The presentation is based on more than 10 years of experience of collaboration with European Commission, American and European universities, research institutions and commercial companies, as well as with UN agencies such as UNIDO, UNESCO and UNEP. The goal of this collaboration is implementation in Russia and other countries of former USSR of advanced informatics and telematics products. The presentation is focused on characteristics of information societies in the countries of Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Background, present status and future prospectives of the CIS information society development are under consideration. Existing, potential and expected influence of information society technologies onto new political and economical life in CIS is discussed. Liberalisation of information societies in Russia and some other CIS countries is another focus of the talk.

The results of the TAP project STACCIS, implemented in 1996-1999 in CIS countries by EC, UNESCO and EDNES (Earth Data Network for Education and Scientific Exchange) are reported. The STACCIS project aimed to strengthen co-operation in telematics applications in the areas of education, scientific and technological research and environmental decision-making between the European countries of CIS and their counterparts in the European Union. The European CIS countries, and particularly their educational, research and environmental communities, had major needs in the area of effective computer networking and telematics. Closer links and co-operation with counterparts in the European Union countries were seen as an important component of progress in that area. The European CIS countries represented a major prospective market for telematics applications and an important potential for professional and scientific co-operation in that area. However, progress in that direction is complicated for Western European developers and providers of services and products by limited contacts and lack of reliable market information. STACCIS project provided tangible contribution to close this gap.

New IST projects WISTCIS and TELESOL will be implemented in 2000-2003 in CIS countries by EC, UNIDO, EDNES and few European universities, research institutions and commercial companies.

WISTCIS project will promote IST Programme to the seven European CIS countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Russia, Ukraine) by fast dissemination and awareness actions targeted on the European CIS countries as outside of IST audience. This objective will be fulfilled using new methods of teamwork (teleworking, virtual laboratories, etc.) between EU and the CIS interested parties. The project will do technology studies of the present situation with IST in the seven CIS countries and will formulate appropriate recommendations to EU research and marketing communities as far as the huge potential CIS market is concerned. WISTCIS will develop further the system of Information Demonstration Centres deployed in the CIS countries by STACCIS. Basing on this system the project will organise conferences and workshops devoted to IST Programme objectives and opportunities for the CIS. WISTCIS will introduce new methods of teamwork to develop project focal points in the participating CIS countries capable to operate in IST Programme at the level similar to EU partners. The project will provide training measures (distant and face-to-face) to promote dissemination of IST Programme to CIS. WISTCIS will encourage submission of new project proposals to IST. Certification service for IST proposals preparation and electronic submission will be adapted for EU-CIS teamwork. Training courses in Russian will describe the EC, DGs, Fifth Framework and IST Programmes. Collaborative browsing toolkit developed by TAP will be introduced for EU-CIS teamwork.

TELESOL will promote telework in business and research between EU and Central Asian, Caucasian and Slavic countries of the CIS. The project will create pilot fully operational online EU-CIS telework systems. TELESOL, with an active participation of EU and CIS business communities, will develop the Telework Competence Centres (TCCs) in participating Central Asian and European CIS countries. TCCs will be the focal points for collecting relevant telework information, training, exchange of experience and establishing contacts with interested parties in EU and CIS. TELESOL will provide technology and market studies in the CIS countries, organise kick-off conference, regional workshop and develop cirriculumae on new methods of work. The project will result in a number of concrete projects with the participation of EU and CIS companies and research institutions.

Potential contribution of these projects to CIS information society development in connection with new economy will be discussed.