"Pan-European eGovernment services" means cross-border public sector information and interactive services, either sectoral or horizontal, i.e. of cross-sectoral nature, provided by European public administrations to European public administrations, businesses, including their associations, and citizens, including their associations, by means of interoperable trans-European telematic networks;

(12) The deployment of trans-European telematic networks to interchange information between public administrations, Community institutions and other entities, such as European agencies, services and organisations devoted to furthering the Community's interests, should not be considered as the end, but as the means to achieve interoperable information and interactive eGovernment services at the pan-European level, building on and extending to citizens and businesses the benefits resulting from the cooperation between public administrations across Europe.

(9) The CECIS should be set up on the basis of a global implementation plan (GIP) as part of the PROCIV-NET project conducted and financed in the context of a programme for the interchange of data between administrations, the IDA programme as provided for in Decision No 1719/1999/EC of the European Parliament and the Council of 12 July 1999 on a series of guidelines, including the identification of projects of common interest, for trans-European networks for the electronic interchange of data between administrations (IDA)(4), as last amended by Decision No 2046/2002/EC(5), and Decision No 1720/1999/EC of the European Parliament and of th ...[+++]e Council of 12 July 1999 adopting a series of actions and measures in order to ensure interoperability of and access to trans-European networks for the electronic interchange of data between administrations (IDA)(6), as last amended by Decision No 2045/2002/EC(7).

(1) The objective of Decision No 1720/1999/EC of 12 July 1999 is for the Community to achieve a high degree of interoperability between the trans-European telematic networks established between the Member States and the Community institutions in order to support the establishment of economic and monetary union and the implementation of Community policies, as well as to achieve substantial benefits for Member State administrations and the Community by streamlining operations and speeding up implementation of new networks and enhancements.

(11) Whereas telematic networks linking the information systems of the Member State administrations and the Community across Europe are trans-European telecommunication networks for administrations;

(10) Whereas such networks must link the information systems, both existing and future, of the Member State administrations and the Community across Europe and are, therefore, trans-European telecommunication networks for administrations;