Krister OlsonKrister OlsonEuropean CommissionEuropean Commission

Directorate General Information SocietyDirectorate General Information SocietyContent, Multimedia Tools & Markets Content, Multimedia Tools & Markets

European Digital Content on the Global Networks

The political context, eEurope

• eEurope initiative (December ‘99)– Helsinki summit 10-11 December– Lisbon special summit 23-24 March 2000

• eEurope action plan– Feira summit 19-20 June 2000

• Progress report to Stockholm European Council (23-24 March 2001)

Setting ambitious targets

Context and BackgroundContext and Background

political background

“ “ Content industries create added Content industries create added value by exploiting value by exploiting

and networking and networking European cultural diversity.”European cultural diversity.”

content plays a key role

economic importance of content

Sheer size4 million employees 412 b€ - 5% of the EU GNP

Growth rateUp to 20% per yearJob creation engine: up to 1 million new jobs by 2005

eEurope Action Plan· A cheaper, faster, secure Internet· Investing in people and skills· Stimulate the use of the Internet

RationaleRationale

Political imperative: Improve Europe’s presence on the internet

– more, better and more diverse content

Economic imperative: Enhance competitiveness and export

– Facilitate design and production of “global” (localisable) products; reduce cost & shorten time-to-market

– Enable provision of services tailored to national and linguistic communities

– Enable implementation of ‘think global, act local’ strategies

RationaleRationale

Europe has

...but it is

Rich content baseLong publishing

tradition

Technical strengths World ranking players

Lagging in e-publishing

and content-boundcommerce

CONCLUSIONS

• Digital content is a key enabler of the Information Society

• Cultural diversity in Europe merits special attention

• Mobile telephony opens new challenges for content providers and technology companies

eContent ProgrammeeContent Programme

• Adopted by the Council on 22/12/2000

• Published in the O.J. on 18/1/2001

• 100 M€ over 4 years

• 3 Action lines

The eContent ProgrammeThe eContent Programme

Objectives Improve Europe’s content presence on the global networks Increase information supply

Use of public sector information

Support start-ups and innovative SME 

Enhance competitiveness and export• Enable the implementation of “think global, act local” strategies • Enable provision of services tailored to national and linguistic communities• Reduce cost and shorten time-to-market

Time frame: Jan 2001 - Jan 2005Budget: 100 MEURO

A market oriented programmeA market oriented programme

Stimulating the development and use of

European digital content on the global networks

and promoting the linguistic diversity

in the Information Society

A market oriented programmeA market oriented programme

• develop solutions based on available technology

• focus on market implementation of the content potential

• experiment with new business models and partnerships

• focus on a structural outcome, e.g. increasing awareness of and access to available capital markets for entrepreneurs.

• focus on partnerships and mechanisms for adding value and innovative and cost effective customization strategies, wider market penetration and exploitation prospects,

• dissemination activities

Working definitionsWorking definitions

Information published on any internet platform, from the web to wireless devices, to internet

appliances and broadband Television

Digital content

Defined through its functionand context; information, interactive, transaction, education, entertainment

and lifelong learning ...

Content

Intended scopeIntended scope

Target groups• private- and public-sector content providers• content aggregators and distributors• network operators and IT vendors• suppliers of internet translation/localisation services• providers of e-commerce and globalisation solutions• business angels and incubators, associations …

Online content, interactive services• web, mobile and broadband (video) content• “global” design, localisation, personalisation• business and revenue models, quality vs. cost

Main thrustMain thrust

• Stimulate business innovation, search for new business models, sharing of good practice

• Build transnational and cross-sectoral partnerships

• Foster technology take-up insofar as it helps enhance business capabilities

• Improve awareness and lower barriers to the entry of new players

eContent ProgrammeeContent Programme

2. Upcoming Calls 2001 : call for cost-shared projects

call for accompanying and prospective actions

1. Preparatory Actions29 feasibility projects totalling 9 MEuro due

to start Jan 2001

• Prepare the grounds for the eContent programme

• Mobilise or expand target groups

• Use results for the definition of further actions

• Establish best practices; sharing of experience

• Emphasis on dissemination activities

Preparatory actions : objectives

The workprogramme 2001 - 2002The workprogramme 2001 - 2002

• Two year workprogramme defining the priorities for the action lines

• Typology of supported projects and actions– Definition phase

– Demonstration projects

– Accompanying measures

– Grants

– Service Contracts

• Schedule & logic of calls until the end of 2002

Linking policy & experimentation

The first callThe first call

• Priorities:

