4.2.88 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 30/7 
II 
(Preparatory Acts) 
COMMISSION 
Amended proposal for a Decision concerning the establishment at Community level of a policy 
and a plan of priority actions for the development of an information services market (') 
COM(88) 3 final/2 
(Submitted by the Commission to the Council on 7 January 1988) 
(88/C 30/07) 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European 
Economic Community, and in particular Article 100A 
thereof, 
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 
In cooperation with the European Parliament, 
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and 
Social Committee, 
Whereas it is essential to adopt measures for the gradual 
establishment of the internal market during the period up 
to 31 December 1992; whereas the internal market 
comprises an area without internal frontiers in which the 
free movement of goods, persons, services and capital is 
ensured; 
Whereas the Community programme on the specialized 
information market (OJ No L 314, 4. 12. 1984) has 
revealed that a much more comprehensive Community 
information market policy is necessary; 
Whereas the Heads of State and of Government, 
meeting at the European Council in Brussels on 29 and 
30 March 1985, approved the creation of a Community 
information market as a specific objective; 
Whereas the Council on 18 March 1986 gave a 
favourable reception to the communication from the 
Commission comprising a work programme for creating 
a common information market; 
Whereas the Commission, having consulted represen­
tatives of users and suppliers of information services as 
well as the Senior Officials Advisory Group on the infor­
mation market, has been able to draw up an agreed 
definition of the principal objectives and lines of action 
(') OJ No C 249, 17. 9. 1987, p. 5. of a Community policy which is designed to tackle on a 
broad front the complex, diverse and overlapping 
questions arising out of the evolution of the information 
market; 
Whereas it is recognized that information plays a role of 
fundamental importance in the development of trade and 
industry, giving strength and coherence to the European 
economy as a whole, as well as being an essential 
component both of the cultural identity of the 
Community and of the fabric of a modern society; 
Whereas the rapid development and convergence of new 
technologies has led to considerable difficulties in 
defining the exact scope of the information market 
sector; 
Whereas fuller statistics on the Community information 
market are vitally needed to match those for more 
traditional sectors; 
Whereas, by virtue of the economic importance of infor­
mation, the creation of a common information services 
market occupies an essential place in the achievement of 
the internal market by the end of 1992; 
Whereas there exist numerous technical, administrative 
and legal barriers to the creation of an internal market 
for information, which are hindering the development of 
new services and causing unacceptable distortions of 
competition; 
Whereas simplification of procedures as well as harmon­
ization in the field of access to databases should both 
have a high priority in a Community information market 
programme; 
Whereas the development of information resources and 
information-based services requires the application of new 
technologies and the achievement of economies of scale; 
Whereas the Community has a strong competitive 
position in some areas of the information market, but is 
much weaker in others; 
No C 30/8 Official Journal of the European Communities 4.2. 88 
Whereas the Community's competitive weaknesses, and 
dependence on third countries, in some areas of the infor­
mation market has considerable potential costs, in 
financial and strategic terms; 
Whereas public authorities in the Member States are 
carrying out to a varied extent different activities in the 
domain of the information market; 
Whereas the growing importance of information in inter­
national transactions, and of the related problems 
concerning services, is receiving increasing attention in 
international forums and this fact serves to emphasize 
the necessity for Member States to develop common 
positions in those forums; 
Whereas the needs and legitimate demands of users of 
information services and particularly of those in small 
and medium-sized enterprises and in the less-favoured 
regions of the Community merit special attention; 
Whereas the needs of developing countries for low-cost 
access to information should also be borne in mind; 
Whereas the Community already possesses potentially 
useful instruments for the implementation of the above 
policy; 
Whereas the Community's financial engineering 
mechanisms may contribute to the implementation of the 
present action plan, in particular with regard to the pilot 
and demonstration projects designed to exert a catalytic 
effect on the development of the information services 
market; 
Whereas an information market policy is complementary 
to other ongoing Community initiatives, notably in the 
field of telecommunications, 
