CELEX: 51988PC0102
Language: en
Date: 1988-02-29
Title: REVISED PROPOSAL FOR A COUNCIL DECISION concerning the European Strategic Programme for Research and Development in Information Technologies (ESPRIT) submitted to the Council by the Commission, persuant to Article 149 (2d) of the Treaty

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 ---pagebreak--- COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
                                                  COM(88) 102 final
                                                  Brussels, 29 February 1988
              REVISED PROPOSAL FOR A COUNCIL DECISION
         concerning the European Strategic Programme for Research and
                     Development in Information Technologies
                                     (ESPRIT)
      submitted to the Council by the Commission, persuant to Article 149 (2d)
                                    of the Treaty
 ---pagebreak---                                       - 2 -
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES ,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic
Community , and in particular Article 130 Q , paragraph 2 , thereof ,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission , (^)
In co-operation with the European Parliament , ( 2 )
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social
Committee , ( 3 )
Whereas by Decision 84 / 130 /EEC ( 4 ) the first phase of the European
strategic programme for research and development in information
technologies ( ESPRIT ) was adopted by the Council on 28 February 1984 ;
Whereas the Framework Programme of Community activities in the
field of research and technological development ( 1987-1991 ) was
adopted by Council Decision 87 / 5 1 6 /Euratora/ EEC (^)
Whereas the ESPRIT work programmes periodically- established in
close consultation with the ESPRIT Management Committee , the
Information Technology ( IT ) Industry , industrial users and scientists
have proved to be an efficient means of programme management ;
( 1 ) OJ N° C 283 , 21.10.1987 , page 4 .
( 2 ) OJ N° .....
( 3 ) OJ N° . . .....
( 4 ) OJ N° L 67 , 9-3.1984 , page 54 .
( 5 ) OJ N° L 302 of 24.10.1987 , P - 1 .
(*) In German " Entscheidung” .
 ---pagebreak---                                     - 3 -
Whereas the Council , in its resolution of 8 April 1986 , took
note of the conclusions of the independent high-level body known
as the ESPRIT Review Board that the programme had been successfully
established and was well on the way to meeting its original objec­
tives , was progressing faster than initially expected , had initiated
trans-European co-operation at all levels especially where small
and medium-sized companies were concerned , had enabled more ambitious
research projects and had accelerated the execution of these
projects ; ( 1 )
Whereas , in addition , the Council took note of the Review Board 's
recommendation that , for the future development of ESPRIT , emphasis
should continue to be on precompetitive research and development ,
the research areas be consolidated and restructured and particular
attention paid to technology integration projects .
Whereas , in a broad consultation process with a large number
of representatives from industry and science , the future technical
scope of the programme has been defined ;
Whereas it is necessary to ensure consistency between the ESPRIT
programme , national programmes , Eureka projects and other inter­
national activities in the information technology sector while
encouraging their co-ordination ;
( 1 ) 10900 / 85 RECH 104 of 2.12.1985 .
 ---pagebreak---                                     - 4 -
Whereas this programme meets the absolute need for the constitution
or consolidation of a specifically European industrial potential
in the technologies concerned ; whereas its participants must
therefore be the undertakings , universities and research centres
in the' Community which are best suited to attain these objectives ;
Whereas the Council Decision oC 20 September 1987 concerning
the Framework Programme for Community activities in the field
of R4TD ( 1 ) provides that a particular aim of Community research
shall be to strengthen the scientific and technological basis of
European industry especially in strategic areas of high technology
and to encourage it to become more competitive at international
level and whereas the same decision further provides that Community
action is justified where research contributes inter alia to the
strengthening of the economic and social cohesion of t*he Community
and the promotion of its overall harmonious development , while
being consistent with the pursuit of scientific and technical
quality ; whereas it is intended that the ESPRIT programme should
contribute to the achievement of these objectives ;
Whereas it is necessary for small and medium-sized companies to    .
achieve a high level of participation in the programme ;
                                              9
Whereas adequate dissemination of , and access to , results of
projects of Community interest is essential to the pursuit of
the aims of the Community and in particular to the needs of small
and medium-sized companies ;
Whereas there exists a need for periodic assessment of the Programme
  Whereas it is necessary for the execution of the Programme that
  the Commission be assisted by a Committee ;
 ( 1 ) OJ N 0 L 302 of 24.10.1987 , page 23 .
