Newsletter 31 – October 2023
The European Commission reviews digital policy developments and describes EU progress against the Digital Decade objectives
First report on the State of the Digital Decade calls for collective action to shape the digital transition |
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 The first report on the State of the Digital Decade, published earlier this week, provides a comprehensive look at progress towards achieving the digital transformation to empower a more digitally sovereign, resilient, and competitive EU.
It includes an assessment of the EU’s performance towards Europe’s 2030 objectives and targets focussing on four main pillars: digital skills, digital infrastructure, digitalisation of businesses, including the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), and digitalisation of public services. It also includes the monitoring of the European Declaration on Digital Rights and Principles, which reflects the EU’s commitment to a secure, safe and sustainable digital transformation, putting people at the centre. |
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Commission approves EUR680 million Spanish scheme under the Recovery and Resilience Facility to support roll out of 5G networks in rural areas |
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| The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, a €680 million Spanish scheme made available through the Recovery and Resilience Facility (‘RRF’) to roll out equipment and infrastructure for high-performing 5G standalone networks in underserved rural areas. The measure is part of Spain’s strategy to address the needs of citizens and businesses in the context of the digitalisation of the country. The scheme also contributes to the EU’s strategic objectives relating to the digital transition.
The Spanish measure The scheme will be entirely funded via the RRF, following the Commission’s positive assessment of the Spanish Recovery and Resilience Plan (‘RRP’) and its adoption by the Council. The Spanish RRP includes important investment projects in the electronic communications sector including the deployment of high-performance mobile networks. The scheme aims to ensure a wide availability of high-performing networks, which will deliver high-quality and reliable electronic communication access services to end-users located in underserved areas, satisfying their current and evolving needs. The new 5G standalone networks will support innovative 5G services in rural areas, such as digital health, smart farming, digitalised industry, autonomous driving, or cloud-based services. The scheme will finance the deployment of equipment and infrastructure for the roll out of 5G standalone networks and the provision of mobile broadband 5G standalone services, with download and upload speeds of respectively at least 100 Mbps and 5 Mbps. The Spanish areas concerned have less than 10,000 inhabitants, and no current or planned investment in 4G networks providing speeds of at least 50 Mbps download. Under the scheme, the aid can be granted until 31 December 2025 and the 5G mobile networks will need to enter into operation by February 2026, at the latest. The aid will take the form of direct grants to electronic communications operators. Beneficiaries will be selected on the basis of an open, competitive, transparent and non-discriminatory selection procedure. The maximum amount of aid per beneficiary will be equal to 90% of the eligible costs. Read the full communication of the EC here. |
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Over EUR240 million to further support digital connectivity infrastructures |
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The CEF Digital programme will contribute to the development of Gigabit and5G networks,as well as to boosting the capacity and resilience of digital backbone infrastructures and the digitalisation of transport and energy networks. This new set of calls includes 5G coverage along transport Corridors (EUR100 million); 5G and Edge Cloud for Smart Communities (EUR51 million); and backbone connectivity for Digital Global Gateways (EUR90 million). The first two calls focus on improving 5G connectivity throughout rural communities and urban areas, to ensure that all EU citizens have access to digital technologies and services. The calls also support the development of 5G infrastructure along European transport corridors, for example to support road-safety services and provide gigabit connectivity services to vehicles users and passengers, while ensuring 5G/cloud edge integration. Through the Digital Global Gateways call, CEF Digital will support backbone connections, mainly via submarine cables, to improve the performance and resilience of connectivity networks in islands and seaside regions, as well as in remote, outermost and sparsely populated areas, and between the EU and third countries. This is key to increase the capacity and resilience of the Union’s digital networks, in line with the EU’s Global Gateway strategy. The development of widespread and high-quality connectivity is one of the targets of the Digital Decade, which will also enable the EU to reach important digital objectives, such as the need to speed up the deployment and take up of edge cloud nodes, among others. The deadline to apply to these calls for proposals is 17 January 2024. More information available in EC website. |
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5G Technology Board White Paper on Innovation Trends in Industry 4.0 enabled by 5G and Beyond Networks |
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MoU signed between the “6G Smart Networks and Services Industry Association” (6G-IA) and the “5G Media Action Group (5G-MAG) Association” |
