The telecommunications Council has approved the amendments adopted by the European Parliament on the regulation relating to the operation of the first-level “.eu” Internet dominion. The regulation, which provides the possibility for European service providers and users to use the “.eu” title for new web addresses, will be submitted to the signature of the President of the EP and enter into force following the adoption of the common position. The Council has also expressed a general position favourable to the renewal of the IDA programme on the use of transeuropean networks for the electronic exchange of data between public administrations. Moreover, the ministers of telecommunications have adopted a resolution on the “eEurope” action plan aimed at facilitating access to public Internet sites by handicapped persons: the decision on the new version of “eEurope” for the period 2002-2005 will form part of the agenda of the European Council in Seville in June. The deliberations of the Council go hand in hand with the Commission’s proposal to prolong the plan of Community action for Internet security to 2004.
