Communication from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions - An Evaluation of the Bridge Phase of TIDE (Technology Initiative for Disabled and Elderly people)
Date: 2000-11-17
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: disabled person, elderly person, project evaluation, social integration, technology

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES

Brussels, 17.11.2000
COM(2000) 727 final

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION
TO THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT,
THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND
THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS

An Evaluation of the Bridge Phase of TIDE
(Technology Initiative for Disabled and Elderly people)

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION
TO THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT,
THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND
THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS

AN EVALUATION OF THE BRIDGE PHASE OF TIDE
(TECHNOLOGY INITIATIVE FOR DISABLED AND ELDERLY PEOPLE)
(DRAFT)

A.

Background

initiative,

established

application

The Bridge Phase of the Technology Initiative for Disabled and Elderly people (TIDE)
(hereinafter referred to as “the TIDE Bridge phase”) was a Community technology promotion
93/512/EEC of
and
21 September 19931, with the objective of “stimulating the creation of an internal market in
rehabilitation technology in Europe to facilitate the socio-economic integration of disabled
and elderly people”. 55 projects were selected by the Commission for
funding in
November 1993 and April 1994 following a call for proposals which was published in the OJ
on 21 April 19932. After their completion, an evaluation of the initiative has taken place in
1999-2000.

by Council Decision

In accordance with Article 4(1) of the Council Decision, the initiative has been evaluated by a
panel of independent experts, each of whom is a specialist in the field of technology for
disabled and elderly people.

Seven independent experts were selected on the basis of a call for tenders and included a
balanced cross-section of experts from industry, universities, research and user organisations,
with a mix of national backgrounds. The evaluation panel worked between October 1999 and
January 2000 using two main sources:

• the 55 TIDE Bridge phase project dossiers;

• questionnaire responses from 28 TIDE project co-ordinators.

Each of the 55 project dossiers was examined by at least three of the independent evaluators,
according to their area of expertise. The questionnaire responses from projects were gathered
during October – November 1999 with the help of a survey form, especially focussing on the
outcomes of the projects. Responses were received from 50% of the projects. In addition to
the above sources of information, presentations on the TIDE Bridge phase were made to the
panel by Commission staff who had been actively involved in the initiative.

1

2

OJ L 240, 25.9.1993, p. 42.
OJ C 111, 21.4.1993, p. 11.

2

B. Evaluation of the outputs and results of the initiative

The 55 technology promotion and application projects addressed six application areas:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Access to technology and related services

Life at home and remote care

Mobility and transport

Control and manipulation

Restoration and enhancement of function

User and market issues.

The outputs of each of the projects (reports, prototype systems, technical demonstrators,
products and services, information materials and dissemination activities) were registered and
analysed. Additional
(networking,
concerning
standardisation activities, and workshops) and broader dissemination of the results was also
included in the evaluation.

information

horizontal

activities

Particular attention was also paid to the five principles to which the project work should
conform, according to the Council Decision:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

User-focused principle

Market oriented principle

Innovation and technology adaptation principle

Multi-disciplinary approach principle

Technology verification principle.

In examining the results, the evaluation panel found wide variations in the output of the
projects and the degree to which projects conformed to the five principles. There were also
differences between the six application areas in the overall success of their achievements in
terms of exploitation and market take-up.

The responsibility for dissemination of results has been taken seriously by many of the
consortia. In particular, communication with the press and media has continued after the
conclusion of the projects. There was also a high production of peer-reviewed technical or
scientific publications based on the work conducted in the initiative.

3

C. Main conclusions and recommendations of the evaluation panel

a) Overall impacts of the TIDE Bridge phase

The evaluation panel concludes that the TIDE Bridge phase was successful as a co-ordinated
action, bringing together a diverse group of organisations, workers and users throughout the
European Community. Although it was not its primary objective, the TIDE Bridge phase
contributed significantly to the emergence of pre-normative and pre-competitive research and
development work on products and services targeted towards the needs of persons with
disabilities and older people in Europe.

In terms of having a positive influence on socio-economic integration, the greatest impact of
the TIDE Bridge phase may have been in extending ordinary people’s perceptions of what can
be possible for disabled and elderly people when new technologies are made available to
them. Tools for improving communication, orientation, and mobility for persons with
sensory, motor, and/or cognitive impairments helped to demonstrate the impact which
technology can have in empowering individuals to participate in society. The initiative has
highlighted the continuing importance of driving relevant European social and research
policies forward from the standpoint of the sector, in order to promote the social inclusion of
disabled and older persons and societal cohesion.

