The aim of the position paper is to facilitate a better understanding of the different concepts of the informataion society in the context of spatial development. The aim is also to identify what information society related issues potential projects could deal with and in what way, to best contribute to spatial development in the regions around the North Sea.

The purpose of the paper is to be a user-friendly guide to assist those developing projects on information society related issues covered by the North Sea Programme. As the NSP covers many rural and peripheral areas, the position paper should focus especially on these areas and the opportunities provided by information and communication technologies for the strengthening of these regions. Even if the European context is essential, the main focus of the paper should be on the North Sea Region.