 ---pagebreak---                                        - 5 -
  Whereas provision should be made for appropriate information of the social
  partners in the implementation of the programme ;
Whereas'* it is in the Community 's interest to consolidate the
scientific and financial basis of European research by means
of the involvement to a greater extent of participants from the
EFTA countries in certain Community programmes and , particularly ,
in programmes involving co-operation in research and development
of information technology ;
Whereas the implementation of actions in basic research providing
long-term prospects is essential to complement industrially-oriented
R&D projects ;
Whereas concerted actions in the COST framework also serve to
complément industrially-oriented R&D projects ;
Whereas the Council , in its Resolution of 8 April 1986 ( 1 ), has re-
emphasised its commitment to the ESPRIT Programme and requested the
Commission to ensure , in its implementation of the programme , that ,
in scope and flexibility , the programme continues to provide an
effective response to the ever-increasing challenge in the IT field ;
Whereas , in the same resolution , the Council confirmed that a
main objective of the ESPRIT programme should be to carry out
the work preparatory to standardisation in the field of information
technology ;
Whereas the Scientific and Technical Research Committee ( CREST )
has expressed its opinion ,
 ( 1 ) OJ N° C 102 , 29.4.1986 , page 1 .
 ---pagebreak---                                     - 6 -
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION :
                              Article 1
1.        A second phase of the ESPRIT programme of research and
  ' development for the European Economic Community , hereinafter
     referred to as " the programme ", is hereby adopted for a period
   . of five years as from 1 December 1987 . •
2,        The programme is designed to :
     - provide the European IT industry with the basic technologies
       to meet the compétitive requirements of the nineties ;
     - promote European industrial co-operatiOn in precompetitive
       R&D in Information Technology ;
     - pave the way for internationally accepted standards .
       The programme summary and objectives are set out in more
detail in Annex II .
                              Artide 2
       The programme shall comprise precorapetitive research and
development projects ( hereinafter referred to as the " projects "),
actions in basic research aimed at complementing the precorapetitive
R&D effort ( hereinafter referred to as the " actions ") and accom­
panying measures .
 ---pagebreak---       The projects shall be carried out by means of contracts ,
to be concluded by the Commission with companies , including
small and medium-sized undertakings , universities and other
bodies established in the Community .
      The proposals for projects shall be submitted by the
interested parties in reply to an open invitation published
in the Official Journal of the European Communities . The
projects must involve the participation of at least two inde­
pendent industrial partners not established in the same Member
State .
      Up to a maximum of 30% of the Community 's total contribution
to new projects launched under this programme may for each
year be allocated to new projects which fall below the Community
contribution threshold of 5 MECU .
      Very large projects shall normally be implemented in
successive phases .
      The actions shall be carried out by means of contracts
to be concluded by the Commission with universities , research
 institutions or companies established within the' Community .
      The proposals for actions shall be submitted by the
 interested parties in reply to an open invitation published
 in the Official Journal of the European Communities . The
actions must involve the participation of at least two universi­
 ties or research institutions not established in the same
 Member State .
 ---pagebreak---                                  - 8 -
3-       Each contractor will be expected to bring a significant
   contribution to projects and actions .   The contractons shall
   be expected to bear a substantial proportion of the costs ,
   50% of which shall normally be borne by the Community .
         Alternatively , in respect of universities and research
   institutes carrying out projects or actions , the Community
   may bear up to 100% of the additional expenditure involved .
4.       In exceptional cases where :
   - projects and actions are considered to be indispensable
     for achieving the objectives of the programme as defined
      in Annex II , and
   - exceptions can be justified on the grounds of cost or
      efficiency ,
   it may be decided in accordance with the procedure laid down
   in Article 8 to depart from the general conditions set out in
   paragraphs 1 , 2 & 3 of this present Article in respect of
   the following :
   - the public call for proposais ;
   - the participation in the projects of at least two industrial
      partners not established in the same Member State ;
   - the participation in the actions of at least two universities
      or research institutes not established in the same Member
      State ;
 ---pagebreak---                                   - 9 -
    - the rate of the Community's financial participation ;
    - the percentage figure concerning new projects which fall
      below the Community contribution threshold of 5 MECU .
