10.12. 83 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 334/11 
II 
(Preparatory Acts) 
COMMISSION 
Proposal for a Council Decision amending Decision 79/783/EEC in respect of general 
measures in the field of data processing 
COM(83) 658 final 
(Submitted by the Commission to the Council on 23 November 1983) 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN 
COMMUNITIES, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the 
European Economic Community, and in particular 
Article 235 thereof, 
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 
Having regard to the opinion of the European 
Parliament, 
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and 
Social Committee, 
Whereas, in its resolution of 15 July 1974 on a 
Community policy on data processing (*), the Council 
considered it desirable to prepare, in the medium 
term, a systematic Community programme to 
promote research, industrial development and 
applications of data processing; 
Considering the communication from the 
Commission to the European Council in Dublin on 
29 November 1979 entitled 'European society faced 
with the challenge of new information technologies: a 
Community response'; 
Considering the Council resolution of 25 July 1983 
(2) approving the principles of framework 
programmes and the scientific and technical 
objectives for 1984 to 1987, especially the content of 
the objective 'promoting industrial competitiveness — 
new technologies', and in particular the importance 
given to the information technologies; 
Whereas the programme in Council Decision 
79/783/EEC of 11 September 1979 adopting a multi-
annual programme (1979 to 1983) in the field of data 
processing (J) came to an end on 11 September 1983; 
Whereas continuation of the programme appears 
necessary in order to achieve certain Community aims 
O OJ No C 86, 20. 7. 1974, p. 1. 
O OJ No C 208, 4. 8. 1983, p. 1. 
(J) OJ No L 231, 13. 9. 1979, p. 23. in the operation of the common market, in particular 
the aim of establishing an overall strategy for the 
information technologies; whereas it therefore seems 
necessary to extend the programme for an additional 
three years and to modify the content of the general 
measures; 
Whereas the Commission is responsible for carrying 
out the programme and is assisted in this task by the 
Advisory Committee for the Management and 
Coordination of Data-Processing Programmes; 
Whereas it has become necessary to ensure a 
concerted action between the Community's research 
and development activities and the corresponding 
programmes in third countries participating in 
European cooperation in the area of scientific and 
technical research (COST); 
Whereas the Treaty establishing the European 
Economic Community has not provided the necessary 
powers for this purpose, 
HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS: 
Article 1 
Decision 79/783/EEC is hereby amended as follows: 
1. Article 1 is replaced by the following: 
Article 1 
A multiannual programme is hereby adopted for 
the field of data processing. Its objects are as 
follows: 
— general measures: standardization, public 
procurement, knowledge of the sector, 
training, protection for data and persons, 
collaboration in research and development, 
— promotion measures: measures covering 
software and applications. 
The programme is defined in the Annex. 
Commencing on 11 September 1983 the duration