The TIDE Bridge phase contributed to the development of a single market for rehabilitation
technology in Europe. It also facilitated the integration of disabled and elderly people into the
Community. Horizontal activities also contributed to understanding and developing the broad
infrastructure underlying the market. Standardisation activities were generally less effectively
addressed, although there were certain exemplary exceptions.

The overall view of the panel is that the objectives of the initiative have been pursued in a
cost-effective manner, having achieved a satisfactory number of outputs from the projects and
associated activities. A large number of actors covering a wide range of activities have been
stimulated to participate in meeting the overall objectives of the action. There has been a
worthwhile contribution to the knowledge base and some significant new products and
services have been produced.

b) Recommendations of the Independent Evaluation Panel

On the basis of their evaluation of the TIDE Bridge phase, the experts have made three
overall recommendations and thirteen specific recommendations in their report.

The panel’s three overall recommendations are that:

- the European Union should continue to support a broad and integrated range of measures
addressing older people and people with disabilities, in order to promote the development
and take-up of rehabilitation technology products and services for different kinds of users;

- as an integral part of this, there ought to be convincing and well-funded research and
technological development activities for the benefit of elderly and disabled people both within
the Information Society Technologies area and in other research areas;

- these research and technological development activities should be complemented by a
strong European Union social policy framework allowing the dissemination and take-up of
new Information Society Technologies systems and services to meet the needs of elderly and
disabled persons in the spirit of “access for all”.

4

The evaluation panel’s thirteen specific recommendations address actions which are
intended to contribute to the implementation of the overall recommendations.

D. Commission response to the recommendations

a) General remarks

It is clearly desirable to maintain the continuity of RTD work in successive Community
programmes, where this is appropriate. In this sector, it should be noted that the issues
addressed by each of the Action Lines of the TIDE Bridge phase have been followed up, first
in the fourth framework programme (1994 – 1998): Telematics Applications Programme,
Disabled and Elderly Sector, and currently in the fifth framework programme (1998 – 2002),
within the two specific programmes mentioned below.

In the fourth framework programme’s Telematics Applications Programme, Disabled and
Elderly Sector, 50 million ECU of Community funding were allocated to 53 RTD projects
increased emphasis was placed on a “user-
and horizontal actions. In this programme,
centered” approach to the design of applications and systems for the target groups of disabled
and older people.

The panel’s recommendations concerning continued RTD funding and the necessity of links
to the policy areas concerning disability and ageing are currently accommodated within the
ongoing work of the fifth framework programme of the European Community for research,
technological development and demonstration (RTD) activities (1998-2000), insofar as the
framework programme represents an integrated approach to RTD based on the dual objectives
of increasing the competitiveness of European industry and improving the quality of life of
European citizens. An essential aspect of the fifth framework programme is that European
research and development funding must be clearly tied to European policy objectives, which
in this case refers to policies in the areas of employment and social affairs, non-
discrimination, education, consumer policies, public health, transport and others.

The fifth framework programme particularly addresses ageing and disability issues in two
specific programmes: Creating a User-friendly Information Society (IST programme): Key
Action 1. “Systems and Services for the Citizen” and Quality of Life and Management of
Living Resources: Key Action 6. “The Ageing Population and Disability” and Key
Action 11.“Generic Research related to Disability”. Funding in these areas jointly amounts to
approximately 245 million euro. Ongoing co-ordination of the work programmes of these two
specific programmes ensures that there is no overlap of effort and that proposals which
address one or other of the Key Actions can be allocated correctly to the most appropriate
area.

The panel recommendations are also supported by the new initiative of the Commission under
the title “eEurope – An Information Society for All”, adopted on 8 December 1999
(COM (1999) 687). One of the actions in this initiative directly addresses disabled persons,
with targets to “…ensure the "e-participation" of the disabled by taking full account of their
needs”. With the support of the Member States, it is anticipated that this initiative will lead to
a wider take-up of new Information Society Technologies systems and services to meet the
needs of elderly and disabled persons in the spirit of “access for all”.

