diff --git a/common/resource/dependency-structure.ddf b/common/resource/dependency-structure.ddf
index b4b257b8c81e19ecde5cfcfdbefaa85b58c4dff6..8cc3a4ac6a8b2cffb3a7e48d99a48b1ebc79a965 100644
--- a/common/resource/dependency-structure.ddf
+++ b/common/resource/dependency-structure.ddf
@@ -12,6 +12,9 @@ check sets [db]
 [exceptions] = ${package}.exceptions.*
 check sets [exceptions]
 
+[collections] = ${package}.collections.*
+check sets [collections]
+
 [logging] = ${package}.logging.*
 check sets [logging]
 
@@ -24,14 +27,14 @@ check sets [process]
 [test] = ${package}.test.*
 check sets [test]
 
-[utilities] = ${package}.utilities.* excluding ${package}.utilities.RecursiveHardLinkMaker
-check sets [utilities]
+# TODO 2008-02-26, Christian Ribeaud: include 'utilities' set into layering.
+# [utilities] = ${package}.utilities.*
+# check sets [utilities]
 
 layer layer0 = [annotation] [exceptions] [logging] [test]
-layer layer1 = [utilities]
-layer layer2 = [process]
-layer layer3 = [db] [parser]
+layer layer1 = [process] [collections]
+layer layer2 = [db] [parser]
 
-check layeringOf layer0 layer1 layer2 layer3
+check layeringOf layer0 layer1 layer2
 
 check [parser] independentOf ${package}.exceptions.UserFailureException 
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/utilities/CollectionIO.java b/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/collections/CollectionIO.java
similarity index 99%
rename from common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/utilities/CollectionIO.java
rename to common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/collections/CollectionIO.java
index 99350c6e3ea4f74c817fecc2590be107692b0960..7bd8d4a76d3d7465b95b0758796b2d7d4205ad55 100644
--- a/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/utilities/CollectionIO.java
+++ b/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/collections/CollectionIO.java
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
-package ch.systemsx.cisd.common.utilities;
+package ch.systemsx.cisd.common.collections;
 
 import java.io.BufferedReader;
 import java.io.File;
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ import org.apache.log4j.Logger;
 
 import ch.systemsx.cisd.common.logging.LogCategory;
 import ch.systemsx.cisd.common.logging.LogFactory;
+import ch.systemsx.cisd.common.utilities.FileUtilities;
 
 /**
  * I/O operations for collections. Allows to read and write collections of {@link String}s and other objects from and
diff --git a/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/utilities/CollectionStyle.java b/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/collections/CollectionStyle.java
similarity index 96%
rename from common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/utilities/CollectionStyle.java
rename to common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/collections/CollectionStyle.java
index adb8f5cdd7eb4f63dfe8c2052f35ef4ed92b1582..ea072da2f65ffb3554536314f99f5fc8413692eb 100644
--- a/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/utilities/CollectionStyle.java
+++ b/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/collections/CollectionStyle.java
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-package ch.systemsx.cisd.common.utilities;
+package ch.systemsx.cisd.common.collections;
 
 /**
  * Controls <code>Collection</code> string representation for {@link CollectionUtils}.
diff --git a/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/utilities/CollectionUtils.java b/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/collections/CollectionUtils.java
similarity index 99%
rename from common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/utilities/CollectionUtils.java
rename to common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/collections/CollectionUtils.java
index d3eb36873fe21d902e0c4d608e4d801fcbb94abb..99c1bea7b8c21d524e32a4885464b19860a424fd 100644
--- a/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/utilities/CollectionUtils.java
+++ b/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/collections/CollectionUtils.java
@@ -14,12 +14,13 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
-package ch.systemsx.cisd.common.utilities;
+package ch.systemsx.cisd.common.collections;
 
 import java.util.Arrays;
 import java.util.Collection;
 import java.util.Iterator;
 
+
 /**
  * Some convenience methods/utilities around {@link Collection}.
  * 
diff --git a/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/utilities/FromStringIdentityConverter.java b/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/collections/FromStringIdentityConverter.java
similarity index 96%
rename from common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/utilities/FromStringIdentityConverter.java
rename to common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/collections/FromStringIdentityConverter.java
index 773e1648ed997d0acc36f52fe5de252ffc6008f4..0292bbba2885bddd7f66cf9f20cdfcfb7dddf838 100644
--- a/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/utilities/FromStringIdentityConverter.java
+++ b/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/collections/FromStringIdentityConverter.java
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
-package ch.systemsx.cisd.common.utilities;
+package ch.systemsx.cisd.common.collections;
 