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On 26th September, 2023, the Chairperson of the 6G-IA, Dr. Colin Willcock, and the Chairperson of 5G-MAG, Antonio Arcidiacono, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to further promote cooperation. The 6G Smart Networks and Services Industry Association (6G-IA), in the framework of its activities as coordinator of the SNS ICE project[1], and the 5G Media Action Group (5G-MAG) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on topics of mutual interest in the field of next-generation communication networks, systems and applications. This MoU enables exchange of information on joint activities, participation in workshops, meetings or webinars, and insight into research projects and trials. “With the signature of this MoU, 5G-MAG strengthens collaboration with 6G-IA, the European mobile industry and research community, in jointly developing and applying next-generation technologies to innovative Media services and applications” says Antonio Arcidiacono, Chairperson of the 5G Media Action Group (5G-MAG) Association. “I welcome this MoU to enhance collaboration between the 5G-MAG and 6G-IA and ensure that future mobile communication systems meet the needs of the media sector”, says Colin Willcock, Chairperson of the 6G-IA Board and Chairperson of the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking Governing Board. 5G-MAG is a global non-for-profit cross-industry association fostering collaboration between the media and telecom industries to develop solutions based on global Internet, 5G-based access technologies and APIs. The core activities include pre-standards work around requirements, services and applications; engagement with the relevant standards fora; and post-standards work including the development of profiles and guidelines, building reference tools for validation, testing and prototyping, and promoting technology uptake working closely with relevant stakeholders. The 6G Smart Networks and Services Industry Association (6G-IA) is the voice of European Industry and Research for next generation networks and services. Its primary objective is to contribute to Europe’s leadership on beyond 5G and 6G research and to full 5G deployment according to the 5G Action Plan. The 6G-IA carries out a wide range of activities in strategic areas including standardization, frequency spectrum, R&D projects, technology skills, collaboration with key vertical industry sectors, notably for the development of trials, and international cooperation. Contacts 6G Smart Networks and Services Industry Association (6G-IA) E-mail：Office@6g-ia.eu 5G Media Action Group (5G-MAG) Association E-mail: info@5g-mag.com
[1] SNS ICE: Smart Networks And Services International And European Cooperation Ecosystem. The SNS ICE project has the objectives to present, leverage, and position the SNS JU activities and achievements in major European and global fora. It supports a collaborative environment for European and global stakeholders involved in the preparation of 6G smart networks and services. https://smart-networks.europa.eu/csa-s/#SNS-ICE |
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5G for safer, greener, more competitive communities – An interview of the City of Wavre, Belgium |
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| The Belgian city of Wavre is combining EU funding and 5G technology to become safer, greener and more competitive.
In an era where technology is reshaping our lives, the emergence of 5G technology promises to transform communities in ways previously unimaginable. With its lightning-fast speed and low latency, 5G is set to revolutionise various aspects of daily life, creating smarter, more interconnected communities. This interview explores how the city of Wavre, with the support of the European Union, is harnessing the power of 5G to enhance safety, save energy, and increase competitiveness. The City of Wavre has partnered with Citymesh, a mobile network operator, to transform and improve the services of general interest which the city provides its community. ‘CONNECTOW’ is a ‘5G for Smart Communities’ project funded under the EU’s Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) Digital programme. Through a city‑wide 5G private network, Wavre will deploy innovative local services, creating a safer, greener, more competitive city. Read the full article on the EC website. |
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Open Letter by CEOs of European Telecom operators |
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| Europe’s major telecoms companies, including BT, Deutsche Telekom, and Telefónica, have called on the European Union to make big technology firms pay a “fair” contribution for using their networks. In an open letter to the European Commission and members of the European parliament, the CEOs of 20 telecoms firms argued that technology companies that benefit most from telecoms infrastructure should contribute more to the costs. The firms suggested that a payment mechanism could be introduced for the largest traffic generators, focused on “accountability and transparency on contributions”. | |||
5G PPP Programmatic Operation – Projects Heritage and Interactions 2023 |
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 The 5G Infrastructure Public Private Partnership (PPP) Programme comprises 93 projects organized in three distinctive phases, namely specification, development and experimentation/pilots. Almost all PPP projects have now completed their work, with few remaining Phase 3 projects running until beginning of 2024. The 93 PPP projects achieved outstanding results and impact, as it has been regularly highlighted in the PPP Programme and the corresponding project websites. The PPP projects have created a plethora of advanced European telecommunication solutions. They also ensured an extremely high momentum and dynamism for the actual trials of these solutions as well as the further development of 5G systems on the road towards 6G networks, including 6G Smart Networks and Services (SNS) Joint Undertaking (JU). The broader context and overall panoramic perspective of the progress and achievements that the 5G Infrastructure PPP Programme has produced can be directly accessed on the PPP webpages, in the PPP Verticals Cartography, through specific White Papers and via the multiple webinars organized by the 5G PPP at the Programme and projects levels.
