Research and development (R&D) has been playing a leading role in the European Community's history since the very beginning of European integration. Its importance has grown in recent years, after the launch of the Lisbon strategy. Framework programs have always played a considerable part in community research. The aim of their introduction was to fine tune national R&D activities, and to succe...

For several years, international organisations including the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the World Bank, the World Customs Organization (WCO), the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the European Union, have considered and provided recommendations on the use of information and communication technology (ICT) to enhance trade facilitation and to improve the proce...