Just how does the European Commission come up with that ludicrous figure of $15,000m to build a network to link national administrations (CI No 2,128)? It starts with about $380m over five years to help national authorities exchange information in areas such as taxes and export controls, says national governments would have to provide at least $6,700m over five years, it said, and wants another $7,900m or so over seven years to help all the Community’s backward regions to build up their telecommunications and computer infrastructures; it says helpfully that loans will be available from the European Investment Bank to help with the effort.
