Report from the National ICT Research Directors

The National ICT Research Directors WG on the Future Internet (FI) was attended by 12 Member States representatives. It was established following the National ICT Research Directors Forum meeting in Ljubljana, in May 2008. The aim was to analyse a series of Future Internet related issues and to identify the need for joint actions between Member States and the EC in this specific research domain.

As part of the Ljubljana meeting, the following issues emerged as areas requiring further investigations from an EU wide perspecti

• The implication of the Future Internet for the competitiveness of Europe;
• The time line and scope of a Future Internet;
• The organisation of research and its optimal distribution between the national and EU levels;
• The actors, the role of industry and academia, the role of the public authorities;
• The approach to address issues such as standardisation or international cooperation.

The following report provides a summary of the views expressed by national delegations on these issues, and constitute a first step towards a more comprehensive Future Internet strategy at European level.

The outcome of this work will be presented to the National ICT Research Directors Forum in Lyon in November 2008 as a basis for broader discussion. This report will also serve as an input to the Commission Communication on "A strategy for ICT R&D and Innovation in Europe" to be issued in spring 2009.