Press Release: New EU Programme to Promote European Digital Content Market: Commissioner Reding Welcomes Positive Vote in Parliament

The European Parliament on 27 January 2005 voted with only one amendment in favour of the eContentplus programme, which is intended to support the development of multi-lingual content for innovative, on-line services across the EU. The amendment, which was the result of a compromise with the Council, set the budget of the programme at €149 million for the period 2005-2008, and paved the way for a rapid adoption of the programme. eContentplus was planned to tackle the fragmentation of the European digital content market and to improve the accessibility and usability of geographical information, cultural content and educational material.