CELEX: 51990PC0570
Language: en
Date: 1991-01-23
Title: PROPOSAL FOR A COUNCIL DECISION SETTING UP A PROGRAMME FOR AN INFORMATION SERVICES MARKET

28. 2. 91                                           Official Journal of t h e European Communities                                         N o C 53/65
                       Proposal f o r a Council Decision setting u p a programme f o r a n information services m a r k e t
                                                                    CC)M(90) 570 final
                                                (Submitted by the Commission          on 28 January 1991)
                                                                       (91/C 53/07)
 THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,                                         Whereas t h e different rates of development in t h e provision
                                               %
                                                                                  and use of information services in the M e m b e r States merit
                                                                                  special attention with t h e view of strengthening the internal
 Having regard t o t h e Treaty establishing t h e European
                                                                                  cohesion of t h e Community a n d t h e w o r k i n g of the internal
 Economic C o m m u n i t y , a n d in particular Article 2 3 5
                                                                                  market;
 thereof,
                                                                                  Whereas t h e growing importance of information in
 H a v i n g regard t o t h e proposal f r o m t h e Commission,                  international transactions, a n d of t h e related problems
                                                                                  concerning services, is receiving increasing attention in
 H a v i n g regard t o t h e opinion of t h e European Parliament,               international f o r a a n d this fact serves t o emphasize t h e
                                                                                  necessity f o r M e m b e r States t o develop c o m m o n positions in
                                                                                  those f o r a ;
 H a v i n g regard t o the opinion of t h e Economic a n d Social
 Committee,                                                                       Whereas t h e Community's financial engineering mechanisms
                                                                                  m a y contribute t o t h e implementation of t h e present plan of
 Whereas, b y virtue of t h e economic importance of                              action, in particular with regard t o strategic o r other pilot
 information, t h e creation of a n internal information services                 a n d demonstration projects;
 m a r k e t occupies a n essential place in the consolidation a n d
 strengthening of t h e internal market after 1992;                               Whereas t h a t p a r t of the a m o u n t deemed necessary which is
                                                                                  intended t o finance pilot a n d demonstration projects m a y be
                                                                                  used, in particular, t o attract any necessary additional
 Whereas t h e initial results of t h e p l a n of actions f o r setting u p
                                                                                  sources of funding f r o m t h e partners concerned, thereby
 a n information services m a r k e t in E u r o p e adopted by the
                                                                                  having a multiplier effect o n t h e development of the
 Council b y Decision 8 8 / 5 2 4 / E E C ( J ) indicate t h a t a much
                                                                                  European information services m a r k e t ;
 broader p r o g r a m m e is necessary;
                                                                                  Whereas any information m a r k e t policy must be
Whereas there exist n u m e r o u s legal, administrative, fiscal                 complementary t o other Community initiatives, notably in
 a n d other technical barriers t o t h e development of a n internal             t h e fields of telecommunications;
 information m a r k e t which are hindering the setting u p of
 n e w services causing, in some cases, distortions of                            Whereas the Treaty h a s n o t provided t h e necessary powers t o
 competition;                                                                     this e n d , other t h a n those of Article 2 3 5 ,
Whereas t h e f u t u r e development of information resources
a n d information-based services requires the application of
n e w technologies a n d t h e achievement of economies of                        HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:
scale;
Whereas t h e C o m m u n i t y h a s a competitive position which is                                 v              Article 1
strong in some sectors of t h e information market b u t which
needs t o b e strengthened in others;                                             A p r o g r a m m e is hereby set u p with t h e following
                                                                                  objectives:
Whereas t h e need f o r simplification of procedures, a s well as                1. t o establish a n internal m a r k e t f o r information
harmonization, in t h e field of database access should                                 services;
undergo priority scrutiny;
                                                                                  2 . t o stimulate a n d reinforce t h e competitive capability of
Whereas t h e needs a n d legitimate demands of users of                                European suppliers of information services;
information services, a n d particularly of those in small and
medium-sized enterprises a n d in t h e less-favoured regions of                  3 . t o p r o m o t e t h e use of advanced information services;
the C o m m u n i t y , merit special attention;
                                                                                  4 . t o reinforce joint efforts t o achieve C o m m u n i t y cohesion
(M OJ N o L 288, 2 1 . 10. 1988, p. 39.                                                 with respect t o information service policies.