– Establish a solid project portofolio

– Kick start the two major action lines

– Find adequate support & accompanying measures for:• The projects• The dissemination of the results

– Test and understand market directions

23 MEURO available

Flexible implementationFlexible implementation

• Demonstration projects

Fixed deadline calls – eg 4-5 partners, 20-30 months, up to 1-2 mEuro

• Definition-phase projects

Open scheme (continuous submission) – eg 3 partners, 9-12 months, up to 0.25 mEuro

• Accompanying measures and Grants

Open scheme

• Procurement actions (eg studies)

via calls for tenders

eContent WorkProgrammeeContent WorkProgrammeType of action Type of

callTypicalDuration

Typicalpartners

Typical EUcontribution

Cost-SharedProjects

Demonstrationsprojects

Fixeddeadlines

Up to 30months (typ.24)

3-8Up to 2 Meuro50% funding

Definition-Phaseprojects

Continuoussubmission

Up to 12Months 2-4

Up to 250 Keuro50% funding

Accompa-nyingmeasures

Best practice,guides SMEmeasures,communitybuilding

Continuoussubmission

Up to 36months(typ. 18-24)

1-4Up to 1 MeuroUp to100%funding

Grants Third partiesconferences,workshops…

ContinuousSubmission

Up to 6months

1 Up to 100 Keuro

Studies& Servicecontracts

Studies, surveysProject clusteringand concertation

Call fortenders

Up to 24months

1-2 100% funding

Programme levelawareness anddissemination

Call fortenders

Up to 36Months

1-2 100% funding

3 intertwined action lines3 intertwined action lines

• AL 1 : Improving access to and expanding the use of public sector information (40% - 45%)

• AL 2 : Enhancing content production in a multilingual and multicultural environment (40% - 45%)

• AL 3 : Increasing dynamism of the digital content market (10% - 15%)

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

Budget

AL1AL2AL3

AL1 sublines:

• Promote private-public partnerships

• Establish European PSI data collections AL2 sublines:

• Foster new partnerships and strategies

• Strengthen infrastructure (skills, tools and data) AL3 sublines:

• Bridge the gap between content industries and capital markets

• Stimulate online, cross-border trading of multimedia rights

Action linesAction lines

Action Line 1Action Line 1A broad OverviewA broad Overview

AL 1 - Context AL 1 - Context The market barriersThe market barriers

Public Sector Information is hardly exploited in the EU• No common legal framework for re-using the information

• No experience of public-private collaboration

• No common principles for storing the information

• No common meta-data

Strong competitive disadvantages vis-à-vis the US• Public sector information: important basis for the American

digital industries

• A clear and comprehensive policy on access and exploitation

Important for citizens:

• Bringing citizens closer to administrations

• Important in the democratic process

Important for business:

• Essential to make business strategies

• Crucial for taking advantage of the internal market rights

And in particular for the content industries:

• Source for new information products (aggregation)

PIRA study (sept. 2000) confirms the importance

Important for citizens and business

Action Line 1: Public Sector InformationAction Line 1: Public Sector Information

Expanding the information supply

• Increase the supply of EU content on the net

• Encourage partnerships between the public and private sector

• Support early experimentation

– Experimental projects

– Pan - European Data Collections

– Strong link with the political actions• eGovernment

AL1 main scope Expanding the information supplyExpanding the information supply

• Encourage partnerships between the public and private sector

• Support early experimentation – Experimental projects - expand INFO2000 early

trial and preparatory actions

– Pan - European Data Collections

– Strong link with the political actions

Attention for new Member States and Attention for new Member States and mobile applicationsmobile applications

The basis: Policy actionsThe basis: Policy actions

The infrastructure: Meta-data and ‘data-sniffer’ tools

Concrete examples of public/private partnerships and

digital data collections

Action line 1, overview

AL1.1 - Experimental projects Key: Public private partnerships, segments amongst others

• legal/administrative data,• financial/economic data,

• culture, archives, entertainment information material,

• geographic data (including land and property, traffic information, environmental data, meteo, and oceanographic data),

• services at the local level (education, health etc.),

• scientific and technical information

Players• content creators, packagers, aggregators• public sector organisations holding the information

Implementation means first call• definition-phase projects• accompanying measures

Action line 1.2 Pan - European Data CollectionsAction line 1.2 Pan - European Data Collections

Segments and type of activities• Segments as in 1.1 (open approach)

• Establishing common agreed meta-data in key public sector information areas.