Given the vast amount of work being carried out by the portfolio of 5G Infrastructure PPP projects, this PPP Projects Heritage Brochure (click to download) and related Heritage Figure below are summarizing the overall interconnections between the PPP projects. |
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The Industry 4.0 (I4.0) concept revolutionizes how processes like quality, productivity, customization, and safety are managed in manufacturing. It has developed alongside 5G technology, and the two influence each other significantly. 5G supports the communication needs of I4.0, while I4.0 is a major sector for 5G growth. This whitepaper offers a comprehensive view of I4.0 design principles, driven by collaboration between I4.0 leaders and contributors to 5G development. It also assesses the applicability of 5G for short and mid-term I4.0 challenges based on input from stakeholders. The report touches on evolving 5G technologies, like Deterministic Networking and Digital Twining, and explores the future of ecosystem dynamics, regulation, and sustainability. Ultimately, it provides valuable insights into the synergy between I4.0 and 5G, drawing from leading 5G-PPP Phase III projects.
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aerOS project co-organises the “DEPLOYING APPLICATIONS IN THE 6G ERA: THE DAWN OF HIGHLY-SECURE, TRUSTWORTHY, SCALABLE AND ADAPTABLE ECOSYSTEMS” workshop in the context of IEEE International Workshop on Computer Aided Modeling and Design of Communication Links and Networks. With 5G becoming mainstream after being deployed in several regions of the world, the constant growth of interconnected devices and the demand for high data rate services compel the conceptualization of the next generation of networking which will address the needs of an “always connected” society. The astonishing numbers of interconnected devices supporting smart homes/cities/transportations, e-health applications and consumer services, push toward redesigning the Internet-of-Everything (IoE) paradigm with a user-centric approach, thus extending the 5G-era shift from rate-centric enhanced mobile broadband services to ultra-reliable low-latency communications. 6G Networks should be capable of unleashing the full potential of each application, through the inherent support of contemporary wireless technologies, cutting-edge network architectures, AI/ML-based optimization techniques and over-the-top security features. It is often stated that 6G will facilitate the pivotal shift from present-day’s interconnected intelligent nodes to the much broader “connected intelligence”, a holistic approach for delivering disruptive services, thus introducing new heights of user satisfaction. In this respect, this Special Session aims at providing a forum where researchers, engineers, and practitioners may discuss the latest advances on architectures, algorithms, abstractions, and technologies for delivering scalable, secure, trustworthy, robust, flexible, and agile applications. We strongly encourage submission of innovative work on contemporary network and application design. Find out more on the workshop here. |
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CEF Digital call 3: 5G and Edge Cloud for Smart Communities – Info DayOnline – 7 November 2023 – 11:30 CEST |
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On Tuesday 7 November 2023, the European Commission (DG Connect) will organise an Info Day on the third CEF Digital call for the 5G & Edge Cloud for Smart Communities action. This Info Day aims to support and guide call applicants for their upcoming projects submissions, as well as invite stakeholders to connect with potential partners through matchmaking. Agenda, additional information and link to register here.
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Vision of Future Communications Summit (https://futurecomresearch.eu/) is a top-quality research workshop, oriented to identify key research areas in information and communication technologies in the mid-future of 7 to 10 years. It will follow from the previous event held in 2017, 2019, and 2021, considering that by 2030 6G will be reaching the market. Given the expected innovation cycle times, it is now appropriate that we start discussions on Innovations after 6G . The Summit will cover multiple research lines, roughly structured along Physical Layer, Network and Control Plane, and Applications and Services. All sessions will be organized as panels of distinguished speakers from academia, industry and High-level European Commission officials presenting their viewpoints on a subarea within each track. Panels will be enriched with contributions from an open call to the community, and with sessions presenting long-term visions from different stakeholders. The Visions on Future Communication Summit will be preceded by the Workshop on Realistic AI for Telecommunications. (https://futurecomresearch.eu/index.html). The events will take place on the 6th (workshop), 7th and 8th (Summit) of November, in Lisbon. The Summit, oriented towards highly-interactive communication between participants, with very fluid interactions, is oriented to identify key research areas in information and communication technologies in the mid-future of 7 to 10 years. It will follow from the previous event held in 2017, 2019, and 2021, considering that by 2030 6G will be reaching the market. Networld Europe will also organize in the 9th a physical meeting of the Expert Group (as well as a Steering Board meeting), to which you are invited to participate. This meeting will discuss the results of the previous days in the context or the organization of the workplan for the coming update of the Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda, to be performed during the next half-year. |
