The application of GI and its associated technologies are multi-disciplinary and impact horizontally across society. As such they present different problems, the solutions to which will task our ingenuity. Europe has much to offer. We have already had to come to grips with the complexities of national cultures, political aspirations, language barriers and the principles of subsidiarity. However there is a growing realisation that many of todays problems have to be tackled on a regional basis and this also true of the information necessary to support decision processes.
Many problems are no respectors of historical or political boundaries.
We have many precedents for this in Chernobyl, the Rhine Valley floods of last year, etc. Examples abound but not only at the grand scale, Trans Alpine, Baltic, etc, but also at the micro level. I could tell you many tales of the problems of the Northern Ireland - Republic of Ireland border and along the Dutch and Germany borders to name but a few. I look forward now, with such a distinguished set of colleagues to two days, of intensive, stimulated and informed debate which I know will be rewarding for all of us. Great statesmen on different continents including our own M. Delors have expounded their visions for the new Information Society.