                             Article 4
      Where Framework Agreements for scientific and technical co­
operation between non-Community European countries and the European
Communities have been concluded , organisations and enterprises
( including universities ) established in these countries may ,
provided the conditions laid down in Articles 3 (§ 142 ) are fulfilled
and the procedures in Article 8 are followed , become partners
to projects and actions undertaken within the programme .
                             Article 5
      The Community shall contribute to the performance of the
programme within the limits of the appropriations entered to
this end in the budget of the European Communities .
      The funds estimated as necessary for the Community contri­
bution to the projects , actions and accompanying measures under
the programme amount to 1600 MECU over five years , including
expenditure on a staff whose costs shall not exceed 4$ of the
Community 's contribution .
      The internai and indicative allocation of these funds is
 set out in Annex I.
 ---pagebreak---                                      - 10 -
                               Article 6
1.       The Commission shall ensure that the programme is properly
   performed and establish the appropriate implementation measures .
         The Commission shall be assisted in the performance of
   its tasks by a Committee .
      *
2.       The Commission is authorised to negotiate , in accordance
   with Article 1 30 ( N ) of the EEC Treaty , agreements with non-
   Meraber States participating in European co-operation in the
   field of scientific and technological research ( COST ) with
   a view to ensuring concerted action between the Community
   activities relating to the collaboration in actions in basic
   research and accompanying measures referred to in Annex II
   and the relevant programmes of such States .
3.       The Commission shall establish for each year and update .
   as required a work programme defining the detailed objectives ,
   the type of projects to be undertaken and the corresponding
   financial plans .     The Commission shall establish calls for
   proposals for projects on the basis of the annual work programmes .
4.        The procedure laid down in Article 8 shall apply to :
   - the adoption and updating of the annual work programme referred
      to in Paragraph 3 of this Article ;
   - any departure f rom the general conditions laid down in
      Article 3(1 ), 3(2 ) and 3(3 );
 ---pagebreak---                                       - U_-
   - the participation in any project or action by European organisations
     and enterprises as provided for in Article A ;
   - the assessment of proposed projects and of the Community's financial
     contribution to them where this contribution is in excess of 5 MECU;
   - the assessment of the successive phases of very large projects referred
     to in Article 3(1 ) and of the Community's financial contribution to these
     phases ;
   - the définition of the measures to be undertaken to evaluate the programme .
5.        The Commission may consult the Committee referred to in
    Article 7 , and shall consult it at the request of the represen­
    tatives of at least four Member States on any matter falling
    within the scope of tne ESPRIT programme .
6.        The Commission shall keep the Coramittee referred to in
    Article 7 informed of :
    - the progress of the programme ;
    - the draft call for proposals , including priority areas
      envisaged ;
    - projects for which the Coramunity contribution is below 5 MECU ,
      as well as the results of their assessment ;
    - the results of the assessment of proposed actions and their
       implémentation ;
    - accompanying measures .
 ---pagebreak---                                    - 12 -
                             Artide 7
      The Committee shall consist of two representatives of each
Member State and shall be set up by the Commission on the basis
of nominations by the Member States .
      Members of the Committee may be assisted by experts or advisers
depending on the nature of the issues under consideration .
      The Committee shall be chaired by a Commission Représentative .
      The proceedings of the Committee shall be confidential .     The
Committee shall adopt its own rules of procedure .    The secretarial
services shall be provided by the Commission .
                             Article 8
1 .      Where the procedure laid down in this Article is to be
    followed , the representative of the Commission shall refer
    to the Committee a draft of the measures to be adopted . The
    Committee shall deliver an opinion within a time limit set
    by the Chairman , which shall normally be one month and shall
    not exceed two months depending on the urgency of the matter .
    The opinion shall be delivered by. the majority 'specified in
    Article 148(2 ) of the Treaty for decisions which the Council
    is required to adopt on a proposal from the Commission , the
    votes of the representatives of the Member States being weighted
    as indicated in that Article .   The Chairman shall not vote .
 ---pagebreak---                                       13 -
9.      The Commission shall adopt the proposed measures if they
   are in accordance with the Committee 's opinion . If the proposed
   measures are not in accordance with the Committee 's opinion ,
   or if no opinion is delivered , the Commission shall without
   delay submit to the Council a proposal concerning the measures
   to-be taken .
      *
                 The Council shall act by a qualified majority .
