The Action Plan for the Development of the Euro-Mediterranean Information Society

1. The Action Plan for the Development of theEuro-Mediterranean Information Society

2. The Action Plan for the Euro-Mediterranean Information Society Dialogue Measures Awareness events (Med. I.S. Forum) Telecom Sector Regulatory Reforms « New Approaches to Telecom Policy » Pilot I.S. Projects EUMEDIS Consensus Building Identification of Issues Deployment of Infrastructure Public/Private Partnerships Deployment of Applications Development of the Mediterranean Content

3. The Mediterranean Information Society Forum • Represents the Civil Society • Meets twice a year (depending on budg. Availability) • Composed of three national representatives from each MED Part. from the university, private sector, trade unions, associations, NGOs, media etc. - two representatives from each EU Member State • Advises the E.U. and the Mediterranean partners on the implementation of the EUMEDIS initiative and on the future I.S. strategies • Co-operates with the European I.S. Forum

4. New Approaches to Telecom Policy • A project of € 2.5 Mio has been launched on 01.01.2000 • Mission: • to hold regional telecommunications fora (3) • to hold technical workshops (3) • to organise study tours and on-the-job training • to provide training seminars for regional policy makers (5) • to facilitate the collection and exchange of information on the telecommunication sector by creating a « Virtual Mediterranean Telecommunications Observatory » • Accent on : • sector reforms - competition • regulation • The project implementation is monitored by a National Contact Point

5. The regulatory situation and tele-density in Meda

6. Main Sub-Marine Cables

7. Major Satellite Systems Eutelsat Thuraya Arabsat Astra

8. Origins and preparation of the EUMEDIS Initiative Origins • Implements the broad Barcelona Declaration principles on the role of information and communication technologies in the Euro-Mediterranean co-operation context. • Represents the materialization of the common willingness to co-operate in the I.S.field expressed by the Mediterranean Ministers in the Rome Ministerial Conference ( May 1996). Preparation • Is the result of 3 years of consultations with the Mediterranean countries, through more than a dozen Workshops and Conferences notably the EUROMEDNET98 Conference held in Nicosia Cyprus, on March 4th-7th 1998.

9. Beneficiaries of the project Primary Targets • Universities, • Hospitals, • Chambers of Commerce and industrial Federations, • SMIs; SMEs • Public Administrations at national and local level • Public and Private Research Centers, • Museums, Cultural Sites • NGO Secondary Target • The Public at large, particularly users of public services in the five targeted sectors of intervention.

10. Sectors of Intervention • Information and communication technologies applied to Education, • Electronic Commerce and Economic Co-operation, • Health Care Networks, • Multimedia Access to Cultural Heritage and Tourism, • Research applied in industry and innovation

11. Activities of the EUMEDIS Initiative • Total funding of the initiative 55,9 Meuro EC Contribution 45 Meuro (80%) of the project costs Proponents Contribution 20% • Strand One Availability of basic resources for the development of the Euro-Mediterranean Information Society. • Strand Two Support to “mission critical” pilot projects for the development of the Euro-Mediterranean Information Society.

12. Strand One • Support to a network of I.S. Focus Points and development of I.S. Strategies • Mediterranean Information Society Forum • Internet Protocol Interconnection Initiative • Costs related to the project management Audit/Evaluation,Information and awareness

13. Strand One I.P. Interconnection Initiative Description • Beneficiaries A Euro-Med. Consortium of National Research Network Centers. • Implementation Through call for tender to be issued in the first semester of 2000 : - for the implementation of the Internet network services, the creation of a high bandwidth ring around the Mediterranean which will be used by all pilot projects launched under the EUMEDIS initiative. - The contractors will offer connectivity through all available infrastructures (satellite, wireless/hertzian,submarine, terrestrial).

14. Strand Two 35,0 MECUs (ind.budget) Calls to be published in Feb. 2000 Regional I.S.Pilot Projects for the following sectors • Information and communication technologies applied to Education • Electronic Commerce and Economic Cooperation • Health Care Networks • Multimedia Access to Cultural Heritage and Tourism, • Research applied in industry and innovation

15. Projects must have a regional dimension Project proposals should be presented by a consortium composed of at least two entities coming from two different E.U. Member States and a group of Mediterranean entities covering the largest number possible of Mediterranean Partners (Algeria, Cyprus, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Malta, Morocco, the Palestinian Authority, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey). Proposals involving the 12 Mediterranean Partners will receive priority Eligibility Rules

16. Pilot Projects: Selection Criteria

17. EU Support to the Focal Points(strand one) • The Mediterranean Focal Points will be Governmental organizations or research institutions with a high level of expertise in the I.S. fields of application. • The Information Society Focal Point mission will be to help local actors find ideas and partners for the development of a pilot project. I.S.F.P. will foster the development of a national I.S. strategy. • The grant will only cover the marginal costs of the Euro-Mediterranean co-operation activities. These may be linked to: • the creation of a web server (if missing), • creation of a newsletter, • payment of missions, • payment of the marginal costs of an information day for the launch of the programme • The Focal Point will develop an Action Plan with the Commission

18. Wrap up: activities and groups EU Members MED Members Forum MED Focal Points EU Focal Points EUMEDIS EU Focal Points MED Focal Points NEW APPROACHES