Most of us use electronic communications every day � cell phones, computers, etc.  We often do so without thinking about it.  We expect our interactions in the virtual world to be secure and operational.  We cannot imagine the Internet becoming unavailable because IP addresses have run out.  All of us want to think that emergency services are available immediately anywhere.  When we become elderly, we expected to stay at home and to be monitored for health problems from a distance.  In business, we want to register a company in another EU member state without speaking that country�s language or having to leave home.  We often admire the night-time skylines of large cities, and we hardly ever think about all of the energy that is used for the lights or the fuel that is used to run almost empty city buses along inefficient routes.
These are also major global issues which must be addressed throughout the European Union by governments, businesses and citizens.  There are a great many declarations, agreements and conferences aimed at saving energy resources and facilitating the concerted and co-ordinated uptake of ICT in the EU.   One of the major strategic papers the ICT Policy Support Programme (ICT PSP) is based on, is the EU Strategic Framework i2010 � A European Information Society for Growth and Employment. The framework is aimed at creating a single European information space, expanding innovation and investment in ICT research, and promoting an inclusive European Information Society.

AIMS OF THE ICT PSP PROGRAMME
The ICT PSP is aimed at stimulating innovation and competitiveness through the wider uptake and best use of ICT by citizens, governments and businesses on the European level, whilst focusing on national, regional or local solutions and initiatives.  The second call for proposals has been announced, and the plan is to support projects in three areas:

�         ICT for user-friendly administrations,, public services and inclusion;

�         ICT for Energy Efficiency and Sustainability in urban areas;

�         Consensus building, experience sharing on Internet evolution and security.

These thematic areas are sufficiently general in nature to permit for innovation and new ideas.  Participation from the Baltic countries is also expected at the national, regional or local level, involving both government institutions and SMEs.  The overall budget in 2008 is EUR 39 million, which will be divided up among 12 objectives and provided through three financing schemes (Table 1).

Table 1. The themes, objectives and project types of ICT PSP

The Pilot A funding scheme is aimed at building on the initiatives of the member states or associated countries.  It is expected to fund only one type A pilot project in 2008 � one that would help in implementing the EU�s Services Directive (1.1).  This type of project will require a consortium of at least six member states.  The major result will be the creation of an open, common and interoperable service solution based on specifications agreed by the participants in the pilot project.  The results must be scalable to the EU level.  The project can receive a maximum of EUR 7 million in EU funding � no more than 50% of eligible project costs.
Projects in the Pilot B scheme are smaller and with different eligibility criteria.  Only four entities from four EU countries are needed in the relevant consortia, although it is still advisable for there to be a greater number of countries so as to expand the quality and reach of the intended proposal.  Pilot B projects intend to support the first uptake of innovative ICT solutions.  R&D work will not be supported, however.  Approximately eleven Pilot B projects in total will be selected for funding, focusing on the reduction in administrative burdens, making emergency services more accessible to all, using ICT for ageing well, using ICT for energy efficiency, and using ICT for adaptive urban transport management infrastructure and services.  A total of approximately EUR 27 million EU contribution (maximum 50% of eligible costs) will be allocated in 2008.
Additionally Thematic Networks will be supported in the fields of eInclusion  capacity building, eHealth certification improvement, ICT for energy efficiency, concerted effort on RFID, trusted infrastructures and biometric technologies, and Leveraging IPV6 take-up in Europe. For Thematic Networks will be allocated a lump sum up to altogether EUR 4,5 million for ca 9 projects will be allocated. 
As the programme evolves further, the Thematic Network proposals will have the full potential to develop into Pilot B or Pilot A projects.  The EU�s contribution will increase each year to a level of EUR 149 million in 2013.  This offers good prospects for those participating in a Thematic  Network consortium this year to participate in a Pilot A or a Pilot B activities in the following years.
These measures will help EU member states, local governments, businesses and citizens to keep up with the technological developments in ICT and to actually implement the solutions in real life � in an interoperable manner which is independent of physical location and national background.

CONCLUSION
The deadline for submitting applications is September 9, 2008, which means that there is still time to prepare even if one has only just learned about the ICT PCP.  What�s needed are good ideas and lots of experience upon which to build.  Applicants can find suitable partners in the ICT PSP database [2].  Each country has nominated a National Contact Point (NCP) to support potential proposers and participants in the preparation and implementation of projects in the respective country.
Invent Baltics O� is the Estonian NCP, contracted by the Estonian Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications for that purpose.  Our consultants are prepared to share information about the ICT PSP and to help people to prepare good applications and establish high-quality consortia.  The full list of NCPs can be found on the ICT PSP Web site [3].

REFERENCES
[1]  See http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/eeurope/i2010/index_en.htm.
[2]  See http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/activities/ict_psp/cf/partner/login/index.cfm.
[3]  See http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/activities/ict_psp/contacts/ncp/index_en.htm.