Information Society Fact Sheet:

ETD - European Telework Development

A New Initiative for European Telework

Background:

The European Telework Development programme (ETD) is being supported by the European Commission (DG XIII-B)

What is "ETD"?

European Telework Development is a new initiative aimed at increasing awareness and understanding of telework across the European Union, improving policy and programme developments relating to telework, and encouraging wider take up of the key technologies that enable telework. It will run for an initial three years starting July 1996.

Why is ETD needed?

Telework has been identified as one of the key applications of the "Information Society" and has been the subject of much media attention as well as the target for considerable concern in the policy arena. However, there's been a lack of clarity and understanding about telework - the main public image is that of working at home with "roses round the door", instead of commuting, but this misses some of the most central issues such as the possibility of losing or gaining jobs and work through "cross border" teleworking, and the crucial link between telework - deciding where the work is done - and teletrade - the development of new business opportunities "online", which in an Information Society will determine whether there will be any opportunities to work. It also missed the key role of telecooperation - the use of electronic networking methods to enhance communications, understanding and activities between people and companies and across society - the bedrock for building an attractive Information Society.

What will ETD do and when?

The first goal for ETD is to make sure that information about European telework activities is more readily and widely available, both to the press and to those involved in telework. We will do this by building on the existing European Telework Online web site (http://www.eto.org.uk) and its associated announcement and discussion email lists, as well as providing conventional press releases both online and offline. Around this activity ETD is building a network of national and European contact points and coordinators with responsibility for identifying people who can assist the development of Europe's capabilities in telework and the formulation of relevant policies. ETD will provide enquiry points in each country of the Union, and mechanisms through which people and organisations with useful contributions can be made visible to each other and to the market. Where relevant information already exists we'll make sure its known about and accessible; where we identify gaps in existing knowledge we'll seek to stimulate the necessary research or investigation - one example being the need to have a consistent way of measuring the growth of telework.

Who is driving this initiative?

The European Telework Development programme is being developed by a consortium which has members or supporters in every European country. The main partners at this stage - who have helped to prepare for the launch - are:

Management Technology Associates (UK) - who are providing the programme director (Horace Mitchell);
TeleDanmark Consult - the consulting arm of the Danish telephone company - who are providing the project manager for ETD (Jeremy Millard) and the central administration of the programme;
Associacion Espanola Teletrabajo (Spain) and ComOnline (France) - who are orchestrating the network of national coordinators and enquiry points;
EcoPlan International - who are advising the predict on communications linkages and linking to New Ways to Work and The Commons programs;
SITO, the Swedish trade association for IT suppliers - who are representing the interests of technology suppliers;
The Belgian Telework Association - who are providing linkage with and support to Europe's programme for research in Advanced Communications Technologies and Services (ACTS);and
David Skyrme Associates (UK) - who will manage the online and media communications aspects of the programme.

More than twenty other organisations are already involved in developing the programme. How can I get more information?

Editorial contact points

Horace Mitchell, Programme Director, 100136.2412@compuserve.com; fax +44 171 917 9907, phone +44 1635 253802
Jeremy Millard, Project Manager, 100117.1157@compuserve.com; fax +45 86 28 64 99; phone +45 86 28 64 99

Online contact points and access:

All aspects of ETD will be announced through the European Telework Online announcements list. Main press releases will be available online through the ETO NewsDesk and offline through the ETD press office. To register an interest and ensure you are on the press release list email eto-press@eto.org.uk or fax +44 171 895 1353, mentioning "European Telework Development". World Wide Web: http://www.eto.org.uk Email: eto-info@eto.org.uk Online The European Telework Online website at http://www.eto.org.uk provides joining instructions for email based announcement and discussion lists. For convenience these are repeated below. See European Telework Week 1996 for national contact points.

To join the Discussion list

You may join the discussion list by sending a message with the following text (the subject line will be ignored): join etw-forum send your message to: etw-plan@eto.org.uk

To join the Information Only List

If you want the news and announcements but not the discussion join the Information Only list by sending a message with the following text (the subject line will be ignored): join etw-announce send your message to the following address: etw-plan@eto.org.uk

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