SERISESERISE – Stratégie Européenne PROJECT TOTAL EU POPULATION REGION COUNTRY ELIGIBILITY ACRONYM BUDGET FUNDING (%) COVERED

SERISE Poitou-Charentes France ECU 500,000 50 Objective 5b 1,595,000

PROJECT OVERVIEW ital Cities” European initiative. The department of Deux-Sèvres is focusing its activities on the Informa- SERISE is a project that aims at integrating Infor- tion Society needs of the rural communities. The mation Society into regional economic develop- department of Charente is aiming at developing a cen- ment. This general objective will be achieved tre of excellence on the use of image. The working through developing a common regional strategy and group on the ‘promotion of regional production” which action plan for the best possible use of information is chaired by this department has after a series of local technologies for all the citizens of the region. It is a meetings defined training actions. These actions have joint effort of the region of Poitou-Charentes, the city resulted in the development of inter-departmental of Parthenay and four departments, that is Cha- The region of Poitou- applications which have improved institutional and rente, Charente-Maritime, Deux-Sèvres, and Vienne. Charentes holds a professional exchange. The department of Charente- KEY OBJECTIVES Maritime is focusing on the link of ICTs and the eco- nomic development of SMEs. The Department of strategic roleSERISE rhasegar two mainding objectives: Vienne has linked its work with the presence of the Futuroscope in the area and is studying “Microwave • raise the awareness of Information Society Multichannel Distribution Systems”. various interamong -rpublicegional and private local players in the region, and Steering Committee Membership co-operation• structure prthe publicojects debate in a way that would • Region of Poitou-Charentes; facilitate the development of specific applications. • Department of the Deux-Sèvres; The following priorities highlight the approach that • Department of Charente; SERISE is taking vis-a-vis the deployment of the • Department of Charente-Maritime; information and communication technologies (ICTs): • Department of Vienne; • City of Parthenay. • economic development and employment

• territorial development Working Groups

• a market approach based on studies regarding • Training and Education; the demand for services and access • SMEs – (EDI, e-commerce); • Telemedicine (networks of hospitals); • financial viability of technical solutions • Services to rural areas and small cities; Three themes have been chosen in an effort to focus • Infrastructure and use of alternative infrastructure; on the particular characteristics of the area and • Promotion of regional production in the multime- build on its strengths: dia sector.

• service offering to the public and professionals INSTITUTIONAL IMPACT • territorial development and infrastructure The initiative has necessitated the collaboration of a • promotion of regional production variety of key regional actors who are for the first time REGIONAL PARTNERSHIP working together in arriving at a regional consensus. As a result of the work undertaken by SERISE, ICTs The project has mobilised various key stake holders have emerged as a strategic concern within the con- from a wide range of sectors. Each of the partners is text of local development. actively sharing experience with the others on specific themes of local expertise. The region of Poitou-Char- entes holds a strategic role regarding various inter- regional co-operation projects and has for quite some time promoted the integration of the new technologies in the economic and social development of the region. The city of Parthenay is sharing the experience that it has accumulated through its participation in the “Dig- 26 et Régionale pour l’Information et l’Économie

PILOT PROJECTS – EXAMPLES / RESULTS CYBER weeks

Mellois explorer Development in Deux-Sèvres of a regional concept of information which can be transferable to other This is an initiative to offer to 3200 enterprises of the areas. The main objective is to improve awareness Mellois region a presence in the Internet as well as and promote the use of ICTs in small towns with less information on local firms through the creation of a data than 2500 residents. base. It is the joint effort of the Employment Office and the National Employment Agency (ANPE). The project RAPSODIE – Réseau académique de Poitiers has four main objectives: to promote the Mellois firms, pour l’optimisation et le développement increase awareness of the new technologies among des usages de l’informatique électronique the local enterprises, the creation of a new culture of communication between managers and employment An applied research programme which would cre- seekers, the offering of equal opportunities to those ate an interactive education system in the Poitou- that have access to the new technologies and those Charentes region and which will be introduced in the that do not through the creation of a “digital space for academic programme of the local schools. The sub- all”. Direct beneficiaries are the 3200 local firms, and ject is career counselling; the different types of an annual average of 200 employment seekers and 50 employment, training and employment available in new firms that are being created every year. the region. The results of this pilot will be the basis for the development of an Intranet service that SIRCE – Système d’ information régional would link the colleges of the area. pour la compétitivité des enterprises PRIORITY ACTIONS AND RESULTS This project aims at offering access to new technolo- gies to 1000 small enterprises. The official announce- The project has provided the possibility for the devel- ment of the project was made on 24 February 1998 opment of a a number of useful projects that are before an audience of 1000 guests at the Futuroscope basedThe on a true regionalofficial co-operation announcement and exchange and 2000 other guests present at 14 regional sites of information and experiences among the various linked though video conference. The objective is to partners. SERISE has provided a framework and a experiment with new ways of working by offering visionof of integrating the the pr newoject technologies aswas a main made opportunities to the rural population of the region. concern in economic regional policy formaulation. Special attention will be devoted to the very small firm. on 24 February 1998 before Services will be offered in the following categories:

• enterprise: information according to specific an audience of 1000 guests needs, commercial, financial, weather, etc • accounting: keeping of accounts, stock evaluation at the Futuroscope • employment: employment practices, access to employment data • market: creation of a virtual shopping mall on the Internet, order handling

Data base of entrepreneurs on Internet. ¨ CONTACT

Establishment of a network of enterprises with the Catherine LE GOUALLEC objective to promote the creation of contacts among Association Poitou-Charentes Europe entrepreneurs. This project has been selected as semi- Immeuble Antarès - Teleport 4 finalist on the “Masters of Web”, a competition organ- BP 110 - Chasseneuil du Poitou ised by Microsoft. This network will include the 397 F - 86960 FUTUROSCOPE CEDEX enterprises of the Poitou-Charentes region that have Tel: 33549496330 participated in networks that promote contact among Fax: 33549490770 managers and the exchange of information. These net- E-mail: [email protected] works have existed approximately 12 years in the region. http://www.interpc.fr/region/serise

27