The CHRON project addresses the challenge of controlling and managing the next generation of heterogeneous optical networks supporting the Future Internet. Such networks will be of a highly heterogeneous nature, ranging from a wide variety of classes of services with different requirements, to wide physical layer diversity in optical transmission techniques and optical switching paradigms. The CHRON project proposes a Cognitive Heterogeneous Reconfigurable Optical Network, which observes, acts, learns and optimizes its performance. The focus of the project is on the essential elements of the proposed cognitive network, in particular a cognitive decision system; an intelligent monitoring system; and a cognitive control system.The project proposes a cognitive and dynamic approach to tackle the lack of dynamicity of current optical network control planes; especially in view of the emerging levels of dynamic switching paradigms that can co-exist in a single future network. CHRON will investigate intelligent monitoring techniques to account for advanced optical transmission techniques based on complex modulation formats with coherent detection that are being considering for achieving bit rates up 100 Gbit/s and beyond. The CHRON project will consider the interconnectivity between service classes, traffic types and the proposed cognitive system for reducing control and management complexity, augmented flexibility and efficient use of network resources. The proposed cognitive network can also perform cross-layer design and multi-objective optimization supporting trade-offs between performance in term of cost and energy efficiency.The CHRON project will perform simulation and experimental studies to test and validate the developed cognitive control and monitoring techniques in a heterogeneous optical network emulation. The project also includes activities and strategies for intensive dissemination, standardisation and exploitation of achieved results.