Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on 'the communication from the Commission to the Council and to the European Parliament accompanied by a proposal for a decision from the Council to adopt a multi-annual Community programme for purposes of stimulating development of a European multimedia content industry and of encouraging utilisation of this multimedia content in the emerging Information Society - INFO 2000` () (96/C 129/09)

On 30 June 1995, the European Commission proposed that the Committee of the Regions should be consulted concerning the above-mentioned communication and proposal.

On 18 July 1995, the Committee of the Regions, in accordance with Article 198c of the Treaty by which the European Community was set up, decided to prepare an Opinion on the above-mentioned proposal.

Commission 7 for a Citizens' Europe, Research, Culture, Youth and Consumers was appointed responsible for the preparation of the corresponding activities for the Committee of the Regions.

At the meeting on 10 October 1995 of Commission 3 for Transport and Communication Networks, which was also brought in, it unanimously adopted a supplementary Opinion in this connection.

At its meeting on 5 September 1995, Commission 7 decided to incorporate the text of the supplementary Opinion into the text of its own Opinion.

The Rapporteurs were Mr Coffey (UK) for Commission 7 and Mr Jensen (DK) for Commission 3.

At its 11th Plenary Session held on 17 and 18 January 1996 (meeting of 18 January), the Committee of the Regions adopted the following Opinion unanimously.

1. Introduction

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS,

Given the Treaty by which the European Community was set up (hereafter 'the Treaty`), as modified by the treaty of the European Union, with particular reference to its Article 130, paragraph 3;

And given the proposal of the Commission;

And in consideration of its notice concerning the White Paper 'Growth, competitiveness, employment` ();

And in consideration of its notice concerning the plan of action of the Commission 'Towards the Information Society in Europe` ();

And in consideration of the recommendation of the VIP group on the information society as set out in the report 'Europe and the Global Information Society`;

And in consideration that the Council on 28 September 1994 () stressed the importance of urgent improvement of the global competitiveness of the European industry for information content, given the cultural diversity of these products and their importance to society;

And in consideration that the European Council, at its meeting at Essen on 9 and 10 December 1994, underlined the importance of the content of information in the setting up of the Information Society;

And in consideration that the differences in speeds of development in supplying and using the content of information in member States could impede the Community's internal cohesion;

And taking account of its comments as expressed in its Notices, with particular regard to those concerning the programs Raphaël and Socrates,

issues the following comments.

2. General observations

2.1. Background

2.1.1. The INFO 2000 programme is part of a series of measures proposed by the European Commission to develop an information society. The programme will run from 1996 to 1999 and the European Commission has proposed a budget of ECU 100 million.

2.1.2. Its aim is to encourage Europe's content providers to develop new multimedia products and services and to stimulate user demand for these products and services. It is a multi-annual programme which will focus on the transition from print to electronic publishing ('scribe to screen`) and on the interactive media services that will be an important component in the emerging information society.

2.1.3. The communication outlines the strengths and weaknesses of the European Union in the multimedia industry and concludes that the programme will:

- facilitate the development of the European content industry;

- maximise the contribution of new information services to growth, competitiveness and employment in Europe;

- maximise the contribution of advanced information services to the professional, social and cultural development of the citizens of Europe.

2.2. INFO 2000 and the creation of a European Information Society

2.2.1. The Committee of the Regions welcomes the INFO 2000 programme as part of a coordinated strategy at the European level to create an information society. The Delors White Paper on 'Growth, competitiveness and employment` emphasized the importance of the information society. It stated that the dawning of a multimedia world (sound-text-image) represents a radical change comparable to the first Industrial Revolution and the Committee of the Regions has also emphasized the importance of the information society in economic, social and cultural terms.

2.2.2. The European Commission has produced a number of reports on the development of the information society. These include the Bangemann Report 'Europe and the Global Society` and the European Commission Action Plan 'Europe's Way to the Information Society`. The development of the information society also figured prominently in the Heads of Government's Communiqués after the European Councils in Corfu and Essen.