3*      If the Council has not acted within a period of two months
   from the date on which the matter was referred to it , the
   proposed measures shall be adopted by the Commission.               |
     ^                        Article 9
     By way of derogation from the provisions of Article 6 §4
of the present decision , the first annual workprogramrae shall
be adopted after referral to the Committee referred to in Article 4
of the Council Decision 84 / 130 / EEC of 28 February 1984 according
to the procedures laid down in Article 8 , paragraphs 1 and 2 ,
and paragraph 3                     of the present decision .        |
                              Article 10
     The Commission shall address a report^to the Council and
to the European Parliament after 30 months on the basis of an
evaluation of the results so far achieved .     This report shall
be accompanied by suggestions for changes which may be necessary
in the light of these results .
 ---pagebreak---                                 - 14 -
     After the completion of the programme , the Commission shall
send to Member States and the European Parliament a report on
the performance and results of the programme .
     The abovementioned reports will be carried out in relation
to the precise objectives set out in Annex IX to this decision and
in conformity with the provisions of Article 2§2 of the Framework
Programme .
                            Article 11.
     The Member States and the Commission shall exchange all
appropriate information to which they have access and which they
are free to disclose concerning activities in the areas covered
by this Decision , whether or not planned or carried out under
their authority .
     Information shall be exchanged according to a procedure
to be defined by the Commission after consulting the Committee
and shall be treated as confidential - at the suppliers' request .
                            Article 12
                                           *
     This decision shall applÿ frora 1 December 1987 .
                            Article 13
     This Decision is addressed to the Member States .
Done at Brussels ,
                                        For the Council
                                         The President
 ---pagebreak---                                   - 15 -
                                    !
                                                         ANNEX I
              INDICATIVE INTERNAL ALLOCATION OF FUNDS
                                                            MECU
 I. R&D Sectors ( 1 )                                       1498
     Microelectronics and Peripheral Technologies             475
     Information Processing Systems                           475
     IT Application Technologies                              548
II . Staff and Administrative costs            '              1 02
     Staff costs                                                64
     Administrative costs                                       38
                                         Total               1600
(Ъ ТЬезе Пвигез 1пс1ис1е арргох1шаЬе1у 6’5 МЕСУ Гог асЬ 1 опз
      in basic research and 80 MECU for accompanying measures related
     to the three R&D sectors mentioned above .
 ---pagebreak---                                                       ANNEX II
            ESPRIT PROGRAMME SUMMARY AND OBJECTIVES
     Taking account of the objectives referred to in Article 1(2 ),
three sectors of activity of long-term strategie impact have
been selected , in which the following major technical goals will
be addressed :
- to improve the competitiveness of the microelectronics industrial
  sector so as to enable it to provide IT industry with full
  systems capability based on state of the art semiconductor
  technology . Special emphasis will be put on application-specific
  integrated circuits ;
- to provide powerful , cost efficient , reliable information pro­
  cessing systems which meet the competitive requirements of
  the nineties . Special emphasis will be put on total systems
  design technology , parallel computer architectures and knowledge
  engineering ;
- to improve the ability to use and integrate IT , and to encourage
  rapid transfer of IT innovations to selected areas of applications .
  Special emphasis will be put oh industrial applications ( Computer
  Integrated manufacturing ) and distributed processing technologies
  in business environments .
 ---pagebreak---                                    - 17 -
      Complementary to these sectorial goals to be achieved by
industrial co-operative R&D projects at the precompetitive level ,
some co-operative actions in selected areas of basic research
will have to be carried out .   Their main goal will be :
- to develop and maintain a sufficiently strong foundation on
   which IT of the future will be built .   The activities will
   focus on basic research topics which hold promise for significant
   future advances while not possessing immédiate commercial appli­
   cations .
      In view of the potential benefits of the programme to Community
industry as a whole , accompanying measures are foreseen with
the spécifie goals :
- to promote the application of ESPRIT results by Community industry ,
   particularly taking advantage of the special role of small
   and medium-sized enterprises . in this context ;
r to enhance synergy with other programmes in the IT sector .
       The programme contains research and development projects ,
actions in basic research and accompanying measures .
