Tradeoffs: turf vs. togetherness (ESPRIT)

The changes that will attend the creation of a single European market in 1992 and the tradeoffs entailed are discussed. The biggest success so far has been so-called precompetitive research, which began with the advent of the European Strategic Programme for Research and Development in Information Technology (ESPRIT) in 1984. The ESPRIT program, and the dozens of others created in its image, are making progress toward two goals fundamental to the ultimate goal of unification. Research has also assumed the more concrete role of helping to reform Europe´s industries by moving them toward the single market, particularly in telecommunications. The existence of 12 telephone networks with vastly different technologies presents a huge obstacle to a single market.<>