"The interstate integration of power grids provides multiple advantages concerning operation security, integration of renewable energy as well as energy trading. Due to this fact the UCTE interconnection expands continually since its establishment. Consideration is given to different scenarios of joint operation of UCTE and NORDEL with power grids on the territory of the former USSR. Due to the fact that such an interconnection is second to none in the World in terms of the scale and distance of the interconnection and number of countries involved, strong R&D and innovations are urgently required along with the recent development of technologies. Bulk power grids may encounter major blackouts, which originate in increasing complication in monitoring, operation and control of interconnected power grids as well as in limited knowledge of the total system state. Therefore the possible future interconnection between the European and Russian electricity transmission systems requires elaborating methods for monitoring, control and protection of large scale systems and especially for the support of their interconnections. The development and prototypically implementation of these new methods and tools is the major goal of the ICOEUR project. New technologies like Wide Area Monitoring, Control and Protection as well as advanced network controllers (FACTS) and HVDC systems will be considered. Envisioned ICOEUR goals can be achieved only in close cooperative work of experts, with extensive knowledge of EU and Russian power systems as well as manufacturers and network operators. The ICOEUR consortium involves leading experts in all these domains and guarantees efficient collaboration and knowledge required for testing the methodologies developed. The joint development of innovative monitoring, simulation and control concepts, tools and equipment through international diversified ICOEUR consortium and their prototype implementation will promote their adoptions."