 ( ANNEX II )
 ---pagebreak---                                         18 -
PROGRAMME SUMMARY
        In order to achieve the objectives described above , the
programme contains research and development projects , actions
in basic research and aocompanying measures as follows :
A. Reséarch and Development Projects
           Research and development projects will be carried out
     in the following three sectors :
                          I
     1 . Microelectronics and peripheral technologies
     2 . Information Processing Systems
     3 . IT Application Technologies
     1 . Microelectronics and peripheral technologies
               Work in this sector will have to be addressed primarily
         at improving the competitiveness of the Community micro­
         electronics industrial sector so as to enable it to provide
         the IT industry with full system capability through access
         to up - to- date functional components and subsystems based
         in particular on State of the art semiconductor technology .
                                               »
         To this end and in support of the developments of application
         systems , it will encompass the provision of-the technological
         capability to design , manufacture and test application
         specific integrated circuits ( ASIC ) in a " system on a chip "
         concept .- Such circuits to range from high complexity random
         logic including several million elementary devices to very
         high speed lower complexity circuits capable of operating •
         at up to 5 GHz .
 ( ANNEX II )
 ---pagebreak---                                       19 -
              The R&D activities to be pursued include :
      - High density integrated circuits :      The goal is to provide
         random logic integrated circuits ( ICs ), including up
         to four million gates for use in particular where a high
         degree of parallel processing is possible as , for instance ,
         in processor arrays or systolic arrays .     To this end ,
         it will be necessary :
         = to develop user friendly CAD systems , including automatic
            layout and design verification tools ( advanced silicon
            compilers ) ;
         = to develop low power high density processes , including
            the optimisation of an automated flexible manufacturing
            line for high yield production .
       - High speed integrated circuits :     The aim is to fabricate
         devices for use where processing of large quantities of
         information in real time cannot be assured by parallelism
         due to high serial bit rate .     They are potentially valuable
         in supercomputers or front end processors for telecommuni­
         cations systems .   The target performance will be :
         = operation between 5 and 10 GHz clock frequency or gate
             delays less than 50 ps ;
         = complexity greater than 10.000 gates .
( ANNEX II )
 ---pagebreak---                                      - 20 -
                The main activities towards this goal are :
          x development of a very fast Silicon bipolar process ;
          s GaAs FET technologies will also be considered , as
             appropriate ,
          = spécial CAD tools to optimise circuit speed ;
          s spécial packaging techniques for GHz operation .
       - Multifunction Integrated Circuits : The goal is to build a
          complete system on a chip with digital and analog functions ,
        , operating over a wide range of speeds . Complexity up to
          one million transistors , minimum achievable gate delay
          of 50 ps , power control and non-volatile memory capability
          will have to be implemented to meet the requirements of
          peripherals ( display and LAN control , memory management ),
           telecommunications equipments ( voice and image processing ),
           factory and office automation ( intelligent sensors and
          actuators ). In order to enhance the performances of
           very large information systems , optoelectronic ICs will
           be developed and used to optically interconnect distributed
           processors for instance .
                The main activities to be pursued are :
           = tuning of manufacturing processes for dedicated appli­
             cation ,
           = adaptation of CAD tools to mixed functions , such as
             analog-digital device design .
( ANNEX XI )
 ---pagebreak---                                    - 21
               Throughout the execution of the programme , a special
          emphasis will be given to definition of standards , both
          on the software side ( data exchange , tool portability
          between CAD system and manufacturing equipment ) and on
          the mechanical side to meet requirements for higher degree
          of automation and flexibility .
       - Peripheral Technologies : This area of the programme
          is aimed at ensuring that Europe develops the specific
          technologies necessary to play a sustainable role in
          future peripheral systems developments . Topics requiring
          action are , in particular , those of magneto-optic and
          optical mass storage and retrieval systems , non-impact
          printers , displays , devices incorporating logic elements
          in conjunction with sensors , transducers , and actuators .
   2 . Information Processing Systems
             The main objective of this sector is to bring together
       tools and technologies from the hardware and software domains ,
       in order to enable the design and development of the infor­
       mation processing systems of the 1990s .    Particular attention
       will be paid to new approaches to systems design which
       will enable high quality complex systems to be developed
       efficiently .   To develop the methods and too-ls needed , it
        is imperative that all aspects of the system ( e.g. archi­
        tecture , interfaces ) are considered while at the same time
       new technologies like knowledge engineering are integrated .