2.2.3. The Committee of the Regions has closely followed the measures to create a European information society and the Sixth Plenary Assembly looked at the Action Plan 'Europe's Way to the Information Society`. The COR welcomed the EU's attempt to press ahead resolutely with the launch of the information society and stated that it would be of crucial importance to European regions and its citizens. It would also affect public authorities in terms of procedures for providing more efficient and transparent public services. This is an important consideration for the content industry.

2.2.4. The COR also commented on the possible linguistic and cultural effects of the information society and reminded the European Commission of the leading role played by local and regional authorities in these policy areas. Linguistic and cultural considerations are important elements in the INFO 2000 programme.

The COR considers that the main objectives for 'INFO 2000` are as follows:

- To stimulate investment in the multimedia content industry, which will affect all levels of society;

- To work against the emergence of a two-speed society;

- To stimulate utilisation of new electronic media in the various sectors of society;

- And to contribute to the content of multimedia services.

2.2.5. The creation of an information society is a complex issue, and it is an important element in a number of EU programmes. The INFO 2000 programme concentrates on content but the development of content must go hand-in-hand with other programmes and, in particular, the creation of information highways and training policy. Coordination with other programmes is particularly important in view of INFO 2000's limited budget, and it should also be taken into consideration that, in the case of multimedia products, it is sometimes difficult to make a clear distinction between technology, forms of distribution and actual content. However, the provision of Trans-European Networks using the latest technology to create and improve information highways is extremely important.

2.2.6. The Committee of the Regions welcomes the fact that the Communication has outlined the relationship between INFO 2000 and other EU programmes (IT, ACTS, Telematics, Media II, Raphaël, Socrates, Leonardo and the Integrated SME programme). However, the COR notes that the relationship with the structural funds is not explained.

2.2.7. The structural funds are important in the growth of the information society because the European Union must avoid widening regional economic disparities that will result if there are information rich and information poor regions. The link between the INFO 2000 programme and the structural funds needs to be outlined.

2.2.8. There also needs to be specific attention to ensure complementarity between INFO 2000 and the small Article 10 programme 'Cooperation in the Information Society` which develops strategies and actions for the development of the information society in less favoured regions and develops pilot information society projects linked to regional development.

2.2.9. The Committee of the Regions also emphasizes the importance of education and training in the information society. Technological advances in the information society and content industry applications will enhance the need for lifelong learning. It is important that the INFO 2000 programme supports pilot actions in education and training which can then be further developed in the Leonardo, Socrates and European Social Fund programmes.

2.2.10. There is a close relationship between INFO 2000 and the advisory structures such as the Information Society Forum which looks at all aspects of the Information Society and the High Level Social Experts Group which will examine the impact on society. The Committee of the Regions expresses the wish that the deliberations and recommendations from these groups will influence the development of the INFO 2000 programme.

2.3. INFO 2000 - The role of regional and local government

2.3.1. The Committee of the Regions is taking a keen interest in the INFO 2000 programme and other moves to create an information society because this could have significant effects on the citizen and because the growth of the information society is unlikely to be evenly spread throughout the European Union.

2.3.2. The Committee of the Regions believes that all levels of government (local, regional, national and European) have important contributions to make in the creation of an information society. The COR thus welcomes the statement in the proposed Council Decision that 'the programme's activity is only directed at those areas where there is added value at the European level` (section 9.2). However, the Decision then points out that 'synergy between the national and European content policy initiatives will be favoured`. The Committee of the Regions reminds the European Commission that a large number of initiatives are also carried out at local and regional level. In several countries, local and regional levels play an important part in the field of planning and implementation of public sector development strategies for information technology. Since regional and local levels are often responsible for regional and local planning of the infrastructure, their role in the context of information technology becomes clear. In this respect it is important that the INFO 2000 Advisory Committee has representatives from local and regional government on it.

2.3.3. In particular, the hoped-for exploitation of Europe's public sector information requires close liaison with local and regional authorities. These authorities often possess a large volume of relevant information which can be distributed via existing or expanded telecommunications networks, or alternatively, via cable television networks (see the COR opinion on the draft Commission Directive on the amendment of Commission Directive 90/388/EEC on the abolition of the restrictions on the use of cable television networks for the provision of telecommunications services).

