Decision 1998/253 - 98/253/EC: Council Decision of 30 March 1998 adopting a multiannual Community programme to stimulate the establishment of the Information Society in Europe (Information Society) - Main contents

official title

 

Legal instrument	Decision
Number legal act	Decision 1998/253
Original proposal	COM(1996)592
CELEX number i	31998D0253

Avis juridique important

|

98/253/EC: Council Decision of 30 March 1998 adopting a multiannual Community programme to stimulate the establishment of the Information Society in Europe (Information Society)

Official Journal L 107 , 07/04/1998 P. 0010 - 0015

COUNCIL DECISION of 30 March 1998 adopting a multiannual Community programme to stimulate the establishment of the Information Society in Europe (Information Society) (98/253/EC)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 235 thereof,

Having regard to the Commission proposal (1),

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (2),

• (1) 

  Whereas the establishment of the Information Society can, by introducing new forms of economic, political and social relations, help the Community to cope with the challenges of the next century, in particular the creation of new jobs, as indicated in the White Paper on 'Growth, competitiveness and employment - the challenges and ways forward into the 21st century`;

• (2) 

  Whereas the European Council in Corfu on 24 and 25 June 1994 took note of the recommendations of the High Level Group on the Information Society as presented in the report 'Europe and the Global Information Society` and the Commission established an action plan consisting of concrete measures at both Community and Member States level;

• (3) 

  Whereas the European Council in Florence on 21 and 22 June 1996 underlined the potential of the Information Society for education and training, for the organisation of work and for employment creation;

• (4) 

  Whereas the pace of progress in the development of the Information Society depends to a large extent on the awareness, understanding and support by citizens and public and private organisations, of the possibilities of applications of new information and communication technologies to service people's and business' needs;

• (5) 

  Whereas the establishment of the Information Society will require availability, for each citizen, company or public organisation, in every part of the Community, of information of any nature they need;

• (6) 

  Whereas the establishment of the Information Society will gradually reorganise the nature and content of human activity in all areas, and have important cross-sectoral effects in areas of activity hitherto independent;

• (7) 

  Whereas the measures necessary for the implementation of the Information Society have to take into account the economic and social cohesion of the Community as well as continuity in the functioning of the internal market;

• (8) 

  Whereas the definition of these measures requires preparatory analyses, aimed at improving understanding of the various fields which may be affected by Community actions related to the Information Society;

• (9) 

  Whereas the first interim report of the High Level Expert Group on the Social and Societal Aspects of the Information Society of January 1996 contained a set of first reflections in view of the preparation of a final report;

• (10) 

  Whereas the first annual report of the Information Society Forum to the Commission of June 1996 recommended that the Commission should launch European Union-wide awareness raising initiatives, promote actions best suited for the promotion of best practices, promote the use of new technologies, give extra attention to explore the economic and social implications of the Information Society, and to ensure that people with disabilities have equal access to the Information Society;

• (11) 

  Whereas the Commission on 24 July 1996 adopted a Green Paper on 'Living and Working in the Information Society: People First`, which is intended to deepen the political, social and civil dialogue on the most important social and societal aspects of the Information Society; in the light...

This text has been adopted from EUR-Lex.

This page is also available in a full version containing the legal context, de Europese rechtsgrond, other dossiers related to the dossier at hand and the related cases of the European Court of Justice.