• Setting up “data sniffer” tools

• Providing pilot examples of European digital data collections

Players• content creators, packagers, aggregators• public sector organisations holding the information

Implementation means first call• Demonstration projects• Definition-phase projects• Accompanying measures

Action Line 2Action Line 2A broad OverviewA broad Overview

AL2 contextAL2 context

a market of 370 million

customers- different languages

- different consumers habits.

How to bring access ?

A multilingual and multicultural strategy can make the difference !

“ “ web users stay twice as long and are three times

as likely to buy from sites presented

in their native language””( Gartner sept. 2000 )( Gartner sept. 2000 )

AL2: Main ScopeAL2: Main Scope

Fostering new partnerships between the content and language industries

Design, production, distribution of high quality content

in a multilingual and multicultural environment

Stimulate business innovation and disseminate best practice

A process and best-practice orientated programme

AL2 - Building innovative partnershipsAL2 - Building innovative partnerships Segments

• commercial’ web (portals, vertical/consumer)

• corporate’ web (marketing/retailing/customer care)

• mobile services (WAP through GPRS etc)

AL2 - Market enabling actionsAL2 - Market enabling actions Segments

industry best practice (case studies, publications, events ) actions aiming at new entrants guidelines for linguistic and cultural customisation industry-owned web portal (resources, surveys, data tools…) awards for multilingual / multicultural information and transaction services broad market survey

AL2 - Building innovative partnershipsAL2 - Building innovative partnerships

Segments

• commercial’ web (portals, vertical/consumer)

• corporate’ web (marketing/retailing/customer care)

• mobile services (WAP through GPRS to UMTS)

• streaming media, broadband video …

Players

• content creators, packagers and distributors

• providers of language services and solutions

• suppliers of internet and globalisation services

Implementation means

• demonstration projects

• definition-phase projects

AL2 - Tailoring the Language AL2 - Tailoring the Language Infrastructure to the market needsInfrastructure to the market needs

customisation tools Segments

• IT Tools

• Softwares tools (workflow, versioning ...)

• cross-lingual content search/gathering/gisting Players

• suppliers of language and localisation services

(including subtitling and dubbing)

• IT developers and integrators providing multilingual

technology

• Providers of IT solutions and tools for workflow automation and quality control management

Implementation means

• Demonstration projects

AL2 - Tailoring the Language AL2 - Tailoring the Language Infrastructure to the market needsInfrastructure to the market needs

the skills gap – trained professionals

Segments

• Training actions, stages, self-training packages in :

• Multimedia , management, engineering Players

• Internet translation and localisation companies

• training centres

• business schools Implementation means

• demonstration projects

• accompanying measures

Language coverageLanguage coverage

Official EU and EFTA-EEA languages Languages of accession (C&EE) countries

• funding of non-EU partners conditional on national

participation in the programme Non-EU languages where justified by Community

interest and export potential

• funding limited to EU partners Other European languages on a project-by-project basis

• nationally recognised languages

• upcoming dedicated programme (ARCHIPEL) for regional and minority languages

Action Line 3Action Line 3A broad OverviewA broad Overview

• Gap between venture capitalists and content firms

• High-tech investments in the EU less than in the US

• Non-mature risk culture - but capital abundant

• EU wide IPR trading still a major issue

• Market transparency lacking

• Competitive disadvantages vis-à-vis the US

The problem

AL3 -Increasing dynamism AL3 -Increasing dynamism of the digital content marketof the digital content market

1 Bridging the gap between digital content industries and capital markets

2 Rights trading between digital content market players

3 Developing and sharing a common vision

4 Support actions

• Dissemination, web, conferences, showcasing, strategic studies

• Overall 10 - 15% of the budget

Action: enabling the market to function

AL3 - Increasing dynamism AL3 - Increasing dynamism of the digital content marketof the digital content market

Two types of actions:• 3.1.1. Awareness of available business tools

Support experiments with preparation of business plans (2nd call)

• 3.1.2 Networks, partnerships and services Network players to increase fund

brokerage of digital content (3rd call) Accompanying measures 3.1.3

• Conferences, workshops, showcasing (Continuous submission)

• Dissemination and results

Bridging the gap between digital content industries and capital markets

AL3 -Increasing dynamism AL3 -Increasing dynamism of the digital content marketof the digital content market

Dissemination Increase awareness Promote exchanges

• encourage exchange of information and best practice

• support dissemination of expertise

• new ways to bring together ideas and funds

• examine and address market obstacles

• build on / complement existing initiatives

3.1.3 Accompanying measures

Bridging the gap between digital content industries and capital markets

AL3 - Increasing dynamism AL3 - Increasing dynamism of the digital content marketof the digital content market

Players e-content related • Information companies and Internet companies

particularly SMEs, entrepreneurs, starts-ups,

• professional and industrial associations, networks, market analysts and management consultants,

• partnerships forums, associations for business angels, venture capital etc; incubator-type organisations,

• regional development centres, universities, business schools and research institutes,

• magazines, newspapers etc.