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: 
Article 1 
Approval is hereby given to the objectives and broad 
lines of the plan of action proposed by the Commission 
with the following aims: 
— to set up an internal information services market by 
the end of 1992; 
— to stimulate and reinforce the competitive capability 
of European suppliers of information services; 
— to promote the use of advanced information services 
in the Community; 
— to reinforce joint efforts to achieve the internal and 
external cohesion of the Community with respect to 
information services. Article 2 
In order to attain the objectives referred to in Article 1 
the following actions shall be undertaken under the 
responsibility of the Commission: 
— the establishment of a European information market 
observatory, to provide fuller statistics, and to identify 
the European Community competitive strengths and 
weaknesses in the sector; 
— presentation to the Council of proposals which will 
aim at eliminating legal, administrative, fiscal and 
other technical barriers, to the establishment of an 
information market; 
— the improvement of the conditions for transmitting 
and accessing information services, through greater 
standardization and simplification; 
— the preparation of initiatives concerning the role of 
the public sector in the information market; 
— the launching of pilot and demonstration projects 
which will act as catalysts for the development of a 
European market; 
— the preparation of a specific action in favour of 
libraries; 
— the reinforcement of user support activities and the 
launching, in coordination with the Member States, 
of a campaign to promote the wealth and quality of 
European information services available on the 
market; 
— the preparation of guidelines on the principles 
governing tarification, aimed at a much greater 
approximation of tariffs throughout the Community, 
if possible on a distance-independent basis; 
— the preparation of measures to help small and 
medium enterprises to derive the maximum possible 
benefit from the information services market; 
— the preparation of special initiatives for the less-
developed and peripheral regions of the Community. 
Article 3 
The action plan described in Article 2 shall be 
implemented in two phases, the first of which shall last 
two years, beginning with the date of adoption of this 
Decision, and shall constitute an introductory phase 
designed to intensify cooperation between the different 
4.2.88 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 30/9 
parties concerned and to test the feasibility of a number 
of pilot and demonstration projects. 
Article 4 
The amount deemed necessary for the implementation of 
the introductory phase is 20 million ECU for 1989 and 
25 million ECU for 1990. 
Part of the amount deemed necessary, that used to 
finance pilot and demonstration projects, may serve in 
particular to bring to bear, as appropriate, additional 
sources of finance emanating from interested partners, 
thus multiplying its effect on the development of the 
European information services market. Article 5 
During the second half of 1989, the Commission shall 
transmit to the Council and to the European Parliament 
an evaluation report on the results obtained during the 
introductory phase and shall present, on the basis of 
those results, guidelines for the continuation of actions 
until 1992. 
Beginning in 1988, the Commission shall also transmit to 
the Council and the European Parliament an annual 
report on the most important events and developments 
taking place in the information market. 
Article 6 
This Decision is addressed to the Member States. 
Amended proposal for a Council Directive on the approximation of the laws, regulations and 
administrative provisions of the Member States relating to construction products (') 
COM(87) 728 final 
(Submitted by the Commission to the Council pursuant to the third paragraph of Article 149 of the 
EEC Treaty on 13 January li 
(88/C 30/08) 
In response to the opinion delivered by the European Parliament on the proposal for a 
Directive transmitted by the Commission to the Council on the approximation of the laws of 
the Member States relating to construction products ('), and in accordance with the third 
paragraph of Article 149 of the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, the 
Commission has decided to amend the aforementioned proposal as follows: 
1. The first recital is replaced by the following: 
'Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in 
particular Article 100A thereof,' 
2. Paragraph 1 of Article 21 is amended as follows: 
'If a Member State finds, on the basis of a reasoned justification, that a product, even 
though in conformity with the provisions of this Directive, presents a danger for safety or 
health, or conflicts with other requirements in the general interest, within the meaning of 
Article 2 (2), it may temporarily prohibit it or subject its marketing and use to special 
conditions. It shall immediately inform the Commission and the other Member States, 
stating the reasons for its decision.' 
(') OJNoC93, 6. 4. 1987, p. 1.