Dr Neil Kay EuropeAid Cooperation Office Southern Mediterranean, Middle East

1. Dr Neil KayEuropeAid Cooperation OfficeSouthern Mediterranean, Middle East Centralised operations for the Mediterranean region EUROPEAN COMMISSION

2. EUMEDIS An initiative of the MEDA regional co-operation programme; launched in February 1999 (€65 million) Increase internet connectivity Promote innovative public services Demonstrate benefits of ICT’s

3. EUMEDIS Structure Strand One • A network of National Focal Points for EU and MED Countries • An internet based Interconnection between EU and MED Research Networks (Eumedconnect) Strand Two • Regional Information Society Pilot Projects in 5 sectors of activity

4. Strand One: EUMedconnect • Mediterranean partner countries to be connected to the GEANT European high-speed network. • Access to the network to be available for academic research institutions in EU and MED. • 10 M€ grant support for the connection of the 12 Mediterranean partner countries (EUMedconnect I + EUMedconnect II)

5. Strand One: National Focal Points • Information Society Focal Points for harmonising IS Governmental strategies • Disseminate Information on Strand Two Pilot Projects • Establish synergies between Strand Two pilot projects and the concerned • Budget €2.4 million

6. Strand Two: Objectives • EUMEDIS aims at developing regional applications with user communities in the largest number of Mediterranean countries. • Five sectors are covered: Health, E-commerce, Tourism, Industrial Innovation and Education: • Project consortia composed of at least two private and/or public entities coming from European countries and a maximum of private and/or public Mediterranean partners. • EUMEDIS aims at delivering immediate benefits for the target user communities

7. Strand Two: Target groups • The primary targets of the EUMEDIS initiative are • Hospitals or other medical research Institutes • Chambers of Commerce and Industrial Federations, • Universities and Post Graduate Research Organisations • Public and Private Research Centres, Museums (and Non Governmental Organisations active in the promotion of the Euro-Mediterranean cultural heritage) • Non Governmental Organisations that promote tourism in the Euro-Mediterranean region. • The secondary target of the EUMEDIS initiative is the public at large.

8. Strand Two: Projects • 20 projects funded • Total budget of €49 million • Sector 1 Health: 5 projects • Sector 2 E-commerce: 2 projects • Sector 3 Tourism: 4 projects • Sector 4 Innovation: 5 projects • Sector 5 Education: 4 projects

9. Sector 1: Health Networks EMPHIS • Objectives: • Surveillance of Tuberculosis, other similar infections • Partnership: • Includes 4 ministries of Health, 16 other government and private partners • Spanning ten countries

10. Sector 2: E-Commerce MED-CHARTNET • Objectives: • A Mediterranean network for exchange of hydrographic information • Commercial distribution of electronic navigation charts • Partnership: • includes 11 Mediterranean Partner countries (led by IMO in Italy)

11. Sector 3: Tourism NETWORK JOURNEYS • Objectives: • Organise co-operation between archaeological sites based on ancient trade routes • Create portal to stimulate tourism along these routes • Partnership: • 28 partners including universities and heritage organisations from the Mediterranean Partner countries

12. Sector 4: Innovation SMITE • Objectives: • Support SMEs in their environmental improvement • Setting up environmental business plans • Partnership: • 13 partners - including from Israel and Palestine

13. Sector 5: Education AVICENNA • Objectives: • set up a European Network of Distance Learning Universities • Accelerate adoption of ICT-assisted Open Distance Learning (ODL) in Mediterranean Partner Countries • Partnership: • 18 partners including UNESCO and leading ODL universities in Europe