2.3.4. The Committee of the Regions agrees with the INFO 2000 document when it states that building the information society is first and foremost the responsibility of the private sector. However, the document does point out the key role of the public sector in many aspects of the information society and the Committee of the Regions would like to emphasize this role.

2.3.5. The establishment of public/private partnerships will be an essential ingredient in the success of the programme and the Committee of the Regions welcomes the pivotal role of public authorities in many of the INFO 2000 actions. There will also be occasions when public authorities have developed a product and wish to market it commercially.

2.3.6. The Committee of the Regions welcomes the important role given to public authorities in the programme. Obviously, local and regional government will play an important role in exploiting Europe's public sector information (Action Two) but local and regional government also has a key role to play in stimulating demand and raising awareness of multimedia products and services (Action One). The communication also outlines measures to trigger European multimedia potential (Action Three) and emphasizes the important role of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in this action line. Local and regional government is the level of government closest to SMEs and has developed economic development strategies to encourage the formation and growth of SMEs.

2.3.7. It is important that the social and cultural applications of the information society for the citizen are emphasized. In this context, it is important that the INFO 2000 programme helps to promote:

- the importance of the information society for the citizens of Europe;

- equality of access to multimedia technologies;

- cultural and linguistic diversity;

- multimedia products with a non-violent content for children and young people.

2.3.8. The scope of information technology is being extended year by year and one of the EU's great challenges is to use this technology in the creation of a single market while maintaining Europe's diversity of culture and language.

2.3.9. While the Committee of the Regions agrees that public authorities collect and produce vast amounts of information which is of interest to individuals and businesses, careful consideration should be given to the type of information released and the two issues of the right of the public to information and the right of the individual to privacy need to be balanced. The COR, however, emphasizes the need for transparency and the importance of information which is free (i.e. provided free of charge) to the greatest possible extent. Access to information is of prime importance in the construction of the information society. Consequently it is essential for the role of the public sector, and more specifically that of libraries, to be taken into account. Local and regional government holds a great deal of information and it has a wealth of experience in dealing with the issues surrounding the publication of information.

3. Specific observations

3.1. INFO 2000 - Size of budget, its objectives and programme implementation

3.1.1. The Committee of the Regions notes the following disadvantages experienced by the European multimedia content industry:

- the high level of telecommunications costs;

- the multimedia market lags behind the US by 3-5 years and remains fragmented through linguistic and cultural differences;

- trading of multimedia rights to and access to and exploitation of Europe's public sector information are more complex than elsewhere in the world;

- many content providers are nationally or regionally oriented, while the single market does not yet fully function in this domain.

3.1.2. In view of these disadvantages, the Committee of the Regions warmly welcomes the introduction of INFO 2000 and the objectives (see paragraph 3.1.3 of this Opinion) but the COR is concerned that the budget devotes only 100 million ECU during a four-year period and is concerned that current funding levels may not make the required impact on the content industry. In view of these concerns, complementarity with other EU programmes related to the information society is essential.

The Committee of the Regions is very worried by the Council's recent stance regarding the reduction of the budget, which is very restrictive. Irrespective of this, the funds for developing the programme should come not only from the public sector but also from the beneficiaries of the information society.

3.1.3. A thriving and innovative content industry is an important element in the construction of the European information society. The Committee of the Regions welcomes the approach in the INFO 2000 programme which predominantly wishes to promote the development of new products and services but does not ignore the wider aspects that affect the content industry eg access to public information and ownership of copyright etc.

3.1.4. As the programme assists some projects which could have a commercial application there is a need to pay particular attention to the implications for competition in the content industry. The COR welcomes the focus on SMEs and the lower EC financial contribution for projects nearer to the market place. These considerations are essential elements in the avoidance of market distortion.