In the area of integration and the social inclusion of people with disabilities, the European
social policy framework is being developed continually by the Commission in full co-
operation with the Member States, the social partners and the community of NGO’s and other

5

actors in the field. A recent Communication from the Commission "Towards a Barrier Free
Europe for People with Disabilities” (COM(2000) 284) adopted on May 12th 2000
specifically looks at greater convergence and complementarity between Community policies
and programmes and outlines various EU initiatives which should promote a wider access to
assistive technologies for people with disabilities.

b) Specific recommendations

The evaluation panel’s thirteen specific recommendations address a number of actions
which re-affirm and reinforce the five principles of the TIDE Bridge phase, these being:
• User-focused principle
• Market-oriented principle
• Innovation and technology adaptation principle
• Multi-disciplinary approach principle
• Technology verification principle and
• Long-term and other issues

(actions 9, 10, 11, 12, 13).

(actions 1, 2)

(actions 3, 4)

(actions 5, 6)

(action 7)

(action 8)

Many of the points which are raised in the recommendations are already being implemented
in the fifth framework programme. Particular responses to each of the suggested actions are
given below:

User-focused principle: Action 1 recommends appropriate user involvement
in RTD
projects, and states that this should be an important criterion in evaluation and selection of
proposals.

Response: The evaluation procedures for the IST programme specifically include reference to
“Quality of partnership, involvement of users [our emphasis] and other actors” in projects.
These aspects are especially assessed during the evaluation process in relation to Proposal
Part B, criterion 5. Management and resources. Furthermore, in the IST 2000 3rd Call for
proposals,
involvement and addressing the needs of users is
specifically highlighted as one of the criteria for evaluation of proposals, as described in the
IST Guide for Proposers Part 2A and the IST Guidelines for Evaluators.

the importance of user

User-focused principle: Action 2 recommends that ethical issues should be assessed in the
evaluation and selection of proposals and adherence to ethical guidelines should be monitored
in projects from the beginning of the work.

Response: Evaluation procedures for proposals in the IST programme specifically require that
ethical issues should be evaluated in all cases where these are relevant to the work of the
proposal. Project monitoring procedures will allow for the monitoring of ethical issues
through the peer review process. Where relevant, projects may be required to submit one or
more deliverables showing how ethical issues have been addressed and the experience gained.
Ethical issues are specifically highlighted as one of the criteria for evaluation of proposals, as
described in the IST Guide for Proposers Part 2A and the IST Guidelines for Evaluators.

Market-oriented principle: Action 3 recommends a new funding mechanism to support the
take-up of products and services from research and technological development projects, so as
to improve the outcomes and benefits for disabled and elderly users.

6

Response: The Commission supports the take-up of results from RTD projects through the
dissemination activities of the Innovation Programme and through activities to stimulate the
participation of investors, for example, the IST Investment Forum. Future actions need to
strengthen this principle in order to ensure that successful project outcomes will be exploited
in an appropriate way, and that the end users will benefit from the research work.

Market-oriented principle: Action 4 recommends that a study, funded by the EC, should be
conducted to examine the market possibilities for take-up from research and technological
development projects in the area of ageing and disability.

Response: The TIDE pilot phase (1992-1994) included the HEART project: Horizontal
European Activities in Rehabilitation Technology, which made an examination of the market
for Rehabilitation Technology products and services and other related issues. The information
from HEART thus established a baseline for the understanding of market conditions. Within
the framework of the IST programme, proposals for Accompanying Measures are invited,
which would allow for a study to examine the current and foreseeable market opportunities in
this sector, with particular attention being paid to issues that relate to older people. As part of
such a study, key projects from the fourth and fifth framework programmes would be
reviewed in order to bring their contribution to the market analysis.

Innovation and technology adaptation principle: Action 5 recommends that work plans for
any future programmes in this field should include state-of-the-art technology both in new
areas and in existing areas (e.g. robotics).

Response: Within the scope of the fifth framework programme, opportunities for funding
exist in the specific programmes Information Society Technologies and Quality of Life for
addressing
its
dissemination activities, the Commission will seek to ensure that all relevant Calls and Action
Lines are made known to the widest possible community of researchers, providers and users
through the Internet and Programme Support services.

technologies. Through

state-of-the-art

rehabilitation-

assistive

and

Innovation and technology adaptation principle: Action 6 recommends that
future
programmes should support the development and use of innovative technologies and the
application of available technologies which can lead to marketable solutions for the benefit of
users.