 ---pagebreak--- N o C 53/66                                        Official Journal o f the European Communities                                                    28. 2. 91
                                  Article 2                                                                            Article 4
                                                                                   A t the midterrr^ and at the end o f the programme, the
In order t o attain the objectives referred t o in Article 1 , the                  C ommis s ion shall submit t o the European Parliament a n d t o
f o l l o w i n g actions shall be undertaken under the                             the Council evaluation reports o n t h e results obtained
responsibility o f the C o m m i s s i o n , in accordance w i t h                  through the implementation o f the actions and m a y present,
A n n e x I:                                                                        o n the basis o f those results, proposals f o r adjustment in the
                                                                                    orientation o f the programme.
1.      improving the understanding o f the market;
2 . overcoming legal and administrative barriers;                                                                      Article 5
                                                                                    1.     T h e C o m m i s s i o n is hereby authorized t o negotiate
3.      increasing user-friendliness and improving information
                                                                                   agreements w i t h third countries taking part in the
        literacy;
                                                                                   development o f the information services market w i t h a v i e w
                                                                                   t o associating t h e m w h o l l y o r partially w i t h the programme.
4.      supporting strategic information initiatives.
                                                                                   The s e agreements shall be based o n t h e criteria o f mutual
                                                                                   advantage.
N o n e o f the actions shall duplicate the w o r k carried o u t in
these areas under C o m m u n i t y o r national programmes.                       2.      Before entering into the negotiations referred t o in
                                                                                   paragraph 1 , the C o m m i s s i o n shall inform the Council o f its
                                                                                   intentions t o negotiate and o f the terms o f reference o f these
                                                                                   negotiations.
                                  Article 3
                                                                                                                      Article  6
T h e programme shall cover a period o f five years.                               T h i s Decision shall take effect o n . . .
                                                                          ANNEX      I
                                                              ACTION LINES O F IMPACT 2
                   Action line 1: Improving the understanding of the market
                   1.1. T h e European Information Market Observatory (IMO) will continue and extend the scope of its activities
                         for the identification of the European Community's competitive strengths and weaknesses in the sector in
                         order to keep Community institutions and Member States informed in drawing u p their policy. During the
                         initial phase of Impact the IMO focused its investigations on the supply of database services. It will enlarge
                         the scope of its investigations to neighbouring publishing markets with particular attention to the market for
                         business and trade press and scientific, technical and medical publishing. The I M O will give greater focus t o
                         user surveys, in order t o gain better knowledge of the means by which users get access to the professional
                         information they need and identify gaps which require Community initiatives.
                   1.2. T h e I M O will keep a permanent inventory of existing market data sources. It will primarily rely on these
                         sources to purchase the data it needs for its investigations. It will launch or stimulate additional surveys when
                         the data required are unavailable, incomplete or unreliable. It will also carry out sectoral investigations in
                         order to identify those sectors of the information market which are inadequately served or slowly progressing
                         although they are of strategic importance for the Community. Following the initial methodological
                         workshop organised in 1989 in cooperation with Eurostat, the I M O will support the long term
                         methodological efforts required for the creation of a conceptual framework that will allow the inclusion of
                         the information services sector in official statistics. In addition, the I M O will encourage further work in
                         information sciences and economics of information to stimulate the development of models and forecasting
                         tools which are required for the prognosis of information market trends and the assessment of their impact
                         on the rest of the economy.
                   1.3. T h e intention of the I M O is to supplement the efforts of Member State companies and other organizations
                         interested in the development of the market. The activities of the I M O will therefore be undertaken in
                         conjunction with and not supplant, the efforts of Member States, private sector companies and other
 ---pagebreak--- 28. 2. 91                                     Official Journal of the European Communities                                             N o C 53/67
                   organizations. T h e I M O will strengthen its network of national correspondents and improve links with
                   existing European a n d national associations in the information market. It will cooperate with these
                   associations and relevant research organizations o n shared-cost projects. In order .to improve its
                   documentation o n the world market f o r information services, the I M O will seek t o exchange o n information
                   with appropriate non-Community organizations such as the Japan'Database Promotion Center a n d the
                   American Information Industry Association.
