COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 
Brussels, 17.09.1996 
COM(96) 444 final 
95/0124 (COD) 
OPINION OF THE COMMISSION 
pursuant to Article 189 b (2) (d) of the EC Treaty, 
on the European Parliament's amendments 
to the Council's common position regarding the 
proposal for a 
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND COUNCIL DECISION 
on a series of guidelines 
for trans-European telecommunications networks 
AMENDING THE PROPOSAL OF THE COMMISSION 
pursuant to Article 189 a (2) of the EC Treaty 

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 
1. Introduction 
1.1 On 8 June 1995 the Commission sent the European Parliament and the Council a 
proposal for a European Parliament and Council Decision on a series of 
guidelines for trans-European telecommunications networks (COM(95) 224 
Final). 
1.2 On 21 March 1996 the Council adopted a common position on the Commission's 
proposal, in accordance with the second indent of Article 189b(2) of the EC Treaty. 
1.3 On 17 July 1996 the European Parliament adopted its opinion on the Council's 
common position, in accordance with Article 189b(2)(d) of the EC Treaty. 
1.4 This text sets out the Commission's opinion on the 26 amendments adopted by 
Parliament, in accordance with Article 189b(2)(d) of the EC Treaty. The reasons 
underlying that opinion are given in paragraph 3 below. In addition, in Annex I, the 
left-hand column contains the text of the parts of the common position concerned by 
the amendments accepted by the Commission and the right-hand column the text of 
those parts altered in accordance with the amendments accepted. 
2. Aim of the proposal 
The proposal aims at the adoption by the European Parliament and the Council, in 
accordance with the codecision procedure, of a series of guidelines (within the meaning 
of Article 129c of the Treaty on European Union) consisting of the objectives, 
priorities, main lines of measures and spheres of common-interest projects, for trans-
European telecommunications networks. In the spheres of common-interest projects 
identified in Annex I to the Decision, it is planned that, on the basis of a work 
programme updated as necessary (probably every year), the Commission will publish 
calls for proposals designed to specify, on the basis of the specification criteria covered 
by Annex H, projects of specific common interest, with the assistance of a type Ilia 
committee). 
The proposal stresses the priority given to applications of common interest which, in 
the context of opening up competition in the sector, are those through which public 
intervention, notably by stimulating partnerships between the public and private 
sectors, can provide Community citizens, businesses and administrations with the set of 
tools they need to enter the Information Society. 
3. Commission position on the amendments presented at a second reading by the 
European Parliament 
3.1 Amendments accepted 
The Commission accepts eight of the 26 amendments adopted by Parliament, namely 
Nos 1, 3, 5, 16, 20, 23, 25 and 27. 
Amendment 1 points out that the trans-European network projects are operational 
rather than experimental projects, and makes the necessary coordination applicable to 
all the projects concerned by decisions on trans-European networks, rather than 
referring only to IDA. Both changes are appropriate. 
Amendment 3 provides for coordination to ensure interoperability of trans-European 
networks and national networks of the same type. 
Amendment 5 is relevant in pointing out that the setting-up of the trans-European 
networks will also provide experience on the effects of these networks on social 
activity. 
Amendment 16 adds useful detail under the heading "distance education and training". 
Amendment 20 adds useful detail under the heading "cultural and linguistic heritage". 
Amendment 23 aptly points out the benefits of developing intelligent agents and tools 
for personalizing applications. 
Amendment 25 proposes a more precise text on coordination between Community and 
national programmes. 
Amendment 27 incorporates into the body of the Decision what amounts to a 
Commission statement defining the transnational nature of trans-European networks. 
3.2 Amendments acceptable in part 
The Commission can accept two amendments in part (one of which implies full 
acceptance of two other amendments), since they tighten up the provisions of the act 
These are amendments 9 and 15 (linked to 13 and 21). 
The end of amendment 9 underlines a Treaty obligation that is important for the 
implementation of the Decision. 
Amendment 15 is useful, after deletion of the excessively radical part concerning local 
languages, and the final part, linked to the problem of the decision-making mechanism. 
This amendment, in combination with amendments 13 and 21 (which deletes the 
heading "Citizens' access to services", is of a fairly horizontal nature and fits more 
logically into the introduction of the applications), organizes the introduction of the 
spheres relating to applications more rationally and clearly. Amendments 13 and 21 
could therefore be accepted in full. These three amendments form a whole and should 
be treated together. 
