Athens, November 1, 2001 · ALTEC S.A (ALTEC GA) (AICr.AT) The process of transferring the results of research projects to the market is particularly demanding, in terms of both the required resources as well as the necessary infrastructure to support a product's innovation in real conditions of intense use.

Adopting an anticipatory approach with an emphasis on linking research results to production, ALTEC undertook a pan-European initiative in direct cooperation with the European Standardization Organization (CEN), through its Software Business Unit (UNISOFT). The issue was commenced in the beginning of 2001 and falls within the framework of the Information Society Standardization System (ISSS).

More specifically, the Open Source Supply Chains project was presented on October 16 before the representatives of the CEN/ISSS and the General Administration of the European Committee's Information Society, while on October 17 its implementation was unanimously ratified within the framework of the Electronic Trade projects team.

Through this project, a common approach will be developed for the utilization of the research results from seven projects of the Information Society Technology Program of the European Committee, creating a common way of facing practical and technological issues concerning to the electronic trade as this will be met in Internet-based businesses.