8. 10. 87 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 285/35 (Acts whose publication -is not-obligatory) COUNCIL ¥ COUNCIL DECISION of 5 October 1987 introducing a communications network Community programme on trade electronic data interchange systems (TEDIS) (87/499/EEC) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular Article 235 thereof, ' Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Having regard to the opinion of the European Parli- ament (), Haviﬁg regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (3), Whereas the Community has, in particular, as its task, by establishing a common market and progressively approxi- mating the economic policies of Member States, to promote throughout the Community a harmonious deve- lopment of economic activities and closer relations between the States belonging to it; - Whereas, when they met in Stuttgart, Athens and Fon- tainebleau, the Heads of State or of Government empha- sized the importance of telecommunications as a vital driving force for economic growth and social develop- ment ; Whereas the European Parliament, in evaluating the situa- tion and development of telecommunications, empha- sized the key role of the latter in the future political, social and economic development of the Community (debates of the European Parliament on telecommunica- tions 1983, Leonardi report, Albert and Ball report of 1982); Whereas, on 17 December 1984, the Council approved - the main features of a Community policy on telecommu- () OJ No C 246, 14. 9. 1987, p. 92. () OJ No C 105, 21. 4. 1987, p. 1. nications, including the aim of improving advanced tele- communications services and networks through Commu- nity projects ; ‘Whereas the telecommunications sector is of great economic importance as regards both its own industrial activities and its contribution to efficient information interchange throughout the Community ; Whereas there are specific aspects to information techno- logy standards and the work needed to produce them; whereas this is the case in particular as regards: - — the complexity of the technical specifications and the precision needed for data interchange and systems inter-operability, ) — the urgent need for standards in order to prevent totally incompatible (trade) electronic data interchange systems being developed, — the need to ensure that international standards are implemented on a basis that makes them credible for practical use ; Whereas a general programme of information technology and telecommunications standardization is being imple- mented ; Whereas Council Decision No 87/95/EEC of 22 December 1986 on standardization in the field of infor- mation technology and telecommunications (%) is intended to establish in those sectors a general framework for drawing up standards or common technical specifications so as to facilitate information exchange throughout the Community by breaking down the barriers created by the incompatibilities that stem from the absence of standards or their lack or precision ; () OJ No L 36, 7. 2. 1987, p. 31.