Response: The development and use of innovative technologies and innovative applications is
provided for in the fifth framework programme, with a strengthened emphasis on going
beyond the state-of-the-art, and that consortia must be committed to exploitation of the results
of their work. These objectives are present in the Action Line IST2000-I.2.1 for persons with
special needs, including the disabled and elderly, and are further elaborated in the IST Guide
for Proposers Part 2A and the IST Guidelines for Evaluators.

Multi-disciplinary approach principle: Action 7 recommends that appropriate independent
network(s) of key players should provide a much needed link between research and
technological development consortia and those business communities, public bodies and non-
governmental organisations in which products and services could suitably be deployed.

Response: This recommendation will be brought to the attention of the IST Committee for
their consideration in connection with the further development and implementation of the
specific IST programme.

7

Technology verification principle: Action 8 recommends that project outcomes should be
disseminated in the public realm for the benefit of future work in this area.

Response: This is provided for in the contractual requirements for projects which are
their
conducted under the specific IST programme. Projects are encouraged to target
dissemination strategies to the relevant audiences in appropriate ways. In addition,
the
Commission makes the results of research publicly accessible through the Internet, using
dynamic links, so that all users of the service can locate and contact those people and projects
relevant to their interests.

Long-term and other issues: Actions 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 recommend that:

- Future research and technological development programmes in this field should be
supported by well targeted, long-term horizontal actions focusing on “non-technical” issues.
These should include legislation, norms and standards, certification, guidelines, and social
and demographic conditions. They should also incorporate social and psychological elements
relevant to the conditions of the user groups.

- In future programmes there should be an emphasis on communication and networking to
raise the awareness of all the relevant actors – national and European - in the field of
rehabilitation technology.

- Projects should be strongly encouraged to develop their results through other European
Union activities such as training programmes, support programmes for small and medium-
sized enterprises, and so on.

- Assessment of the management capacity of the consortia should be carried out as an integral
part of the project selection and negotiation process.

- Suitable indicators and mechanisms should be established to monitor the management and
the performance of projects (both during and after their contractual work) against
the
objectives of research and technological development programmes.

Response: The Commission accepts these recommendations and has ensured that each is
catered for within the management structure and procedures of the fifth framework
programme. Longer-term issues will also be taken up in the planning of the sixth framework
programme.

E. Final remarks

The TIDE Bridge phase has largely had an effective impact on the objectives which were set
for it, with the exception of work addressing older persons, which should continue to be the
focus of future programmes. It is concluded that the TIDE Bridge phase contributed positively
to the objectives set for it. Lessons learned from the evaluation have been used to develop the
recommendations in the evaluation report. These will provide pointers for future programmes.

8

ANNEX

An evaluation of the Bridge phase of
TIDE
(Technology Initiative for Disabled and Elderly people)

1993 - 94

REPORT

Evaluation Panel
Chairman Jan-Ingvar Lindström
Rapporteur John Stallard
Dominic Bouwhuis
Fritz Breimesser
Massimo Campo
Roland Pouillie
Catherine Varriot

March 2000

Information Society Directorate General
Applications relating to the Disabled and the Elderly

9

Published by
EUROPEAN COMMISSION
Information Society Directorate General

LEGAL NOTICE
Neither the European Commission nor any person acting
on behalf of the Commission is responsible for the use which might be made of the following
information

Also available on the Internet at http://www.cordis.lu/ist/ka1/special_needs/library.htm

Copyright: European Commission
Printed in Belgium

10

Contents

Preface ............................................................................................................................... 12

Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 13

Evaluation of the outputs and results of the initiative............................................................ 13

Overall impacts of the TIDE Bridge phase initiative............................................................. 14

Recommendations................................................................................................................ 15

Annex 1. TIDE Bridge phase evaluation panel members ...................................................... 18

Annex 2. Terms of reference and methodology for the TIDE Bridge Phase Evaluation......... 19

11

PREFACE

The technology initiative for disabled and elderly people (TIDE) was a community
technology promotion and application initiative with the main objective of “stimulating the
creation of an internal market in rehabilitation technology in Europe to facilitate the socio-
economic integration of disabled and elderly people”.