The Commission has incorporated the parts of the text of amendments 9 and 15 that it 
can accept, together with amendments 13 and 21 in full, into the amended proposal set 
out in Annex I. 
3.3 Amendments which cannot be accepted 
This concerns the six amendments Nos 12, 17, 18, 19, 22 and 24, namely a group of 
amendments concerning the decision-making mechanism for specific projects. 
The reasons behind the Commission position on these amendments are as follows: 
Amendment 12 proposes a text which is too restrictive for a sector where private 
initiative is of prime importance: the text of the common position guarantees Member 
States' support for projects, which is more in line with their level of involvement in the 
projects and appears to be sufficient. 
Amendment 17 relates to a sphere which has had to be reworded to bring it into line 
with the TEN-transport guidelines as adopted. The reference to transport priorities, 
added by this amendment, is not justified, since the new wording covers only user-
oriented services, not the traffic management services to which the added priorities 
could be applied. 
The Commission would have liked to retain the concept of amendment 18. in a form 
blending less restrictively elements covered by the Decision and others relating more to 
labour legislation. It could have been worded as follows: 
"Special attention should be paid to assessing and taking account of the social 
consequences of the applications." 
However, since the procedure at second reading does not allow the original wording of 
Parliament's amendments to be amended, the Commission has to reject this 
amendment. 
Amendment 19 is not sufficiently focused and does not allow for an itemized approach 
adapted to the different aspects of teleadministration. 
Amendments 22 and 24 create a certain confusion regarding the respective roles of 
generic services and of applications. 
Amendments Nos 2. 6. 7. 8. beginning of 9. 10. 11. 14 and 26 concern the decision­
making mechanism for specific projects. The management mechanism presented in the 
original proposal and retained in the common position provides for the adoption by 
codecision of the objectives, priorities, spheres of common-interest projects and 
project specification criteria, i.e. all the key elements of the management of the 
programme. The only additional variable is the situation of the sector at the moment 
that, on the basis of these factors laid down by the Parliament and the Council, the 
Commission, assisted by the Committee, publishes the call for proposals with a view to 
assembling the market's offers of projects; none of the three institutions has any 
influence over that situation at that particular moment. 
The amendments concerned fundamentally change the common position on three 
points: 
They require the work programme on which the annual call for proposals is 
based, and the list of common-interest projects resulting from that call for 
proposals, to be adopted through codecision; since that procedure takes some 
18 months, that provision alone would render the Decision impractical. 
They impose a priority order among the priorities set out in Article 3; this 
reduces excessively the flexibility required to adapt the action to the situation 
of the sector. Moreover, the use of the priorities of Article 3 in combination 
with the project specification criteria of Annex II already establishes a system 
with rigid constraints in which it is also difficult to take account of a priority 
order among the priorities. 
They change the nature of the committee when in fact the Commission prefers 
not to deviate from a well established practice for the management of identical 
decision-making mechanisms, notably as regards research programmes. 
The Commission was therefore unable to accept this group of amendments. 
Conclusion 
The Commission recommends that the Council approve the amended proposal set out 
la Annex I. 
