Commission seeks stakeholder input in five year assessment of IST research

Brussels, 28 Jul 2004

The Commission has called on all stakeholders involved in information society technologies (IST) research to contribute to its five year assessment of EU IST research, and thereby help to shape the priorities for IST research under the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7).

The five year assessment is being drawn up by a panel of independent experts, and will look at the implementation, effectiveness, achievements and impact of EU investment in IST research from 1999 to 2003. The panel had already produced an interim report, the findings of which will act as the basis for the stakeholder consultation.

The interim assessment states that it is vital that Europe should support an IST programme at EU level 'so as to foster productivity and competitiveness while enhancing and maintaining leadership in key IST areas.' It also argues that pan-European cooperation in IST research between industry, government and academia must be stepped up.

The panel has also identified a number of problem areas that need to be addressed, such as the 'unsatisfactory impact' of the new FP6 instruments on certain categories of participant, including small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and organisations from the new Member States. Also of concern according to the panel is the need to better adapt management procedures to ensure the efficient implementation of the IST research programme.

In particular, the expert panel is seeking stakeholders' views on:
- the appropriate mix of instruments for IST research under FP7;
- which specific research communities to involve in IST research;
- measures to strengthen the European Research Area (ERA) in the field of IST;
- measures that could improve synergies between IST research and other information society policies;
- recommendations on intellectual property rights and standardisation to enhance the impact of IST research;
- the governance of the future programme.

The consultation will be open until 31 August, and contributions will be discussed with the panel at a stakeholder consultation workshop in Brussels on 9 September. The five year assessment report will be finalised by the panel in the last quarter of 2004.

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