( ANNEX II )
 ---pagebreak---                                     - 22 -
        '
              As a conséquence , work in this sector will provide
                                                               I
       the capability of producing systems ( of similar complexity
       to those produced now ) with a significant increase in designer
       productivity . For example , the methods and tools developed
       will provide the mechanism by which the development costs
       of selected system components ( e.g. microprocessors , real-time
       software modules ) will be reduced to 10% of the current
       development costs .
              The R&D activities to be pursued fall into four cora-
       pleraentary areas :
       - Systems design :    This area addresses the process from
          the definition of the requirements of an IT system , through
          to its manufacture , distribution and maintenance .   Activities
          include :
          = Evaluation of methods and tools , guidance in raethod
             introduction and product évaluation metrics ;
          = Intégration and rationalisation of Integrated Programming
             System Environment interfaces , project support environ-
             raents and knowledge-based techniques ;
          = Reusable System coraponents , automated génération of
             high quality programmes for real-time Systems , formai
             techniques and methods .
       - Knowledge engineering : This area includes the development
          of systems which help reasoning and decision-making under
          conditions of uncertainty and incomplete information .
          Activities include :
( ANMEX II )
 ---pagebreak---                                      - 23 -
         = Knowledge acquisition , learning and adaptive Systems ,
                               t
            knowledge representation , knowledge manipulation and
            validation of knowledge-based systems ;
         = Natural communication processing and user interaction
            mechanisms ;
         = Integration of knowledge engineering techniques into
            systems design .
      - Advanced Systems architures : This area includes , notably ,
         parallel architectures aimed at overcoming System liraitations
         and at supporting modular construction . Activities include :
         = Parallel architecture and interconnection of co-operating
            processors , programming and verification techniques ;
         = Distributed Systems of serai-autonoraous components ;
         = Specialised architectures for signal processing and
            knowledge based information subsystems .
       - Signal processing :     This area addresses the need to cope
         with the complexity of processing signals of varied physical
         nature ( e.g. temperature , pressure , image ,, natural vpice ).
         Activities include :
          = Formai description of information flow , symbolic manipu­
             lation ;
          = Preprocessing , feature identification , classification ,
             error correcting methods ;
( ANNEX II )
 ---pagebreak---                                     - 24 -
           s System components for signal processing , real-time
              systems ;
           = Advanced technologies for multi-sensor signal processing
              systems .
    3 .. IT Application technologies
               The main objective of this sector is to enhance European
         capabilities in the integration of IT into systems able
         to be used in a broad range of applications and to validate
         the results in selected , realistic environments .
               The R&D activities to be pursued in IT Application
         Technologies fall into three complementary areas :
         - Computer Integrated Manufacturing : The objective is
           to provide the technology base which is necessary for
           system vendors in order to successfully meet the com­
           petitive requirements of the world market . At the same
            time , it is expected that the rapid uptake of these IT
           based technologies will induce a completion of the moderni­
           sation process in a wide range of manufacturing industries .
                                               »
                  The scope of work will include the application of
           IT not only in discrete part production but to a wide
            range of industries up to and including continuous process .
                  The establishment of Open System concepts to support
            multi-vendor operation is an important means of achieving
            the objective of the area .
( ANNEX II )
 ---pagebreak---                                      - 25 -
                Activities include :
         * Design and analysis systems allowing flexible product
            development so that time , materials and other resources
            for production are minimised ;
         = Factory management , planning and production control so
            that availability and usage of equipment are increased ,
            man-machine interactions for production planning and
            control systems optimised , real-time applications
            implemented and just - in - time production supported ;
         = Robotics Systems ;
         = Integration of material handling systems ( including
            robots ) in the production and assembly process . Issues
             to be addressed are , e.g. , tool change , monitoring ,
            washing , waste disposal , assembling and other tasks
            associated with production . Particular emphasis will
            be put on solutions for smaller batches ;
         = Computer Integrated Control in process industries to
             create more efficient plant operation ;
         = Architecture and methods for integration , including
             the development of methods and tools for installing ,
             operating , and monitoring Computer Integrated Manufac­
             turing Systems and the demonstration of early implemen­
             tations addressing different manufacturing requirements .
       - Integrated Information Systems :      This area addresses
          systems integration R&D for selected applications .
          Application domains include office environment and the
          domestic environment .