AL 3.1.3 Accompanying measures

AL3 - Increasing dynamism AL3 - Increasing dynamism of the digital content marketof the digital content market

Two main lines:

• 3.3.1 Digital Content Observatory

Preparatory study in 2001

• 3.3.2 Strategic studies

Every two years

Mobile Multimedia in 2001

3.3 Developing and sharing a common vision

AL3 - Increasing dynamism AL3 - Increasing dynamism of the digital content marketof the digital content market

Players e-content related • Information and Internet companies,

entrepreneurs, starts-ups, business angels, venture capitalists and incubators,

• public authorities, private associations, networks, market analysts and management consultants,

• regional development centres, universities, schools research institutes etc.

AL 3.4 Dissemination of Results

AL 3.4.1 Accompanying measures

eContent Road MapeContent Road MapIndicativePublicationdate

Indicativeclosing date

Open ALLines

Type of call Evaluationresults toproposers

IndicativeBudget(Meuro)

15 March2001

15 June 2001 1.2.1, 2.1.1,2.2.1, 2.2.3

Fixed deadlinesDemonstrationprojects

Sept, 2001 15-16

15 March2001

31 December 2002

1.1.2,1.2.2,2.1.2, 2.1.3,3.1.3,3.4.1

ContinuousSubmissionDefinition-phase projectsAccompanyingmeasures,grants

Sept, 2001

thenquarterly

8-9

1 November2001

1 February2001

1.1.1,2.1.1,2.2.1,2.2.3,2.2.4,3.1.1,3.2.1

Fixed deadlineDemonstrationprojects

March 2002 23-24

15 September2002

15 December2002

1.2.1,2.1.1,2.2.2,2.2.4,3.1.2

Fixed deadlineDemonstrationProjects

February2003

23-24

1 January2003

31 May 2004 p.m. Continuoussubmission,definition-phase projects,accompanyingmeasures,grants

April 2003,Thenquarterly

p.m.

Calls Timetable 2001 - 2002Calls Timetable 2001 - 2002 First Call

• March 15 Publication• June 15 Call closure• September 20 Evaluation• November Negotiation• January, 2002 Contract

Second call• October 15 Publication• January 15 Call closure• February 3 Evaluation• April Negotiation• June Contract

Who can participate ?Who can participate ?

Countries

• 15 EU Member States

• EFTA : Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway

• Third countries : in accordance with corresponding agreements

• Organisations

• Public

• Private

• Non-profit...

ConsortiaConsortia

• Convergent interests

• Complementary skills

• Active and balanced involvement

• as well as ...

– ability and commitment to exploit results

– market responsiveness

– user base and orientedness

viability beyond EU-funded activities

Key features of a EU projectKey features of a EU project

Multi-nation, multi-party “consortium”

• 3 - 8 partners (contractors) from 2-6 countries

• lead partner liaises with and reports to EC

• third parties allowed as sub-contractors Cost sharing (EC contribution 50-100 %) and

risk sharing (projects can fail) Results belong to the consortium members IPR agreed between partners Dissemination of non-proprietary information

Right sizing Right sizing

Consortium• Average: 3-8 partners from 3-6 countries

(depending on the action line and type of project) EU funding

• 0.25 - 2 Meuros, depending on project type and intended scope & impact

Duration• Average: 12-30 months

RemindersReminders

Make sure your Programme information is up to date:• Programme Decision

• 2001-2002 Work programme

• OJ Call notice

• Guide for proposers and associated Forms

• Action Line specific background Notes

• Model contract and general Conditions

When in doubt, contact the Programme office or consult the Programme website

Use the pre-proposal submission facility to check relevance and eligibility

Further informationFurther information

http://www.cordis.lu/econtenthttp://www.cordis.lu/econtent

eeContentContent

Help deskHelp deskeContent@cec.eu.inteContent@cec.eu.int

Pre-proposalsPre-proposalsinfso-calls.econtent@cec.eu.intinfso-calls.econtent@cec.eu.int