Information society: European multimedia content industry, INFO 2000 multi-annual programme

OBJECTIVE: to adopt a multiannual Community programme with a view to: creating favourable conditions for the development of a European multimedia content industry; stimulating demand for, and use of, multimedia content; contributing to the professional, social and cultural development of citizens; and developing the exchange of know-how between users and suppliers. COMMUNITY MEASURE: Council Decision 96/339/EC adopting a multiannual Community programme to stimulate the development of a European multimedia content industry and to encourage the use of multimedia content in the new information society (INFO 2000). CONTENT: in order to attain the objectives of the INFO 2000 programme, the following actions shall be undertaken under the guidance of the Commission: - stimulating demand and raising awareness: creating new markets by raising the awareness of specific user groups at European level; developing pan-European user groups; - exploiting Europe's public sector information: developing policies to access and exploit public sector information; linking the directories of European public sector information; making use of content resources in the public sector; - triggering European multimedia potential: catalysing a new, high-quality European multimedia content; negotiating multimedia intellectual property rights; developing and exchanging best practices; - support actions: observing and analysing the market; promoting the use of standards; promoting skills at European level. The programme shall cover a period of four years (1 January 1996 to 31 December 1999), the financial reference amount for its implementation totalling ECU 65 million. In its implementation, the Commission shall be assisted by an advisory committee made up of representatives of the Member States and chaired by the Commission representative. The programme shall be executed through indirect action on a shared-cost basis (the Community's contribution should not exceed 50% of the cost of the project, with progressively lower contributions as the project nears the marketplace). The choice of projects will be based on the call for tender procedure published in the OJ. Participation in the programme may be opened, without financial support, to entities in third countries, where such participation contributes to the implementation of the programme, taking into account the principle of mutual benefit. After three years and at the end of the programme the Commission shall submit to the Council, the EP, the ESC and the Committee of the Regions an evaluation report drawn up by independent experts. ENTRY INTO FORCE: 1 January 1996. �