3.1.5. The implementation section of INFO 2000, the Communication outlines an EC contribution which will not normally exceed 50 % of the costs of the project. It then states that 'special add-in incentives` can be provided to encourage participation by SMEs and less-favoured regions. The COR would be interested to be given further information on these incentives and would wish that any incentive will be clearly defined before calls for tender to ensure that the application procedure is transparent.

3.1.6. It is therefore important that the public sector in the EU is not trapped in the passive role of supplier in the future information society. Consequently it should also be possible to use the programme for developing experience gained from public sector communication aided by multimedia technology.

3.1.7. Public sector information alone cannot provide a basis for the private content industry's further processing for commercial multimedia productions. With the help of multimedia technology, information can be communicated effectively to a broader circle of EU citizens and businesses. Effective, creation exploitation of multimedia technology in public sector communication with citizens and businesses can thus help sharpen the competitive edge of small businesses on national and international markets.

3.1.8. The development of the information society may exert positive and negative results simultaneously for the disabled and for other disadvantaged groups in society. The COR requests that particular attention should be paid to such groups in order to reduce the negative effects.

3.2. Comments on the Action Lines

The COR stresses the need, in connection with the various action lines and projects, to place emphasis on initiatives supporting grassroots democracy and ensure access to the information society for all citizens, e.g. projects boosting citizen self-government and independent stands on societal problems, including the local level. At the same time it is important that programme funding is not restricted to the development of commercial products since that could impede optimisation of the full potential of multimedia technology for further development of the Union. The education and training elements of these projects are an important consideration and the link with Socrates, Leonardo and the European Social Fund is important. The COR stresses the crucial role of education and training in the context of the information society and in the context of avoiding a two-speed society.

3.2.1. Action Line One: Stimulating demand and raising awareness

3.2.1.1. The Committee of the Regions agrees that raising awareness and stimulating demand are important components in encouraging the growth of the content industry, and that the awareness and information campaigns from the Impact programme produced a formula to be continued and extended.

3.2.1.2. The selection of organizations will be the key to the success of this action line and these organizations should be close to the citizens so they are in the position to raise awareness of the information society while passing onto the providers in the content industry the concerns and problems of the citizen. It should also be remembered that a major aim of the information society is to develop interaction and not to simply channel large amounts of content to passive consumers. The COR also emphasizes that it will be essential to coordinate the various initiatives of the EU whose purpose is to stimulate interest in the information society. The possibilities for cooperation with regional and local information sources - such as public libraries, for example - must be taken into account.

3.2.1.3. The identification of target groups will be especially important and the Committee of the Regions agrees that the main target groups are likely to be SMEs and libraries. It is important that a broad range of the population is covered in these target groups. Thus, the importance of the information society in education, training, research and health care organizations should also be emphasized and the appropriate organizations targetted.

3.2.1.4. Due to their close proximity to the citizen, local and regional authorities could expect to play a major role in this action line. An important part of raising awareness will be alerting citizens to the perspectives that multimedia products offer in the areas of education, training, research, and to the business sector, and particularly from the viewpoint of presentation of the activities pursued by the EU in these fields.

3.2.2. Action Line Two: Exploiting Europe's public sector information

3.2.2.1. The Committee of the Regions agrees that the public sector produces vast amounts of information which can be raw material for value added information sources. In view of the differing Member State rules in terms of the access to public sector information, the Commission's proposal for a Green Paper on the subject is to be welcomed. The Committee of the Regions wishes to point out that this Green Paper should be produced after close consultation with local and regional authorities because of the pivotal role they play in collection and dissemination of public information.

3.2.2.2. The Committee of the Regions welcomes the European Commission's proposals to link directories of European public sector information and would emphasize the importance of multi-lingual solutions to the development of European directories.

3.2.2.3. Action line 2.3 deals with 'making use of content resources in the public sector`. The Committee of the Regions agrees that the European Union is blessed with a rich stock of information collections in museums, libraries, copyright and patent deposit systems, educational and training bodies, historical archives and architectural and industrial objects. Many of these collections are still in analogue form but are gradually being digitised. The INFO 2000 programme aims at mobilising these digital collections for exploitation by the private sector. While the COR agrees with this goal, it believes that the commercial exploitation may also come from the public sector as well as the private sector. It is also important to ensure that the public authorities' role of distributing free information is not compromised.