           1.4. T h e results of the I M O analysis will be widely disseminated t o users and industry through dissemination
                   agreements with representative associations and specialized publishers. Each year, the I M O will prepare a
                   report t o Council and Parliament o n the main changes which have occurred o n the information
                   market.
          Action line 2 : Overcoming legal and administrative barriers
          2 . 1 . T h e actions which will be undertaken within the framework of Impact 2 will contribute t o strengthening the
                   synergy of work being carried o u t o n legal problems of a horizontal nature (e.g. protection of privacy,
                   responsibility, intellectual property, proof and authentication of electronic signatures) and t o proposing
                   Community initiatives specific t o certain segments of the information services market.
          2 . 2 . T h e first category of w o r k will contribute t o the improvement of the coordination of sectoral initiatives o n
                   legal problems of a horizontal nature being undertaken within the framework of different programmes. With
                   this in view, the Commission will reinforce the expertise and documentary resources it has acquired with the
                   help of the Legal Advisory Board (LAB) in order t o provide Member States and Community institutions with
                   easier access t o reference documents and t o information o n current w o r k in the area. T o this effect, the
                   Commission will examine the possibility of encouraging the development of a specialized database. It will
                   seek the expertise of LAB in preparing legal initiatives linked t o new technologies. In parallel, it will continue
                   a n d strengthen its cooperation with the Council of Europe and the Organization f o r Economic Cooperation
                   a n d Development in areas of common interest.
          2 . 3 . T h e second category of work will concentrate o n the contribution t o the preparation of initiatives specific t o
                  certain segments of the information market. T h e Commission will examine the legal problems raised by the
                  implementation of the guidelines designed t o strengthen the synergy between the public sector a n d the
                  private sector in the information market; it will draw u p proposals for harmonizing the rules o n the
                  marketing of data files held by public and quasi-public bodies. It will encourage the drawing u p of European
                  codes of conduct and monitor the application of data privacy protection in relation t o the marketing of
                  certain database services, such as mailing lists and databanks o n credit and solvency. It will d r a w u p
                  Community guidelines t o harmonize the conditions for opening u p electronic information services t o the
                  public and t o provide the framework for contractual arrangements between the various market actors in
                  areas such as editorial liability, service quality control, confidentiality, database usage a n d , in particular,
                  publishers' rights.
          2 . 4 . T h e composition of LAB will be modified by the Commission so as t o make better provision for the
                  participation in its w o r k of public authorities and of relevant market actors as a complement t o the
                  participation of independent legal experts specialized in the various topics for examination.
          2 . 5 . T h e Commission will implement an active policy of disseminating the results of LAB's w o r k , in conjunction
                  with specialized publishers, in order better t o inform the actors of their rights and obligations.
          Action line 3 : Increasing user-friendliness and improving information literacy
          3 . 1 . In complement t o current efforts for Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) the Commission will promote the
                  development of open information interchange standards in cooperation with existing standardization
                  structures such as E W O S , ETSI and CEN/Cenelec. T h e demonstration and efficient application of
                  information standards or industry norms for the encoding and structuring of information will be supported.
                  Incentives will be provided t o the acting parties t o complete and extend existing information standards. T h e
                  Commission will support demonstration projects t o promote the application of information standards and
                  t o demonstrate their benefits. This will include in particular standards like the Standardized General
                  M a r k u p Language (SGML) and Office Document Architecture (ODA). T h e use of information standards in
                  public sector information products will be promoted.
          3 . 2 . T h e development of generic interfaces providing flexible and economic solutions t o access a large spectrum
                  of information services will be encouraged. This will cover multimedia a n d European-wide access. T h e
                  integration of multilingual facilities or icons and graphics in information services, the development of
                  controlled vocabulary and natural language retrieval methods will be supported t o facilitate access by
                  untrained users. Incentives t o extend existing natural language interfaces t o other Community languages will
                  be provided t o support the Community's cohesion. Efforts will be undertaken t o encourage the application
                  of research results in areas such as experts systems, human-computer interface and natural language
                  processing, in information services. An umbrella project f o r testing the viability of European business Kiosk
 ---pagebreak--- N o C 53/68                                     Official Journal of the European Communities                                           28. 2. 91
                     facilities that will provide SMEs with easy access t o professional audiotex, videotex and ASCII information
                     services will be developed. Integrated application of different types of information using sound, graphics,
                     text and images will be stimulated.
