European tech giants form software consortium

British Telecom, Nokia, SAP and Siemens are among a dozen or so high-tech companies lining up to support efforts to strengthen Europe's position in the global software and information technology industries. To that end, the companies launched a consortium on Wednesday called the Networked European Software and Services Initiative, or NESSI.

The group's wide-ranging plans include supporting and coordinating research into next-generation business systems, promoting open-source software initiatives, developing applications that enhance citizens' well-being, and creating high-skill jobs in Europe, "hence transforming the European economy into a knowledge based economy and enabling the European software and IT services industry to attain a stronger global position," according to the NESSI Web site. Other members of the consortium include IBM, Hewlett-Packard, Telecom Italia and Telefonica.