AMENDED PROPOSAL FOR A DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT 
AND THE COUNCIL 
on a series of guidelines 
for trans-European telecommunications networks 
COMMON POSITION 
Recital 17 
Whereas effective coordination needs to be 
ensured between the development of the 
trans-European telecommunications 
networks, which must address real-world 
concerns, and the different Community 
programmes, in particular the specific 
the fourth framework 
research, technological 
and demonstration, 
favour of SMEs, 
information-content-programmes of 
programme for 
development 
programmes in 
comprising an 
oriented programme (such as INFO 2000, 
MEDIA 2) and other Information Society 
activities; whereas such coordination must 
also be ensured with the projects provided 
for by Council Decision 95/468/EC of 6 
November 1995 on a Community 
contribution for telematic interchange of 
data between administrations in the 
Community (IDA) AMENDED PROPOSAL 
(Amendment 1) 
Recital 17 
Whereas effective coordination needs to be 
ensured between the development of the 
trans-European telecommunications 
networks, which must address real-world 
concerns, without attempting to carry out 
purely experimental projects, and the 
different Community programmes, in 
particular the specific programmes of the 
fourth framework programme for research, 
technological development and 
demonstration, programmes in favour of 
SMEs, comprising an information-content-
oriented programme (such as INFO 2000 
and MEDIA 2) and other Information 
Society activities; whereas such 
coordination must also be ensured with the 
projects provided for by their Decisions 
applying to trans-European networks: 
COMMON POSITION 
Recital 22 
(22) Whereas the Commission will have to 
undertake actions to ensure interoperability 
of the networks and coordinate the 
activities of the Member States aiming at 
implementation of trans-European 
telecommunications networks; 
Article 2, first indent 
- facilitating the transition towards the 
Information Society, in particular to 
promote satisfaction of social and cultural 
needs and to improve the quality of life; AMENDED PROPOSAL 
(Amendment 3) 
Recital 22 
(22) Whereas the Commission will have 
to undertake actions to ensure 
interoperability of the networks and 
coordinate the activities of the Member 
States aiming at implementation of 
trans-European telecommunications 
networks and of comparable national 
projects: 
(Amendment 5) 
Article 2, first indent 
- facilitating the transition towards the 
information society as well as providing 
experience on the effects of the deployment 
of new networks and applications on social 
activities and to promote the satisfaction of 
social and cultural needs and to improve 
the quality of life; 
COMMON POSITION AMENDED PROPOSAL 
Article 7 (Amendment 9, accepted in part) 
Article 7 
1. A draft work programme shall be 
prepared by the Commission, in conformity 
with the other trans-European network 
policies, in consultation with sector 
operators, for selecting the areas in which 
specific projects of common interest can be 
proposed, within the spheres of projects of 
common interest set out in Annex I. The 
work programme shall be updated as 
necessary. 
2. The work programme shall be the 
basis for the establishment of regular calls 
for proposals for projects of common 
interest by the Commission. 1. A draft work programme shall be 
prepared by the Commission, in conformity 
with the other trans-European network 
policies, in consultation with sector 
operators, for selecting the areas in which 
specific projects can be proposed, within 
the spheres of projects of common interest 
set out in Annex I. The work programme 
shall be updated as necessary. 
2. The work programme shall be the 
basis for the establishment of regular calls 
for proposals for projects of common 
interest by the Commission. 
3. The Commission shall ensure that 
projects relating to the territory of a 
Member State are approved bv the 
Member State concerned. 
Annex I, introduction, second paragraph, 
first and second indents 
The Applications layer, through 
which users interact with generic services 
and basic networks to meet their 
professional, educational and social needs. 
Applications require to be interoperable to 
bring the maximum benefit to users across 
the Community. 
The Generic Services layer, made 
up of compatible generic services and their 
management. Through support of the 
applications' common requirements, these 
services supplement applications whilst 
aiding their interoperability. (Amendment 13) 
Annex I, introduction, second paragraph, 
first and second indents 
The Applications layer, through 
which users interact with generic services 
and basic networks to meet their 
professional, educational and social needs. 
The Generic Services layer, made 
up of compatible generic services and their 
management. Through support of the 
applications' common requirements, and by 
providing common tools for development 
and implementation of new applications. 
these services supplement applications 
whilst aiding their interoperability. 
COMMON POSITION AMENDED PROPOSAL 
Annex 1(1), introduction 
The spheres in which applications projects 
of common interest will be identified are 
the following: (Amendment 15, accepted in part) 
Annex 1(1), introduction 
Applications will need to be interoperable 
with one another to bring the maximum 
benefit to the users across the Community. 
Where this can be applicable, they shall 
take into account the specific needs of 
women and of less developed or less 
populated regions. They must address the 
widest possible populations of users and 
demonstrate citizens' access to services of 
collective interest. For the benefit of 
disabled people, special requirements 
should be taken into account in the early 
stage of the planning of projects and with 
regard to access to services. An assessment 
of the social and societal impact of the 
introduction of the applications shall be 
carried out after they are deployed. 