The part of the initiative known as the “Bridge phase” covered the period 1993-94. It was
intended to act as a link between the Pilot action of TIDE which began in 1991 and the
research and development activities that were anticipated in the Telematics Applications
Programme which started in 1994.

This report presents an evaluation of the TIDE Bridge phase initiative, performed by a panel
of independent experts. It is based on an assessment of the outputs, results and impacts of the
activities as required by the Council Decision of 21st September 1993, which is the legal basis
for the initiative. The panel has also produced a detailed background document (in English,
only), which may be consulted and downloaded from the Internet at the following address:

http://www.cordis.lu/ist/ka1/special_needs/library.htm.

The independent experts, assisted by the Commission Services, have examined, analysed and
evaluated the work done and the impacts of the initiative on inter alia the rehabilitation
technology sector, the single market and the situation of disabled and elderly people in
Europe.

The evaluation took place in the autumn of 1999, that is, after the completion of the last TIDE
influence the
Bridge phase project. Therefore the results of the evaluation could not
succeeding work in the Telematics Applications Programme. However, the longer term
assessment of this phase of TIDE has provided results which may be taken into account for
the development of the Information Society Technologies programme. Carrying out the
evaluation at this stage also provided an opportunity to assess the longer term outcomes from
the TIDE Bridge phase.

The evaluation panel wishes to thank all those members of the Commission staff who were
involved during the Bridge phase as well as during the evaluation for their strong, competent
and service-minded support! It would not have been possible for the panel to fulfil its
obligation without help from the Commission Services.

The TIDE Bridge phase evaluation panel

Brussels, January 2000

12

INTRODUCTION

This report presents an evaluation of the TIDE Bridge phase 1993-94 technology initiative for
submission to the European Parliament and Council. It was conducted in accordance with
Article 4 of the Council Decision 93/512/EEC which requires that “at the end of the initiative,
an evaluation of the results achieved shall be conducted for the Commission by a group of
independent experts”. The evaluation has examined the outputs, the results and the impacts of
the initiative.

EVALUATION OF THE OUTPUTS AND RESULTS OF THE INITIATIVE

The TIDE Bridge phase initiative included 55 technology promotion and application projects
in six application areas3:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Access to technology and related services

Life at home and remote care

Mobility and transport

Control and manipulation

Restoration and enhancement of function

User and market issues.

The outputs of each of the projects (reports, prototype systems, technical demonstrators,
products and services, information materials and dissemination activities) were registered and
analysed. Additional
(networking,
concerning
standardisation activities, and workshops) and broader dissemination of the results was also
included in the evaluation.

information

horizontal

activities

Particular attention was also paid to the five principles to which the project work should
conform:

• User-focused principle

• Market oriented principle

• Innovation and technology adaptation principle

• Multi-disciplinary approach principle

• Technology verification principle.

In examining the results, the evaluation panel found wide variations in the output of the
projects and the degree to which projects conformed to the five principles. There were also

3

The projects are presented in the publication “TIDE Bridge Phase - Synopses” (December 1994), available
from the Information Society Directorate General, Applications relating to the Disabled and the Elderly,
Fax +32 2 296 4260.

13

differences between the six application areas in the overall success of their achievements in
terms of exploitation and market take-up.

The responsibility for dissemination of results has been taken seriously by many of the
consortia. In particular, communication with the press and media has continued after the
conclusion of the projects. There was also a high production of peer-reviewed technical or
scientific publications based on the work conducted in the initiative.

OVERALL IMPACTS OF THE TIDE BRIDGE PHASE INITIATIVE

Building on the momentum of the TIDE Pilot action,
the TIDE Bridge phase was a
technology initiative that, like its predecessor, was successful as a co-ordinated action,
the
bringing together a diverse group of organisations, workers and users throughout
European Community.

The Panel concludes that, although it was not its primary objective, the TIDE Bridge phase
contributed significantly to the emergence of pre-normative and pre-competitive research and
development work on products and services targeted towards the needs of persons with
disabilities and older people in Europe.

Overall, the greatest impact of the TIDE Bridge phase in terms of socio-economic integration
may have been in extending ordinary people’s perceptions of what can be possible for
disabled and elderly people when new technologies are available.