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Call for Papers SYMPOSIUM ON VISION AND FACTS ON 6G AND FUTURE NETWORKS IN EUROPE This symposium is co-organized by 6G Smart Networks and Services Industry Association (6G-IA) and the RIGOUROUS project ===================================================== 2023 IEEE Future Networks World Forum (FNWF’23) Theme: Imagining the network of the future 13-15 November 2023 Baltimore, MD, USA ===================================================== IMPORTANT DATES
Symposium Co-Chairs
SCOPE AND MOTIVATION The work for 6G Networks and Services has started and multiple activities are taking place at global level. Both evolutionary (from B5G networks onwards) and revolutionary approaches are followed to develop, test and validate innovative technological enablers that will enable the future networks vision at global scale. Some of the aspects investigated by different stakeholders address system architecture, wireless communication technologies and signal processing, communication infrastructure technologies and devices and secure service development. Besides the technological aspects and technical innovations expected, 6G networks are also designed bearing in mind the key societal challenges that they must address including environmental, economic and societal sustainability and technological sovereignty. A wholistic system design approach has become necessary, addressing both technical and societal aspects and taking into account the complexities of the extended ICT infrastructure and services ecosystem (from vendors and operators, to service providers and individual users). Within this global movement, Europe is attempting to take a leading role towards the creation of a hopefully single 6G global standard, both on a National level as well as on an EU-level. Some of the EU efforts in this sector can be reflected by the establishment of the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking (SNS JU) as a legal and funding entity, as well as by the creation of several National Initiatives (NI) on a member-state level, through the funding of multi-million euro flagship projects, targeting technology development, fostering national innovation and maximization of business impact. The SNS-JU targets a reinforced European leadership in the field of next generation network technologies (6G), connected devices and services, while accelerating European digital industry uptake and digitisation of economy and society. To that end, a first set of 35 Research and Innovation (R&I) projects have already been funded and started their operations, while multiple additional projects will be funded until the end of the SNS-JU program (2030) reaching a total of 1.8 Billion funding from the public and private EU sectors combined. Additional EU partnerships and associations addressing micro-electronics, AI and Robotics, photonics, high-performance computing and more, are working in collaboration with the SNS-JU and the NIs, covering all aspects of the necessary technology development for future 6G networks in a wholistic approach. The goal of this symposium is to present the current advances and approaches to reach 6G and Future Networks vision in Europe and its respective R&I ecosystem, as well as the steps that have been taken to address different enabling technologies / technical enablers and the respective societal challenges. Moreover, the approach towards system-oriented R&I and dedicated prototyping and experimentation will be presented, complementing long-term R&I on disruptive concepts, considering also existing and future collaborations with other regions of the world.
TOPICS OF INTEREST We invite original, high-quality research papers that address the aforementioned aspects for beyond 5G and 6G communication networks. The symposium aims to bring together researchers, practitioners, and industry experts to exchange ideas, discuss challenges, and propose solutions for the next-generation design of 6G networks. We invite submissions on a wide range of research topics, spanning both theoretical and systems research, including results from industry and academic/industrial collaborations, related but not restricted to the following topics, presenting the actual work and future trends in the research and innovation on 6G in Europe: Research for revolutionary technology advancements, in preparation for 6G and revolutionary advancements of IoT, devices and software. Enablers and Proof of Concepts (PoCs) used to further develop, federate and consolidate experimental infrastructure(s), focusing on energy efficient technologies for 6G and open to integrate microelectronics developments coming from other programmes. Large-scale Trials and Pilots with Verticals, including the required infrastructure. The aim is to explore and demonstrate technologies and advanced applications and services for the vertical domains, as well as the necessary architecture and technological enablers required for large experimentation facilities. Relevant approaches to deal with societal challenges such as sustainability, energy efficiency, etc. across verticals, validating the exploitation of 6G across different vertical sectors, and its dual approach towards sustainability (6G for sustainability & sustainable 6G). Collaboration approaches with other region on the world, cross-border testbed and experimentation initiatives/facilities.