The spheres in which applications projects 
of common interest will be identified are 
the following: 
(Amendment Î6) 
Annex I (1), second indent Annex 1(1), second indent 
Distance education and training: 
Advanced distance education and training 
services should be made accessible to all 
individuals, schools, colleges and 
businesses. Centres should be set up and 
made remotely accessible across the 
Community in order to provide courseware 
and training services for SMEs, large 
companies, education systems, and public 
administrations. New approaches to 
professional training for the Information 
Society should be developed and 
promoted. Distance education and training: 
Advanced distance education and training 
services should be made accessible for ail 
citizens, schools, colleges and businesses. 
Centres should be set up and made 
remotely accessible across Europe in order 
to provide courseware and training services 
for SMEs, large companies, education 
systems, and public administrations. New 
approaches to general, academic, 
professional and language training should 
be developed and promoted as part of the 
transition towards the information society. 
COMMON POSITION AMENDED PROPOSAL 
Annex 1(1), twelfth indent 
Cultural and linguistic heritage. 
Initiatives should be launched to foster the 
preservation of and access to the European 
cultural and artistic heritage, and to 
demonstrate the potential of the 
information infrastructure to support the 
development of local content in local 
languages and its dissemination. (Amendment 20) 
Annex 1(1), twelfth indent 
Cultural and linguistic heritage: 
Initiatives should be launched to foster the 
preservation of and access to the European 
cultural and artistic heritage, and to 
demonstrate the potential of the 
information infrastructure to stimulate and 
enhance creative endeavours and 
achievements as well as to encourage local 
content and its dissemination. 
Annex 1(1), thirteenth indent 
Citizens' access to services: 
Applications demonstrating the possibilities 
of citizens' access to services of collective 
interest should be set up. Examples might 
include the establishment of kiosks and 
access points in public areas, and the use of 
smart cards and electronic wallets. For the 
benefit of disabled people, special 
requirements should be taken into account 
in the early stage of the planning of projects 
and with regard to access to services. (Amendment 21) 
Annex 1(1), thirteenth indent 
delete 
10 
COMMON POSITION AMENDED PROPOSAL 
(Amendment 23) 
Annex 1(2), second indent Annex 1(2), second indent 
Progressive extension of the 
generic services towards a multimedia 
environment. These services will offer 
end-users access to multimedia services, 
and might cover, but should not be limited 
to, multi-media mail, high speed file 
transfer and video services, including 
Video-on-Demand. Use of these 
multimedia services by business and 
residential users should be encouraged, as 
well as the integration of new service 
elements such as automatic translation, 
speech recognition, graphical user 
interfaces. Progressive extension of the 
generic services towards a multimedia 
environment. These services will offer 
end-users access to multimedia services, 
and might cover, but should not be limited 
to, multimedia mail, high speed file transfer 
and video services, including Video-on-
Demand. Use of these multimedia services 
by business and residential users should be 
encouraged, as well as the integration of 
new service elements such as machine 
translation, speech recognition, graphical 
user interfaces, intelligent agents and tools 
for user interaction and personalization. 
Annex 1(4), fifth indent (Amendment 25) 
Annex 1(4), fifth indent 
Coordination of the activities 
undertaken under this Decision with related 
Community and national programmes. Coordination between the activities 
undertaken under this Decision» related 
Community programmes and similar 
national programmes 
II 
COMMON POSITION 
Annex II, first paragraph AMENDED PROPOSAL 
(Amendment 27) 
Annex H, first paragraph 
The specification of projects of common 
interest among the projects presented by 
interested sector actors in response to a call 
for proposals as mentioned in Article 7 is 
made on the basis of their compliance with 
the objectives and priorities laid down in 
Articles 2 and 3 respectively. The specification of projects of common 
interest among the projects presented by 
interested sector actors in response to a call 
for proposals as mentioned in Article 7 is 
made on the basis of their compliance with 
the objectives and priorities laid down in 
Articles 2 and 3 respectively. These 
projects must be transnational in the sense 
that they shall be conceived to satisfy needs 
in several Member States. This does not 
prevent the initial phase of their 
deployment - designed to check the 
technical and commercial viability of the 
project - from being carried out in a single 
Member State, if it appears that the 
conditions prevailing in that Member State 
are representative of those in the other 
Member States where the project is 
ultimately to be implemented. 
12 
ISSN 0254-1475 
COM(96) 444 final 
NTS 
EN 15 
Catalogue number : CB-CO-96-452-EN-C 
ISBN 92-78-08771-8 
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