( ANNEX II )
 ---pagebreak---                                         26 -
                Activities include :
         = User environment analysis and support in order to evaluate
            requirements , constraints , human factors , reduce intro­
            duction periods and increase productivity through improve-
            ment of user-system interaction . Particular eraphasis
            will be put on the requirements of less skilled users
            and flexibility aspects ;
         = Systems engineering , comprising systems integration
            and validation tools , reliability , availability and
            security of systems ;
         = Generic communication technologies and integrated office
            systems comprising multimedia handling on the basis
            of Open System Architectures , generation , routing ,
            monitoring of office information , remote activities
             support and selected special functions ;
         = Distributed systems with particular emphasis on integration
            of knowledge based systems and advanced distributed
             storage systems ;
         = Data collection and monitoring Systems in non-f'actory
             environments ( e.g . home , laboratory ) cornprising tele-
             control and networking of autonomous equipment , management
             of data acquisition Systems .
       - IT Application Support Systems : This area addresses
         the integration of basic IT components int.o subsystems .
         The major goal is to provide low cost technologies and
          large scale applicability . Particular emphasis will
          be put on modularity and fail-safe aspects .
( ANNEX II )
 ---pagebreak---                                      - 27 -
               Activities include :
         s workstations for multiple application purposes ;
         s storage and processing subsystems for stand-alone and
            distributed systems ;
         = local network Systems and related basic services ;
         = user interfacing subsystems ( e.g . visual , vocal , manual );
         = subsystems interfacing the physical environment ( e.g .
            vision and environment understanding , laboratory data
            acquisition , raonitoring and control ).
                                   O
                                 O    O
         Throughout these three sectors ( Microelectronics and
    Peripheral Technologies , Information Processing Systems and
    IT Application Technologies ) a limited number of technology
    integration projects will be undertaken . These pro jects . will
    aim at meeting arabitous , well-defined industrial targets ,
    will be preplanned at an appropriate level of detail in the
    work programme , and normally require large-scale industrial
    efforts of a Community dimension .
( ANNEX II )
 ---pagebreak---                                    - 28 -
B. Actions in basic research
          The envisaged actions in basic research aim at complementing
     the proposed precompetitive IT R&D efforts by providing a
     Community dimension to fundamental research work in selected
     areas of long lead-time . They include promotion of high level
     professional training in areas of particular concern to the
     Community . The actions shall , in particular , encourage highly
     qualified research institutes in IT to become international
     in their orientation .
          The work areas include ;
     - Molecular electronics
     - Artificial intelligence and cognitive science
     - Applications of solid State physics to IT
     - Advanced System Design
     and other areas of basic research which may be identified
     during the course of the programme .
C. Accompanying measures
          The main objective of the accompanying measures is to
     provide the framework necessary to make’ optimumuse in all
     regions of the Community of the R&D activities undertaken
     in the ESPRIT programme and related activities .
          The accompanying measures include in particular :
     - the promotion of consistency between - Community and Member
       States research and development programmes and in respect
       of programmes at international level , acquisition of infor­
       mation , both within the ESPRIT programme and from the world
       at large , and its apppropriate dissemination ;
 ( ANNEX II )
 ---pagebreak---                                 - 29 -
   - co-ordination and documentation of standards within the
     ESPRIT programme and their relationship with national and
     international standards ;
   - provision of means to ensure ease of communication , to serve
     the good technical execution of research and develooment
     projects as well as their management , and the appropriate
     dissemination of and access to their results , including
     an Information Exchange System ( IES ).
( ANNEX II )
 ---pagebreak---                                                                                         Зо
                                   EXPLANATORY NOTE
Subiect:    Revised Proposai for a Council Decision conceming ESPRIT
The proposal has been reexamined by the Commission following second reading by the
Parliament. The text of the revised proposal, based on the Common Position adopted by
the Council on 21st December 1987 and amended by the Parliament on 10th February
1988, is hereby retransmitted to Council on the basis of Article 149 (2d ) of the Treaty.
The three amendments adopted by the Parliament and herewith attached are in line with
what the Commission deems appropriate and necessary. The Commission, in a spirit of
compromise, and in the conviction that it would facilitate the Council to act by qualified
majority as foreseen in Article 149 (2e), proposes that the amendments be adopted as
follows :
Amendment 1
The word "consultation" be replaced by the word "information".
