"Networked audiovisual systems and home platforms" is one of the strategic objectives under the FP6 IST work programme, because of its unique value for the global competitiveness of European industry and for the development of a common market. AVISTA project, structured as an SSA, aims at supporting the implementation of FP6 in this area, helping the preparation of future work program policies, generating shared knowledge, disseminating achievements, and promoting tools to facilitate the participation of a broad scope of organisations. In particular it will design and implement the Concentration Plan, Standardization Plan and Communication Plan in Networked Audiovisual Systems and Home Platform Area.

AVISTA will contribute for a successful implementation of the work programme: appropriate coverage of technologies, assistance to the Commission on any recovery measured to be adopted to amend technological gaps and, ultimately, a bigger and higher value of the overall European research in this field. A special effort will be done to consider particularities of new FP6 instruments, networks of excellence (NoE) and integrated projects (IP).

AVISTA partners, with both personal and professional reputation in this field, thus have a high potential that their recommendations will be accepted and adopted at individual FP6 project level, thus significantly contributing to strength and empower the overall strategic objective 2.3.1.8., by bringing additional pieces of consistency on the resources dedicated to research and innovation in this field, as well as providing a high level competence guidance to assist projects to achieve their pursued goals. Furthermore, the New Media Council will act as a permanent consulting body to both the Commission and to the rest of the task of the AVISTA project.