delivered.
Summary of the Action:
This action proposes standardised cross-cutting and multidisciplinary foresight exercises linking, on the one hand, the monitoring and forecasting of trends in information society technologies (via scenario development) and technology road mapping to, on the other hand, impact analysis of these technologies in selected areas (including best practice in IST innovation). The focus of attention for 2003 is in line with the Lisbon process and with the conclusions of the Stockholm summit, i.e. information society technologies in an enlarged Europe and their role in mobility (including sustainability). The work in 2003 will concentrate mainly on: The systematic updating of the generic European information society technologies (IST) roadmap which is being carried out by a research consortium led by the FISTE team. The completion of the work started in 2002 for eEurope+ as well as the continuation of the work started in the context of Enlargement Futures.
The follow-through of baseline studies (launched in 2002) looking at: - The conditions for a successful information society in the Candidate Countries - A way to quantify the relationship between IST and sustainability. The animation of an expert group supported by ESTO in the areas of IST and enlargement and IST and sustainability. As convened with DG INFSO, FISTE will hold yearly a workshop with key people in R&D as well as in policy making of information society technologies. Key research results will be discussed in view of innovation strategies to be taken. Suggestions for future work will be made. This workshop will also include other interested parties from the Commission. The action will also strive for a wide dissemination of its results. Rationale ISTs are widely accepted as essential for our societies and as a key technology for Europe's ambition to become by 2010 the most competitive knowledge based society, which is socially inclusive and sustainable (the Lisbon & Stockholm processes). The 2 successive eEurope and eEurope+ Action Plans set concrete targets for the development of an Information Society in an enlarged Europe. The latest eEurope Action Plan further recognises the pervasive and profound effects of ISTs as going beyond the mere economic sphere to affect ways of living and working in a democratic and equitable European society.
The interactions between IST-related developments and our "mosaic societies" thus offer a broad range of research issues and policy implications in such diverse areas as IST market regulation, industrial and regional policies, organizational production processes, IST sector competitiveness, financial processes, content industry development, mobility of persons and goods, public administration and democratic procedures, cultural diversity and languages, security and privacy, usage and acceptance. Interaction between IST development and sustainability is however a complex matter. Unexpected or compound effects are often experienced. Transport telematics could, for example, lead to reduction in distance travelled and traffic congestion. Optimisation of logistics chains through information systems could also reduce energy consumption.
Production, operation, recycling/disposal of ICT equipment pose, however, new environmental challenges. The rebound effect of, for example, optimised transport could lead to even more transport activity. Well-founded evidence of how ISTs affect progress towards sustainability is today hardly available. As research into the technological side of ISTs is well developed in Europe, there is now an accepted need for foresight on the impacts of ISTs in the areas described. The recent burst of the internet bubble and the stock market down- turn point to a greater need for independent, cross-cutting and multidisciplinary monitoring and forecasting of IST trends (including road- mapping) and their impacts. DG INFSO have expressed a strong wish for this type of foresight activity, to complement their own basic research capacity.
Fields of science
Call for proposal
Data not availableFunding Scheme
JRC - Joint Research Centre researchCoordinator
E-41092 Seville
Spain