3.2.2.4. Closer scrutiny of the possible obstacles to access to local and regional authority information will require considerable cooperation from the relevant authorities and their organizations. For instance, under the INFO 2000 programme, steps must be taken to ensure the active involvement of local and regional authorities in this type of task. In particular, successful expansion of systems for the development of and trade in intellectual property rights presupposes that the local and regional level is included. Practical schemes to set up regional and trans-national development systems must therefore encompass local and regional authorities and institutions. The COR also emphasizes the need, at European level, for an exchange of experiences and ideas between local and regional authorities and other parties involved with regard to technological information strategies for regional development. The link between INFO 2000, Télécités and the IRISI initiative must be taken into account, as must initiatives as per article 10 of FEDER. All of these, together with other similar networks and initiatives for regional cooperation should be opened up, as the situation progresses, to all involved European regions.

3.2.3. Action Line Three: Triggering European multimedia potential

3.2.3.1. The Committee of the Regions welcomes the European Commission's proposals in this section. The production of high quality European multimedia content in the three strategic areas of cultural heritage, business services for SMEs and geographic information are areas where local and regional government has been extremely active. The COR welcomes the close coordination of this action line with the Raphaël and SME programmes. Nonetheless, the COR believes that the role of lifelong education and training must be emphasized in the programme. Lifelong training is essential in the course of the implementation of the information society, and consequently there must be a corresponding emphasis on interaction between multimedia producers and users.

3.2.3.2. As regards triggering European multimedia potential, the wealth of local and regional authority geographical information in the form of analogue and digital maps is of major importance for the multimedia content industry.

3.2.3.3. The Committee of the Regions believes that the experience of the Impact 2 programme will provide a formulation for developing this part of the programme.

3.2.3.4. The problem of multimedia intellectual property rights remains a barrier to the development of the European content industry and the Committee of the Regions welcomes the programme's proposals in this respect.

3.2.4. Action Line Four: Support actions

The support actions outlined in the proposed programme allow developments in the multimedia industry to be observed and analyzed. The spread of multimedia content standards and the encouragement of skills development are important actions in this part of the programme.

4. Conclusions

4.1. The Committee of the Regions welcomes the proposed INFO 2000 programme as part of an integrated strategy to create Europe's information society. However, the COR is concerned that the limited allocation of resources will not allow the programme fully to achieve its objectives.

4.2. In view of these limited resources, the Committee of the Regions feels that it is important that the European Commission acts in the INFO 2000 programme where there is clearly added value by activity at the European level. It is important that this work complements work at the local, regional and national levels and that the subsidiarity principle is applied. There is also a need for close coordination with related EU programmes.

4.3. The close involvement of local and regional government is essential in the programme, particularly in the area of public sector information. The Committee of the Regions would like to emphasize the fact that commercial exploitation can come from both the private and public sector.

4.4. Local and regional government can also play a key role in raising awareness and increasing demand in the content industry and the strategic areas to develop the multimedia potential (cultural heritage, business services to SMEs and geographic information) are all policy areas where local and regional government plays a key role.

4.5. The Committee of the Regions emphasizes the importance of the information society in economic, social and cultural terms and points out that in the development of the European content industry, considerations of cultural and linguistic diversity need to be taken into account.

4.6. The Committee of the Regions welcomes INFO 2000's efforts to avoid information rich and information poor regions through special attention to less-favoured and peripheral regions of the Union in a number of action lines.

Done at Brussels, 18 January 1996.

The Chairman of the Committee of the Regions

Jacques BLANC

() OJ No C 250, 26. 9. 1995, p. 4.

() OJ No C 210, 14. 8. 1995, p. 1.

() OJ No C 210, 14. 8. 1995, p. 109.

() Conclusions of the 1 787th meeting of the Council, 9561/94.