 /**
  * The identity {@link IFromStringConverter} for {@link String}s, which returns the value itself as the converted
diff --git a/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/utilities/IFromStringConverter.java b/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/collections/IFromStringConverter.java
similarity index 95%
rename from common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/utilities/IFromStringConverter.java
rename to common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/collections/IFromStringConverter.java
index f8d47cfca7feba1001cf99bd383a850a452bbbca..d20a79fa332e23ca7fc9949080783b40422e13e9 100644
--- a/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/utilities/IFromStringConverter.java
+++ b/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/collections/IFromStringConverter.java
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
-package ch.systemsx.cisd.common.utilities;
+package ch.systemsx.cisd.common.collections;
 
 /**
  * This converter represents a role that can convert a <var>String</var> to some other <var>Object</var>.
diff --git a/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/utilities/IToStringConverter.java b/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/collections/IToStringConverter.java
similarity index 95%
rename from common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/utilities/IToStringConverter.java
rename to common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/collections/IToStringConverter.java
index 1c6fe5a01d56dc06b2cc65d721e76daed1f921c7..74ae81a19c54043a5f0fc83b927422d082c369d9 100644
--- a/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/utilities/IToStringConverter.java
+++ b/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/collections/IToStringConverter.java
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
-package ch.systemsx.cisd.common.utilities;
+package ch.systemsx.cisd.common.collections;
 
 /**
  * This converter represents a role that can convert a <var>String</var> to some other <var>Object</var>.
diff --git a/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/utilities/ToStringDefaultConverter.java b/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/collections/ToStringDefaultConverter.java
similarity index 96%
rename from common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/utilities/ToStringDefaultConverter.java
rename to common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/collections/ToStringDefaultConverter.java
index 1aecc8f9deb705969bf2da9ba301332c2ae17128..f4d8c64dcaa0ea04af75654ca2034c3a4d35b9e1 100644
--- a/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/utilities/ToStringDefaultConverter.java
+++ b/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/collections/ToStringDefaultConverter.java
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
-package ch.systemsx.cisd.common.utilities;
+package ch.systemsx.cisd.common.collections;
 
 /**
  * The default converter: uses {@link Object#toString()} for conversion.
diff --git a/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/parser/MandatoryPropertyMissingException.java b/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/parser/MandatoryPropertyMissingException.java
index d03615f4da1a970e87de28072cfef947ea8891a6..0b132316592f588b9f06af2b60e6f3fe3b5cb16a 100644
--- a/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/parser/MandatoryPropertyMissingException.java
+++ b/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/parser/MandatoryPropertyMissingException.java
@@ -19,8 +19,8 @@ package ch.systemsx.cisd.common.parser;
 import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.Set;
 
-import ch.systemsx.cisd.common.utilities.CollectionStyle;
-import ch.systemsx.cisd.common.utilities.CollectionUtils;
+import ch.systemsx.cisd.common.collections.CollectionStyle;
+import ch.systemsx.cisd.common.collections.CollectionUtils;
 
 /**
  * A <code>ParserException</code> extension which signalizes missing of a mandatory property.
diff --git a/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/utilities/DirectoryScanningTimerTask.java b/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/utilities/DirectoryScanningTimerTask.java
index c58fa5b39896c32dc3bb19184a187a4f54fe01d1..4479526ac023707a1216912dde1ae0531fcb9119 100644
--- a/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/utilities/DirectoryScanningTimerTask.java
+++ b/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/utilities/DirectoryScanningTimerTask.java
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import java.util.TimerTask;
 
 import org.apache.log4j.Logger;
 
+import ch.systemsx.cisd.common.collections.CollectionIO;
 import ch.systemsx.cisd.common.logging.ISimpleLogger;
 import ch.systemsx.cisd.common.logging.LogCategory;
 import ch.systemsx.cisd.common.logging.LogFactory;
diff --git a/common/sourceTest/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/utilities/CollectionIOTest.java b/common/sourceTest/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/collections/CollectionIOTest.java
similarity index 97%
rename from common/sourceTest/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/utilities/CollectionIOTest.java
rename to common/sourceTest/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/collections/CollectionIOTest.java
index 15853c7734735a2739b8c0fcf5af4682764799f5..0dbbad3203d23fa7b834d09567ccc5648a058fbf 100644
--- a/common/sourceTest/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/utilities/CollectionIOTest.java
+++ b/common/sourceTest/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/collections/CollectionIOTest.java
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
-package ch.systemsx.cisd.common.utilities;
+package ch.systemsx.cisd.common.collections;
 
 import static org.testng.AssertJUnit.assertEquals;
 
@@ -34,6 +34,9 @@ import java.util.Set;
 import org.testng.annotations.BeforeSuite;
 import org.testng.annotations.Test;
 
