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EUROPEAN COMMISSION DIRECTORATE-GENERAL III INDUSTRY Information and Communications Office Convergence: Creating the Future EITC 97 European IT Conference & Exhibition Brussels, 24-26 November, Congress Centre Brussels, 7 November 1997 The convergence of broadcasting, telecommunications, publishing and information technologies presents a challenge to established business structures and practices, as well as to current ways of regulating and controlling media content. The European IT Conference & Exhibition (EITC 97) provides an opportunity to gain a better understanding of likely developments and of the issues involved. Organised by Esprit, the European Union's information technology programme, the three-day event is one of the year's largest gatherings of international IT and communications experts, with some 1500 attendees expected to throng the Brussels Congress Centre. The keynote speakers at this year's conference are Jorma Ollila, President and CEO of Nokia Group; Nicholas Negroponte, the Director of MIT’s Media Lab; and Etienne Davignon, Chair of Société Générale de Belgique and former EC Vice-President for research and industry. An introductory speech will be made by Stefano Micossi, the Director-General of DG III—Industry. Altered States: Debating the Future Control of New Media Speakers selected by the International Institute of Communications will present a range of perspectives on questions concerning the balance between market interests and government regulation and control of the new media. The panel is chaired by Robert R. Bruce, senior corporate partner in the London office of Debevoise & Plimpton, whose practice focuses on international telecommunications law. The panellists are: Robin Bomer, Director, Regulatory Affairs, MFS Communications; Anja Bundschuh, European Affairs, Association of Private Broadcasters and Telecommunications Operators (VRPT); Martin Cave, Professor of Economics and Vice-Principal, Brunel University; John Frank, Director, European Law & Corporate Affairs, Microsoft Europe; David Levy, Director, European Affairs, British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC); Philippe-Olivier Rousseau, Commissioner, Conseil Supérieur de l'Audiovisuel (CSA); Fabrizio Savi, Head, Regulatory Affairs, Telecom Italia; and Henrikas Yushkiavitshus, Assistant Director-General for Communications, Information & Informatics, UNESCO. More: www.cordis.lu/esprit/src/altered.htm /More Check the EITC 97 website on www.cordis.lu/esprit/src/eitc97.htm European IT Prize 97: three winners Jacques Santer, President of the European Commission, will present cheques for 200 000 ECU to each of the three winners of the 1997 European IT Prize competition in an awards ceremony conducted by Christine Ockrent. The three winners will be chosen from the following 25 finalists: Animation Science (F), Applied Spectral Imaging (ISR), Beilstein Informationssyteme (D), Bull CP8 (F), Calluna Technology (UK), CoWare (B), Cygron Research & Development (HU), Digital Vision DV (S), Elan Informatique (F), Gemplus (F), Graphisoft (HU), Hyperwave Information Management (D), Institute of Electronics and Computer Science (LV), INTELLART (CH), Intracom (GR), IVEE & Department of Computing Science, Chalmers University of Technology (S), LCI-SmartPen (NL), Metaphor Systems (N), Philips Magnetic Heads & Modules (NL), PixTech (F), Plustech (SF), Recognita Corporation (HU), SIMONE Research Group (CZ), Steinbeis Transferzentrum Medizinische Informatik (D), and Target Compiler Technologies (B). More: www.it-prize.org Focus on Convergence Focusing on the theme of Convergence, over 180 invited speakers will address not only the underpinning technologies involved and the changes looming in the way we work, play, trade, learn and socialise, but also issues such as multilingualism, content control and intellectual property rights. Hot topics covered include intelligent agents, push technologies, satellite delivery, learning technologies, electronic commerce, cybercommunities, software internationalisation, content labelling and IPR management. Workshops on the third day of the event cover the likely evolution of the World-Wide Web and of the Internet; knowledge management; IT for mobility; interactive electronic publishing; electronic imaging and the visual arts; demining technologies; space technologies; formal methods; and information society developments in Central and Eastern Europe, the new independent states of the former Soviet Union, and the Mediterranean region. More: www.cordis.lu/esprit/src/zygosis.htm Venture Capital Technological convergence is triggering a reshaping of the ICT and media industries, opening up many opportunities for innovators and investors. Access to Finance is for those looking for advice on getting an injection of venture capital, securing seed-money, or attracting equity stakeholders. Representative investment bankers, technology brokers, venture capitalists and entrepreneurs will take part in a series of case-study workshops, tutorials and panel-discussions oriented towards high-growth, high-tech companies. In the Investment Forum, hand-picked companies seeking investment or equity finance will be presenting their business cases and exhibiting their IT products to venture capitalists. More: www.cordis.lu/esprit/src/invest97.htm -2- Practical Applications In parallel with the conference, a Showcase Exhibition will vividly illustrate the leading-edge technologies and products stemming from work in Esprit and the many take-up and technology transfer measures fostered by the programme. The exhibition is open to non-delegates, and special provision is being made for visits by students from secondary schools in the Benelux region. The 80 stands incorporate the demonstrations by the European IT Prize finalists, and cover topics including medical and mobile applications; new interfaces; simulation in engineering; Internet security; geographic information systems; education and culture; quality management; management and control systems; 3D vision; speech and sound systems; and entertainment and broadcasting applications. More: www.cordis.lu/esprit/src/exhib97.htm Technologies for the Information Society The Information Society Technologies (IST) programme, one of the major components of the Commission's proposal for the Fifth Framework Programme running from 1998-2002, will have its first public presentation on the third day of EITC 97. The IST programme brings together and extends the current ACTS, Esprit and Telematics Applications programmes to provide a single and integrated programme that reflects the convergence of information processing, communications and media, and responds to the need to integrate R&D and take-up actions. More: www.cordis.lu/esprit/src/eitcist.htm -EndsNotes for Editors The Information Society is the name given to the European Union's response to the revolution in society triggered by the recent rapid developments in information and communications technologies. More: www.ispo.cec.be Esprit is the European Union's information technologies RTD programme. Its mission is to support an integrated programme of industrial R&D and technology transfer in information technologies, with the aim of helping improve the competitiveness of all European industry. More: www.cordis.lu/esprit/home.html The European IT Prize is organised jointly by the Esprit programme and Euro-CASE (European Council of Applied Sciences and Engineering). It aims to reward excellence in converting innovative RTD results into marketable products. Three Grand Prize Winners will receive 200 000 ECU, and 25 finalists will receive 5 000 ECU. More: www.it-prize.org Note to TV editors: Cameras and editing facilities will be available at the Congress Centre for stations wishing to cover the European IT Prize ceremony on 25 November. This and other events on 25 November will be broadcast via satellite (soundtrack in five languages) throughout Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. For details, see -3- www.cordis.lu/esprit/src/eitc97tv.htm or contact Peter Panayotis Vekinis, fax + 32 (2) 296-92-29, e-mail [email protected] Note to Web editors: Please link to www.cordis.lu/esprit/src/eitc97.htm (EITC 97 home page) and to the webcast (on 25 November) via www.cordis.lu/esprit/src/eitc97wb.htm For further information, please contact: DG III Information and Communications Office tel +32 (2) 296 65 49 - fax +32 (2) 299 19 26 Visit the PRESS ROOM on the World-Wide Web www.cordis.lu/esprit/src/eitc97pr.htm Annexes: - EITC 97 at a glance: programme summary -4-