            3.3. T o promote information literacy among professional people, the Commission will rely primarily o n
                     multipliers in the information services market and on certain groups of end-users. These multipliers include
                     educational institutions, professional associations, national focal points, gateway operators a n d the
                     specialized press.
                     Actions aimed at supporting the multipliers, experts and end-users will comprise: development of
                     appropriate tools such as documentation, multi-media shows, videos, in all Community languages;
                     organization of conferences, seminars, workshops, information days, press conferences; participation in
                     exhibitions; maintenance of existing directories and extension by new information products; publication of
                     a regular newsletter giving information o n Community initiatives; presence in information distribution
                     networks of database inventories etc.; providing of a central help desk for users of information services,
                     including a free phone enquiry service; operation of the multilingual host service E C H O (European
                     Commission Host Organization) which will continue t o especially support new users of electronic
                     information services and will act as an instrument for transferring know-how t o the m a r k e t place in
                     accordance with the guidelines for the improvement of the synergy between the public and the private sectors
                     in the information market.
            3.4. Training actions will address all kinds of information handlers within the information chain covering:
                     database production, host service operatidn, multimedia dissemination of information and use of
                     information. Support will be given t o training intermediaries and professionals in the use of electronic
                     information both on-line and off-line, with special attention being given t o less favoured regions. Actions
                     will also include training of future trainers in different regions, economic sectors and companies. Close
                     collaboration with national and local authorities and other programmes (e.g. STAR, Delta) will be
                     sought.
            Action line 4 : Supporting strategic information initiatives
            4 . 1 . T h e provisions of electronic scientific and technical information services (STI) — a basic resource for the
                      European research community and for industrial progress — will be stimulated and strengthened. T h e
                      Commission will build on recent initiatives in the areas of biotechnology information and engineering
                      materials data systems by creating a European cooperative network for biotechnology information a n d the
                      further development of material data services. These initiatives will aim at improving the availability, quality
                      and accessibility of European STI services through the creation of appropriate tools and structures which
                      will foster the integration of existing systems and services and a more efficient sharing of resources.
            4 . 2 . Information services development in strategically important market sectors will be stimulated and facilities
                      f o r cooperation will be made available. Where necessary the creation of embryonic structures will be
                      supported. In particular information services which are relevant t o Community policies o r internal market
                      operations will be stimulated. Harmonization efforts will be undertaken in n e w sectors in which
                      spontaneous but uncoordinated developments take place; in order t o stimulate cooperation and networking.
                      T h e areas of patent information, information o n standards, tourism and transport information, cultural
                      information, environment and health information, and the standardised production of digitized basic
                   ' geographical maps have been identified as sectors for Community action.
            4 . 3 . T h e strategic information projects may be extended a n d / o r reviewed in the course of programme
                      implementation on the basis of requirements identified by the I M O , of the results obtained at the mid-term
                      review of this- programme, and following close consultation with the information industry and the
                      programme's advisory body. T h e priority areas which had been identified f o r pilot/demonstration projects
                      under the previous Impact programme, but not yet developed so f a r , will be reviewed and action undertaken,
                      if market needs are confirmed.
            4 . 4 . Commercial ventures for the development of information products and services o n the basis of European
                      partnership, e.g. Groupement Europ6en d'Int£ret Economique (GEIE), will be stimulated by reducing the
                      financial burden involved in international cooperation. This will be applied in particular t o small and
                      medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). A support scheme will be provided for the preparation of international
                      projects, for joint ventures agreed by partners from different Member States and f o r the transfer of
                      know-how f r o m advanced t o less favoured regions of the Community. Closer cooperation between
                      European and national trade or professional organizations will be supported, as well as the involvement of
                      national focal points in order t o promote strategic projects and the creation of a n internal market f o r
                      information.
            4 . 5 . T h e Commission will explore the possible linking of relevant organizations in the Member States into a
                      networked media laboratory t o develop a European expertise in information product prototype
                      development for multimedia information services products, for promoting the exchange of experience and
                      the transfer of know-how, and for achieving synergy between publishers and system suppliers.
 ---pagebreak--- 28. 2. 91                                  Official Journal of the European Communities                                            N o C 53/69
           4.6. The taking off of the information market in less favoured regions depends on strategic information projects
                 with catalytic effects. Adequate national/regional initiatives will be encouraged through Community
                 support to projects with multiplier effect and elements of reproducibility on other geographical areas.