+import ch.systemsx.cisd.common.collections.CollectionIO;
+import ch.systemsx.cisd.common.collections.IFromStringConverter;
+import ch.systemsx.cisd.common.collections.IToStringConverter;
 import ch.systemsx.cisd.common.logging.LogInitializer;
 
 /**
diff --git a/common/sourceTest/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/utilities/CollectionUtilsTest.java b/common/sourceTest/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/collections/CollectionUtilsTest.java
similarity index 97%
rename from common/sourceTest/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/utilities/CollectionUtilsTest.java
rename to common/sourceTest/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/collections/CollectionUtilsTest.java
index e9e5f9cf8e3e63258349ff7a2781903285dbce21..c99f4634f1da856219b9c1bd052db83a59d7567c 100644
--- a/common/sourceTest/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/utilities/CollectionUtilsTest.java
+++ b/common/sourceTest/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/collections/CollectionUtilsTest.java
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
-package ch.systemsx.cisd.common.utilities;
+package ch.systemsx.cisd.common.collections;
 
 import static org.testng.AssertJUnit.assertEquals;
 import static org.testng.AssertJUnit.fail;
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ import java.util.Collection;
 import org.apache.commons.lang.StringUtils;
 import org.testng.annotations.Test;
 
+import ch.systemsx.cisd.common.utilities.StringUtilities;
+
 /**
  * Test cases for the {@link CollectionUtils} class.
  * 
diff --git a/common/sourceTest/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/process/ProcessExecutionHelperTest.java b/common/sourceTest/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/process/ProcessExecutionHelperTest.java
index f400362e6ae63e99c0c84861d97beeb243a5137e..d539bf06e0d8b621a3cf4de4dfdc7b2d298e23b4 100644
--- a/common/sourceTest/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/process/ProcessExecutionHelperTest.java
+++ b/common/sourceTest/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/process/ProcessExecutionHelperTest.java
@@ -29,10 +29,10 @@ import org.testng.annotations.BeforeClass;
 import org.testng.annotations.BeforeMethod;
 import org.testng.annotations.Test;
 
+import ch.systemsx.cisd.common.collections.CollectionIO;
 import ch.systemsx.cisd.common.logging.LogCategory;
 import ch.systemsx.cisd.common.logging.LogFactory;
 import ch.systemsx.cisd.common.logging.LogInitializer;
-import ch.systemsx.cisd.common.utilities.CollectionIO;
 
 /**
  * Test cases for the {@link ProcessExecutionHelper}.
diff --git a/common/sourceTest/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/utilities/DirectoryScanningTimerTaskTest.java b/common/sourceTest/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/utilities/DirectoryScanningTimerTaskTest.java
index 3d225c223480024f4543d5d2e754490164c096cb..e987e4851d29d06ca70ac5712c08da86f1b4cc48 100644
--- a/common/sourceTest/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/utilities/DirectoryScanningTimerTaskTest.java
+++ b/common/sourceTest/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/utilities/DirectoryScanningTimerTaskTest.java
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ import org.testng.annotations.BeforeClass;
 import org.testng.annotations.BeforeMethod;
 import org.testng.annotations.Test;
 
+import ch.systemsx.cisd.common.collections.CollectionIO;
 import ch.systemsx.cisd.common.logging.LogCategory;
 import ch.systemsx.cisd.common.logging.LogInitializer;
 import ch.systemsx.cisd.common.logging.LogMonitoringAppender;
diff --git a/common/sourceTest/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/utilities/RecursiveHardLinkMakerTest.java b/common/sourceTest/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/utilities/RecursiveHardLinkMakerTest.java
index 9b3932dd2cbee4c3762c2669a31f656d89b1a0ed..066d59af09bed24094607b05d5d550e14d2be9e0 100644
--- a/common/sourceTest/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/utilities/RecursiveHardLinkMakerTest.java
+++ b/common/sourceTest/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/utilities/RecursiveHardLinkMakerTest.java
@@ -28,8 +28,8 @@ import org.testng.annotations.BeforeClass;
 import org.testng.annotations.BeforeMethod;
 import org.testng.annotations.Test;
 
+import ch.systemsx.cisd.common.collections.CollectionIO;
 import ch.systemsx.cisd.common.logging.LogInitializer;
-import ch.systemsx.cisd.common.utilities.CollectionIO;
 import ch.systemsx.cisd.common.utilities.FileUtilities;
 import ch.systemsx.cisd.common.utilities.IPathImmutableCopier;
 import ch.systemsx.cisd.common.utilities.RecursiveHardLinkMaker;