8h30 Registration

9h00 Welcome address by the Hon. Dr Louis Galea, Minister of Education of Malta

Session I: Universal access to Internet and other new communications and information services at community level

9h30 The policy recommendations of the Council of Europe on universal community service, by Mrs Marie-Christine Weiner-Wellhoff, Ministry of Culture, Paris, Chairperson of the MM-S-NT.

10h00 Internet for all at community level: a practical guide to implementing the principle of universal community service, by Dr Noellie Brockdorff, University of Warwick, U.K. and Dr Joseph Cannataci, University of Malta.

10h30 Discussion

Coffee break

11h30 The provision of publicly accessible information services: public services, information and transactions, by Professor Dias Coelho, President, Missao para a Sociedade de Informaçao, Lisbon.

12h00 Internet centres at community level: experiences and strategies, presented by national experts.

12h30 Discussion

13h00 Conclusions of Session I

Lunch break

Session II: Requirements for universal access to Internet services

14h30 The potential synergies offered by universal access to Internet services for the public and private sectors, by a senior representative of Microsoft.

15h00 The technical aspects of access for all, by Mr Daniel Dardailler, Web Accessibility Initiative, W3C / The World Wide Web Consortium, Sophia-Antipolis, France.

15h30 Discussion

Coffee break

16h30 Access to new communications and information services for all: the demands and expectations of users, by Mr Bob Harrison, Consumers’ Association – Research and Testing Centre, Milton Keynes, U.K.

17h00 Training and education for wider access to new communications and information services, by Professor Dieter Baacke, University of Bielefeld, Germany.

17h30 Discussion

18h00 Conclusions of Session II

Session III: Frameworks for a sustainable enlargement of access to new communications and information services throughout Europe

9h30 Local and regional Information Society: policy frameworks for local and regional authorities in Europe, by Mr Risto Koivisto, Member of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe, Council of Europe.

10h00 Maximising the cultural and educational potential of new information technologies: the point of view of the Council for Cultural Co-operation (CDCC), by Mrs Pirkko Rainesalo, Ministry of Education, Helsinki, Vice Chairperson of the Culture Committee of the CDCC, Council of Europe.

10h30 Discussion

Coffee break

11h30 National approaches to covering the costs of providing universal access to new communications and information services at public access points, by Mrs Claire Milne, Antelope Consulting, Woodford Green, U.K.

12h00 Discussion

12h30 Conclusions of Session III

Closing remarks