Tools for improving communication, orientation, and mobility for persons with sensory,
motor, and/or cognitive impairments helped demonstrate the impact which technology can
have in empowering individuals to participate in society. Some application areas show that
there has been a marked improvement in the possibilities for independent living through the
use of new technologies.

In bridging the gap between innovative research and users, the TIDE Bridge phase increased
the possibilities for the creation of a single market for rehabilitation technology in Europe,
and facilitated the integration of disabled and elderly people into the community. Horizontal
activities also contributed to understanding and developing the broad infrastructure
underlying the market.

14

RECOMMENDATIONS

On the basis of the evaluation of the TIDE Bridge phase initiative - and acknowledging the
continued importance of this area of work both for the users and for the rehabilitation
following main
technology sector
recommendations:

evaluation panel makes

in Europe -

the

the

The European Union should continue to support a broad and integrated range of
measures addressing older people and people with disabilities, in order to promote the
development and take-up of rehabilitation technology products and services for
different kinds of users.

As an integral part of this, there ought to be convincing and well-funded research and
technological development activities for the benefit of elderly and disabled people both
within the Information Society Technologies area and in other research areas.

These research and technological development activities should be complemented by a
strong European Union social policy framework allowing the dissemination and take-up
of new Information Society Technologies systems and services to meet the needs of
elderly and disabled persons in the spirit of “access for all”.

This overall approach implies greater convergence and complementarity between Community
including not only research programmes but also those
programmes and budget
concerned with policy development and implementation. The evaluation panel is convinced
that there is a clear-cut case for inter-linking the various actions to ensure that appropriate
technologies are made available to address the needs of disabled and elderly persons.

lines,

The evaluation panel specifically recommends the following actions which are structured
according to the five principles of the TIDE Bridge phase outlined above:

User-focused principle

1. User involvement should be an important criterion in the evaluation and selection of
proposals. Users are made up of very wide-ranging groups of persons and agencies with
different needs and responsibilities. User involvement should be included in research and
technological development projects at levels and types appropriate to the needs of each
individual project.

2. Where applicable, ethical guidelines should be followed in projects. These should be
an integral part of a project from the beginning of its work. Appropriate weighting should
be allocated to these issues in the evaluation and selection of proposals. Projects should also
be closely monitored to ensure adherence to such standards.

Market oriented principle

3. A funding mechanism should be found to support the take-up of products and
services from research and technological development projects. New structures and
mechanisms are needed to identify and select high-value prototype products and services and
to deliver them more quickly to their target markets. The aim should be to improve the
outcomes and benefits for disabled and elderly users.

15

4. A Community-funded study should be conducted to examine the market possibilities
for take-up from research and technological development projects in the area of ageing
and disability. The study should address the role of small and medium-sized enterprises and
large companies, and the rehabilitation technology and consumer markets (for both older
persons and disabled persons), identifying the actors, levers and mechanisms that can further
the development of rehabilitation technology market(s).

Innovation and technology adaptation principle

5. Work plans for any future programmes in this field should include state-of-the-art
technology both in new areas and in existing areas (e.g., robotics). In preparing future
work plans, areas which to date have experienced fewer benefits from new technologies (such
as the needs of people with cognitive or learning disabilities) should be considered.

6. Future programmes should support
innovative
technologies and the application of available technologies which can lead to marketable
solutions for the benefit of users.

the development and use of

Multi-disciplinary approach principle

7. Appropriate independent network(s) of key players should provide a much needed
link between research and technological development consortia and those business
communities, public bodies and non-governmental organisations in which products and
services could suitably be deployed. The group should comprise high-level experts,
nominated by the Member States.

Technology verification principle

8. Project outcomes should be disseminated in the public realm for the benefit of future
work in this area. This would include the results of all projects, even those which did not
fully meet their objectives.

Long-term and other issues

9. Future research and technological development programmes in this field should be
supported by well targeted, long-term horizontal actions focusing on “non-technical”
issues. These should include legislation, norms and standards, certification, guidelines, and
social and demographic conditions. They should also incorporate social and psychological
elements relevant to the conditions of the user groups.

10. In future programmes there should be an emphasis on communication and
networking to raise the awareness of all the relevant actors – national and European - in
the field of rehabilitation technology.

11. Projects should be strongly encouraged to develop their results through other
European Union activities such as training programmes, support programmes for small
and medium-sized enterprises, and so on.

