FOREWORD
While considerable knowledge is available for transport telematics1-related issues in the European Union (EU), in the area of environment telematics the empirical basis is unsatisfactory. For Central and East European countries (CEE), little or no information on the current status and framework of the implementation of telematics is available.
CAPE (Co-ordinated Action for Pan-European Transport and Environment Telematics Implementation Support) is an EU funded project and "accompanying measure" of the Telematics Applications Programme and INCO (International Cooperation) Programme. It has been funded under the EU's 4th Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (1994-1998). CAPE aims to encourage greater use of telematics or Information Society Technologies (IST) in the EU and CEE. The project is meant to generate a number of products that will serve local self-governments across Europe while helping the European Commission (EC) facilitate the implementation of telematics solutions at the municipal and district level.
CAPE's goals are twofold:
First, the project aims to benefit local self-governing authorities in CEE and the EU by raising their awareness of telematics applications and facilitating their implementation at the local level.
In CEE countries, CAPE will target those local self-governing authorities who have an immediate need for applying efficient and low-cost telematics systems in the areas of transport and environment. In EU countries, CAPE will focus on those authorities not yet fully aware of the potentials of advanced telematics for environmental management.
Project results will be disseminated through:
- completion of a good practice guide in environment and transport telematics implementation (represented by this report);
- conferences serving as dissemination events;
- workshops that serve as an opportunity to exchange information and experiences, and build networks between the EU and CEE;
- an Internet web page which serves as part of the related dissemination activities (available at: http://www.rec.org/ist/cape).
CAPE's second goal is to extensively survey, quantitatively and qualitatively, the needs, priorities and frameworks among CEE and EU local and regional public authorities for transport and environment telematics implementation.
Four reports meeting these objectives were published in August 1999. It is hoped these reports will assist in improving the understanding of telematics applications: their value to environment and transport management at national and local-self-governing level; their contribution to meeting EU Directives and policy; and their benefits to the European citizen. This increased understanding will hopefully encourage future CEE involvement in the European Union's 5th Research and Technological Development Framework Programme, 1999-2002, and consequently a better environment.
The CAPE partners
1 Telematics or Information Society Technologies (ISTs) describes the application of telecommunication technologies to the world of informatics. Products and services are intended to support the collection, storage and dissemination of information. Ultimately these benefit the decision-maker and society, and consistent with European Commission policy, contribute to realising proposals for the Creation of a User-friendly Information Society
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