Library cooperation with
Central and Eastern Europe

Updated: 08 JAN 99

Introduction	First time users/Comments/Contact information
Library actions	Useful websites on Central and Eastern Europe
Initiatives, calls, events and publications	Resources
Links to other relevant www sites	CEE News Archive

News

We would like to share with you interesting news from different sources: human, printed, electronic (Contributions to bmorganti@ip.lu )

The following news items are extracted inter alia from:

• CORDIS Focus
• EBLIDA
• Together in Europe - European Union Newsletter for Central Europe
• European Dialogue

• Commission approves financing of TACIS 1998 cross-border cooperation programme 
  The European Commission haa approved financing of ECU 30 million under the TACIS1998 cross-border cooperation programme. The amount of ECU 30 million will fund 12 projects which concern Russian, Ukrainian, Belarussian and Moldavian regions at the borders with Finland, Central European countries and th eBaltic sea frontier.
• EU and Russia signed declaration on cooperation in the field of the Information Society 
  On 23 November the Deputy Chaiman of the Russian Federation Vladimir Bulgak, and  the Industrial Affairs European Commissioner Martin Bangemann signed a Joint Declaration on cooperation between the European Union and Russia in the field of the Information Society. The Joint declaration aims at intensifying  the cooperation in sectors like telecommunications and electronic commerce as well as encouraging joint initiatives for the use of information and communication technologies in the private sector.
• EU Official opening of  the accession negotiations with the first group 
  On 10 November the European Union opened accession negotiations at ministerial level with the six countries of the first group, namely: Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Poland and Slovenia. Accession of Hungary is scheduled for 2002 and accession of the other countries of the first group is scheduled for 2003.
• In response to the overwhelming success of the European Commission's DG1A Phare and Tacis Information Centre , a more permanet and efficient e-mail service has been established.
  The new e-mail address is: phare.tacis@dg1a.cec.be .
  
• The Ideal*IST project 
  A new partner finding initiative under the Esprit progamme is being developed for theFifth Framework Programme , covering specifically the IST programme. The Ideal*IST service will include Eastern European partners and will cover those states applying to join the EU (Poland, Hungary, Slovenia, the Czech Republic and Estonia) who may be able to participate in FP5 on a similar basis to existing Member States. It will also inlude other CEE countries including former USSR states, who may be able to participate through the INCO-Copernicus fund.
  Contact: Sue Greig, Singleimage, UK partner in the Ideal*IST project. 
  Tel: 01480 497712 
  Fax: 01480 497714
  E-mail: singleimage@compuserve.com
• Participation of the 12 candidate countries to the Fifth Framework Programme 
  The Council of Research Ministers authorised on 13 October the European Commission to negotiate with the 12 candidate countries their participation in the Fifth Framework Programme for research and technological development. The objective is to enable research institutes, enterprises and universities in the candidate countries to participate under the same conditions as organisations from EU Member States. In exchange, those countries would be asked to contribute to the budget of the Fifth Framework Programme. All 12 candidate countries expressed their wish to participate fully in the programme.
• EC approval of  national 1998 Phare Programme for Romania 
  The European Commission approved on 20 October the national 1998 Phare Programme for Romania, with a budget of ECU 106,6 million. The Phare Programme supports the process of economic transformation and strengthening of democracy in the partner countries of Central and Eastern Europe. The programme also represents the financial instrument of the European Union's pre-accession strategy. The European Commission has also approved a financial memorandum to co-fund certain regional development activities for a total of ECU 4,25 million. With this new aid, the overall budget of Phare assistance granted to Romania since 1990 adds up to ECU 950 million.

  CEE countries participating in the 5th Framework Programme 
  5th Framework Programme for Research will be opened up to the 10 accession countries of Central and Eastern Europe. Organisations from these countries would participate in the Programme on essentially the same conditions as EU partners. The main problem is the financial contribution required from the C&EE countries. It is proposed that reduced contributions may be paid in the early years, and that some funding may be made available through the national PHARE programmes. It is hoped that negotiations can be concluded in time for the launch of the 5th FWP. In order to ensure maximum participation from the C&EE countries, it is envisaged to promote awareness of the opportunities through conferences, training seminars, brochures and information on the WWW.

• EU Training, Education and Youth Programmes 
  EU Training, Education and Youth Programmes are opening for participation by Latvia and Estonia. This includes LEONARDO DA VINCI , Youth for Europe and SOCRATES. A proposal for participation has also been made for Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and the Slovak Republic. Latvia will furthermore also be able to participate in the cultural programme RAPHAEL until the programme ends in 2000.
• European Copyright User Platform extension 
  The European Copyright User Platform ( ECUP+ ) will be extended to cover all Eastern and Central European countries that have signed agreements with the European Union (Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia). The Co-ordinator of CECUP will be EBLIDA (European Bureau of Library, Information and Documentation Associations).
• PHARE assistance to Poland in 1998 
  The revised budget of ECU 178 million will be allocated as follows:
  • ECU 79 million to cross border cooperation projects and other EU programmes such as TEMPUS for cooperation in higher education
  • ECU 69 million to pre-accession projects including preparation for participation in Structural Funds
  • ECU 30 million to support regional and social measures
• Cultural Programmes 
  The European Commission has adopted proposals that Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and the Slovak Republic can participate in the EC cultural programmes as from 1998. The three main EU programmes are Ariane ,Kaleidoscope and Raphael . The countries would pay their participation costs partly from national budgets, and partly from PHARE funding.
• SME Programme 
  Central and Eastern European countries can participate in the 3rd Multiannual Programme for SMEs, 1.1.1997 - 31.1.2000. The countries concerned, who have confirmed interest, are: Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia. The programme provides the basis for actions which aim at raising the awareness of SMEs to the challenges of a business strategy which increases their competitive position.
• INCO-Copernicus - Final results of the 1997 call for proposals .
  A total of 204 new research projects will be launched as a result of the second call for proposals under the INCO - Copernicus programme for scientific cooperation with the countries of Central and Eastern Europe and the Newly Independent States. 1300 proposals were originally submitted. 6 proposals fall within the sector Advanced Communications and Telematics Applications.

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