12. Assessment of the management capacity of the consortia should be carried out as an
integral part of the project selection and negotiation process.

16

13. Suitable indicators and mechanisms should be established to monitor the
management and the performance of projects (both during and after their contractual
work) against the objectives of research and technological development programmes.

17

ANNEX 1. TIDE BRIDGE PHASE EVALUATION PANEL MEMBERS

Chair:
Dr. Jan-Ingvar Lindström
Everycom
Träkvista bygata 40
S-178 37 Ekerö, Sweden

Rapporteur:
Mr. John Stallard
ORLAU
The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Hospital
Oswestry SY10 7AG, Shropshire, United Kingdom

Other panel members:

Professor Dominic Bouwhuis
Eindhoven University of Technology
PO Box 513
NL-5600 Eindhoven, The Netherlands

Dipl.-Ing. Fritz Breimesser
Siemens AG
Corporate Research and Development
Paul-Gossen-Strasse, 100
D-91050 Erlangen, Germany

Dr. Massimo Campo
FORCE: Worldwide Support for Print Handicapped
Piazza S. Bartolomeo dell'Olivella 85/C
I-16125 Genova, Italy

Mr. Roland Pouillie
Landsbond der Christelijke Mutualiteiten
SOLIVAL Vlaanderen VZW
Haachtsesteenweg, 579
Postbus 40
B-1031 Brussels, Belgium

Mrs. Catherine Varriot
France Telecom
BGP/DMGP/MO/TH
23, place de Catalogne
75698 PARIS Cedex 14, France

18

ANNEX 2.

TERMS OF REFERENCE AND METHODOLOGY FOR THE TIDE BRIDGE PHASE

EVALUATION

• LEGAL BASIS

Article 4 of the Council decision No. 93/512/EEC of 21 September 1993 on a “Community
technology initiative for disabled and elderly people (TIDE) (1993 to 1994)”

• SCOPE AND OBJECTIVES

The evaluation will encompass all activities of the TIDE Bridge phase from the launch of the
initiative in 1993 to the conclusion of the last projects in 1998. It will address the efficiency,
effectiveness and relevance of the programme and major achievements, especially with
respect to the goal of “…stimulating the creation of an internal market in rehabilitation
technology in Europe to facilitate the socio-economic integration of disabled and elderly
people” (Council Decision, OJ L 240. 25.9.1993, p.45 and Annex I.).

The following aspects will be included:

1. the implementation of the TIDE Bridge Phase initiative: organisational aspects

2. main activities of the programme, RTD projects, support actions, conferences, workshops,
other horizontal activities and the work of the Technical Committee;

3. results of the initiative,
including exploitation, dissemination and identifiable impact
(acknowledging that some of the impact can, however, be expected to occur during the
coming years).

• ORGANISATION OF THE EVALUATION

The evaluation will be conducted by an Independent Evaluation Panel of 7 high-level experts
(industrial, academic, users) at 12 days per person. The Panel will be assisted by an
Evaluation Secretariat provided by the Commission Services DG Information Society, Unit
B2, with 3 Experts to the EC and secretarial staff.

The Panel will begin its work in October 1999. Four meetings of the Evaluation Panel will be
held in Brussels, in total 6 days. The Final Report will be completed by the end of 1999.

• METHODOLOGY

1. First panel meeting: Identification of the objectives and criteria for the evaluation;
identification of data sources, development of the evaluation plan, draft questionnaire to
projects, outline of Final Report.

2. Desk study of project dossiers and deliverables, statistical analysis, questionnaire survey of
all 55 projects. Non-project-based activities and results, e.g. conferences, workshops, dissem-
ination and other horizontal activities. Preparation of the materials for analysis. The
Evaluation Secretariat, on behalf of the Panel, will prepare and analyse materials for scrutiny
and evaluation by the Evaluation Panel.

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3. Second meeting: Presentation and discussion of the initial analysis based on objective input
and output measures derived from the evaluation criteria; Record of the analysis: preliminary
results; Specific assessment of the themes of the initiative; Global assessment of the results
based on criteria as defined by the Evaluation Panel; Agreement of the structure and elements
for the Final Report.

4. Third and fourth meetings: Discussion and completion of the draft Final Report.

5. Production of
and Economic and Social Committee.

the Final Report and delivery to Council, European Parliament

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