          4.7. ' Shared cost projects will be one of the main instruments of the Commission to boost the strategic information
                 initiatives. In some market sectors pilot and demonstration projects will be required to demonstrate new
                 development on a sufficiently wide scale and to achieve a catalytic effect on the development of European
                 information services which otherwise would remain inadequate in size, coverage and scope. These projects
                 will be defined in collaboration with users and/or industry.
                                                                ANNEX II
                                 INDICATIVE INTERNAL BREAKDOWN OF APPROPRIATIONS
                                                                                                                              in %
          1. Improving the understanding of the market                                                                      8—10
          2. Overcoming legal and administrative barriers                                                                   7    9
          3. Increasing user friendliness and improving information literacy                                              33 35
          4. Supporting strategic information initiatives                                                                 48—50
                                                               ANNEX III
                                     MODALITIES FOR PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION
           1. The Commission will implement the programme in accordance with the technical content specified in
               Annex I.
           2. The modalities for programme implementation will reflect the experience obtained with the implementation
               modalities of the previous Impact programme and taking into account the results of the evaluation report.
               This suggests an increased number of shared cost projects for horizontal activities, in particular with regard to
               investigations carried out by the IMO, and streaming of procedures with regard to the implementation of
               vertical actions to better respond to the constraints and interests of all kinds of market actors, and to increase
               and facilitate their participation in the programme.
           3. The modalities will comply with the Commission's administrative procedures, and with the criteria of
               maximum impact and efficiency, equality and objectivity. They will be designed not to distort competition
               and will be adapted to the specific aims of the various action lines of the programme.
          4. The project participants must be physical or legal persons established in the Community, or associations
               thereof, in particular European Economic Interest Groups (EEIG).
               Physical or legal persons from countries which have concluded agreements providing for cooperation in this
               programme can, on the basis of the criterium of mutual benefit, participate in projects in the framework of the
               present programme. These partners shall not benefit from the financial contribution of the Community. They
               will contribute to the general administrative cost!
 ---pagebreak---                                                                     I
N o C 53/70                                 Official Journal of the European Communities                                          _ 28. 2. 91
             5 . T h e selection of pilot and demonstration projects will normally be based o n the normal call for proposals
                 procedure which is published in the Official Journal of the European Communities. T h e procedures f o r the
                 implementation of the calls for proposals will be tailored t o each area and the specific subject needs. T h e
                 objectives will be defined by workplans developed in close consultation with the market actors and the
                 programme's Committee.
                 T h e main criteria in supporting projects through calls f o r proposals will be the impact in expanding the
                 market without distorting it. Special add-on incentives will be provided t o encourage participation of SMEs
                 and less favoured regions, as well as for the transfer of know-how.
             6 . T h e Commission might also implement a more flexible funding scheme than the call f o r proposals in order t o
                 provide incentives for the creation of European partnerships, in particular involving SMEs a n d organizations
                 in less favoured regions, or for other exploratory activities in different segments of the information market.
                 This scheme might be operated o n a continuous basis.
             7 . T h e Commission will m a k e provisions t o consider in exceptional cases unsolicited project proposals which
                 provide for a particularly promising and significant information market development, a new highly
                 innovative approach, an exceptional technology or methodology, and which cannot be submitted within the
                 normal call for proposals procedure. T h e objective of avoiding market distortion will be maintained.
             8. T h e modalities for the t w o latter procedures will be implemented in consultation with the programme's
                  Committee and in accordance with the Commission's financial Regulations. They will be published each year
                  in the Official Journal of the European Communities.
             9 . Projects fully financed by the Commission within the framework of study and service contracts will be
                  implemented through calls for tenders in accordance with the Commission's financial Regulations.
                  Transparency will be achieved by publishing and circulating regularly the w o r k programme t o trade
                  associations and other bodies.
            10. For the implementation of the programme the Commission will also undertake activities designed t o achieve
                  the general objectives of the programme and the specific ones of each action line. Such activities will include
                  workshops, seminars, conferences, studies, awareness campaigns, training courses, support schemes f o r
                  joint ventures, assistance t o national focal points and specific support for the LFR's information market
                  development.