7.2.87 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 36/31 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COUNCIL COUNCIL DECISION of 22 December 1986 on standardization in the field of information technology and telecommunica- (87/95/EEQC) 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 Eyropean Parli- ament ('), Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (3), Whereas the standards applicable in the field of informa- tion technology and the activities necessary for their preparation must, in particular, take account of : — the complexity of the technical specifications and the precision required to ensure the exchange of informa- tion and data and the compatible operating of systems ; — the need to ensure rapid publication of standards so that undue delays do not result in the early obsoles- cence of texts that have been overtaken by the speed of technological change ; — the need to encourage the application of international standards for exchange of information and data on a basis which will establish their credibility from the standpoint of practical implementation ; — the economic importance of the role played by stan- dardization in contributing to the creation of a Community market in this field ;. Whereas Directive 83/189/EEC (°) enables the Commis- sion, the Member States and the standards institutions to () OJ No C 36, 17. 2. 1986, p. SS. () OJ No C 303, 25. 11. 1985, p. 2. () OJ No L 109, 26. 4. 1983, p. 8. be informed of the intentions of standards institutions to draw up or to amend a standard, and whereas, under the terms of that Directive, the Commission may establish terms of reference for work on standardization of common interest to be undertaken jointly and at an early stage ; Whereas that Directive does not contain all the provisions necessary for the implementation of 2 Community policy on standardization in the field of information technology and telecommunications ; Whereas the increasing amount of technical overlap between the different fields of standardization, particularly in the case of information technology and telecommuni- cations, is such as to justify close cooperation between standards institutions, which should collaborate in order to deal with these matters of common interest ; Whereas agreements have been recently concluded by the Commission within the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding signed with the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT) and in the context of the general guidelines approved with the joint standardization organization European Committee for Standardization/European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CEN/ CENELEC); Whereas Directive 86/361/EEC (%) sets out programmes for work on common technical specifications (correspon- ding to Normes Européennes de Télécommunication (NETs)) for this field by the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations in consultation, where appropriate, with the European Committee for Standardization and the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization ; () O) No L 217, 5. 8. 1986, p. 21.