Amendments 2 and 3
Committee procedure Ilia be applied to all matters referred to in Article 6 (4 ) of the
revised proposal.
For legal/linguistic reasons, i.e. in order to remove ambiguities from the text, the following
révisions are proposed to Article 6 (4):
- The phrase "enterprises not established in the Community" in the third indent be
   replaced by the phrase "enterprises as provided for in Article 4".
- The word “of to be added in the phrase in the fourth indent to read "the assessment of
   proposed projects and of the Community’s financial contribution ..."
 ---pagebreak--- The fifth indent to be rephrased to read "the assessment of the successive phases of very
large projects referred to in Article 3(1) and of the Community's fmancial contribution
to these phases*.
The sixth indent to be rephrased to read "the definition of the measures to be
undertaken to evaluate the programme".
 ---pagebreak---              EUROPEAN                      PARLIAMENT
        4 FEBRUARY 1988                                 A 2-270 / 1
        AMENDMENT No . 1
        tabled by the Committee on Energy
        Common position of the Council ( Doc . C2-270 / 87 )
        ESPRIT PROGRAMME
        Recommendation for the second reading - Doc . A2-270 / 87
        ( Rapporteur : Mr RINSCHE )
COMMON POSITION OF THE COUNCIL               TEXT AMENDED BY THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
                                              Insert a new recital after the
                                              thirteenth recital     to read as follows :
                                              ' Whereas provision should be made for
                                              ap propr i ate consult a t ion of the so cia l
                                              p art m.-rs i n the implementation of th e
                                              prog ram nr , '
                                                       PE 120.533 /1
                                                       Or .   En'.
 ---pagebreak---                                                                                           -?2
             EUROPEAN                      PARLIAMENT
       4 F E8RUARY 1988                                  A 2-270 /2
      AMCNDMFNT No . 2
      tabled by the Committee on Energy
      Common position of the Council ( Doc . C2-270 / 87 )
      ESPRIT PROGRAMME
      Recommendation for the second reading - Doc . A2-270 / 87
      ( Rapporteur : Mr RINSCHE )
       COMMON POSITION OF THE COUNCIL               TEXT AMENDED BY THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
    Article 8(2 )                            Article 3(2 )
2,. The Commission shall adbpt the          .' The Commission shall aefapt measures
    proposed measures if they are in         which shall apply directly . However ,
    accordance with with the Committee 's    if they do not coincide with the
    opinion .   I f t he proposed measures   Committee 's opinion , the Commission
    are not   in accordance with the         shall immediately comminicat^ those
    Committee 's opinion, or if no           measure s to the Council .      In that caso >
    opinion is delivered, the Commission     the following shall app ly :
    shall without delay submit to the                                -         ,
    Council a proposal concerning the        1 lie Commission m.iy p us tp nie Jthr
    measures 'i    be taken .  The Council    i mp I c montât ion of the measures it h y,
    shall act by a qualified majority .      üoeidod un by a period pf no more thftf
                                             onc mm t h f rom suc h pùti f icetiqii
                                                        PE 120.533 /2
                                                        Or . En .
 ---pagebreak---                 EUROPEAN                       PARLIAMENT
          A FEBRUARY 1988                                A 2-270 / 3
          AMENDENT No .   3
          tabled by the Committee on Energy
          Common position of the Council ( Doc . C2-270 / 87 )
          ESPRIT PROGRAMME
          Recommendation for the second reading - Doc . A2-270 / 87
          ( Rapporteur : Mr RINSCHE )
              COMMON POSITION OF THE CaiMCllL              AMENDMENTS OF PARLIAMENT
                                            '    'rv 47^ c te 8 (3 )
        Article 8(3 )
3 . If the Council has not acted within     3! Within the period mentioned in the
    a period of two months from the date      preceding paragraph , the Council may
    on which the matter was referred to       aefapt a different decision acting by
    it , the proposed measures shall :        à qualified majority . 1
    - be adoptcvi by the Commi r.:: ion for
       matters falling under the third ,
       fcurth , fifth and sixth indents
       of Article 6(4 ) ;
    - be adopted by the Commission , save
       where the Council has decided
       against the said measures by simpli
       majority for matters falling tnder
       the first and second indents of
       Artie le 6(4 ) .
                                                        PE 120.533 73-
                                                        Or . En .