SYMPOSIUM PAPER SUBMISSION Symposium Paper Submission All papers should be submitted via EDAS, Symposium on Vision and Facts on 6G and Future Networks in Europe track. Full instructions on how to submit papers are provided on the IEEE FNWF 2023 website. |
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On 21 November 2023 9:30am-3pm, join 5G-Blueprint at the Industrieel Museum Zeeland for the Final Showcase Event, to see all of 5G-Blueprint work coming together into live demonstrations built around teleoperation, transport and logistics. . Agenda and registation can be found here : https://buff.ly/45WuOaO |
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Public Safety Communication Europe (PSCE) is organizing its Winter Conference in the The Hague (The Netherlands) on 5th and 6th December. The event will look at “Managing large-scale events for public safety’’ in view of the 2024 Summer Olympic Games 2024. During the two days, there will be exhibitor booths for projects focusing in the field of crisis management, public safety communication, large-scale events management and protection of public spaces. Please contact secretariat@psc-europe.eu for any further questions and to learn more about exhibition opportunities. Find out more on PSCE website here. |
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The 2023 IEEE GLOBECOM will be held at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 4-8 December 2023. Themed “Intelligent Communications for Shared Prosperity,” the conference will offer five full days of original paper presentations, tutorials, workshops, industry program with keynotes and panels from prominent research, industry and government leaders, business and industry panels, and technological exhibits. In addition to exciting technical symposia, tutorials, industry panels and exhibitions, we solicit proposals for half-day or full-day workshops, to be held on 4 or 8 December 2023. The aim of the conference workshops is to emphasize emerging topics that are not specifically covered in the main symposia. Each workshop may include a mix of regular papers, invited presentations, keynotes and panels that encourage the participation of attendees in active discussion. Please address your questions to Workshop Program Co-Chairs Yacine Ghamri-Doudane, Guanyi Liu, Christos Verikoukis.
== Workshop Program Co-Chairs ==
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Wireless on-demand network systems and services have become mainstream technologies that shape the networked world of the future. Different types of wireless LANs, both sub-6 GHz and in higher frequency bands, as well as such established technologies as Bluetooth LE, LTE-Direct, LTE ProSE, NR sidelink, NFC, and optical links are the cornerstone of networking paradigms including NextG cellular, mesh and sensor networks, cloud networks, vehicular networks, non-terrestrial networks, and in-body networks. The challenges of this exciting research field are numerous. These include providing robust services in highly dynamic, mobile, and extreme environments, how to minimize energy demands or zero out battery usage in favor of renewable energy sources, how to smartly blend multiple wireless technologies available to a network node (including across radically different bands), and how to make wireless on-demand networks and services self-configurable, adaptive, self-organizing, and self-healing in a variety of different context, each exhibiting its own peculiar constraints. IFIP WONS, now at its eighteenth edition, has established itself as a high quality forum to address the above and related challenges. WONS 2024 aims at continuing to provide a global platform for rich interactions between experts in their fields, discussing innovative contributions in a stimulating environment. This announcement solicits original contributions of high-quality research providing novel insights on all aspects of wireless on-demand networks and systems. Topics of interest comprise, but are not limited to:
The authors of selected papers from WONS 2024 edition will be invited to submit an extended version of their work to Elsevier Computer Communications for possible publication in a dedicated Virtual Special Issue (VSI). VSI submitted papers should extend significantly the original work offering additional contribution and insight to the community. Important dates
Acceptance notification: Dec 8, 2023 Click here for more information. |
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ETSI is pleased to announce the ETSI Artificial Intelligence (AI) Conference: Status, Implementation and Way Forward of AI Standardization, taking place face to face on 5-7 February 2024 in ETSI, Sophia Antipolis, France. Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning (AI/ML) technology has made major advancements in recent years and is becoming a key enabler for new disruptive features and applications in any digital product. The ETSI Artificial Intelligence (AI) Conference will focus on AI/ML from the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) perspective. The conference programme will cover topics such as new technological trends in the field of AI/ML, related standardization activities in ETSI and other Standards Development Organizations (SDOs), AI/ML regulation in Europe (European AI Act) and world-wide, implementation of AI/ML regulation with the help of standards, and related impact on product design and conformity assessment for market access. More information is available on the event web site. Demonstrations and posters on the latest advances in the field of AI/ML applied to ICT systems and applications will complement the conference programme. This face-to-face event will offer attendees the unique opportunity to come together to exchange with experts, network with peers, visit demos and posters around the subject of Machine Learning with a specific focus on Information and Communications Technology (ICT).
Call for Demonstrations and Posters Open – Deadline to submit: 20 October 2023 The Programme Committee is calling for demonstrations and posters. Researchers, industry experts and other stakeholders in the field of AI/ML are invited to submit proposals for demos and/or posters:
The detailed event programme will be announced in November. Participation to the event is open to all and free of charge upon registration. |
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EuCNC and 6GSummitAntwerp, Belgium- 3-6 June, 2024 |
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Visions for Future Communications Summit
IEEE GLOBECOM 2023
The editor of the 5G PPP newsletter on behalf of the 6GStart Project is Carole Manero, IDATE, 601 rue Georges Méliès, 34000 Montpellier, France.
This document reflects only the views of its authors.
