ICT Standardisation in Europe A Participant View BIS Standards Regulations Forum 7 November 2012

Simon Hicks Head of ICT Technology and Standards, BIS Board Vice Chair, ETSI

ICT is different And yet the same…..

4 Talking to bodies OUTSIDE THE BOX W 3 C O A S I S I E T F O G F I E E E Other fora and consortia… How do we access and use? INSIDE THE BOX CEN and National Bodies CENELEC and National Bodies ETSI and national committees ITU, ISO, IEC and national liaison structures

5 Where ICT standards are part 1 What we call telecommunications is mainly formal standards What we call Information Technology (IT) is mainly in the private/commercial fora space Formal standards have a specific legal status Fora standards have no special status Need to engage with fora standards for policy and procurement

6 Where ICT standards are part 2 Formal bodies, eg ESOs, continue to process and recognise fora standards The Multi Stakeholder Platform (MSP) now provides a meeting place for ICT standards producers, member states and associated stakeholders such as users Continued de facto use of any standards that have market acceptance Member States, including the UK, introduce recognition systems for ICT standards in public procurement

The new kid on the block for ICT….. Introducing the Multi Stakeholder Platform…..

8 The ICT MSP so far UK representative A long journey – 2007 Commission report laid the foundations, work before then to steer the report, informal group since Two meetings of the MSP so far Active standards organisation participation Active member states participation, but less so in meeting 2 Lot of focus on procedures, but necessarily so! How well will it work?

9 What the MSP does, or will do Provide a coherent, systematic and representative advice forum to the Commission and Member States on standardisation mandates etc Recognise ICT specifications (looking at the organisation not the content) for public sector use It does not provide a route for public recognition of specifications! Although it will provide credence for wider use

10 What next? Intellectual Property rights (IPR) are an important consideration – to industry, the Commission and governments Convergence of ICT is happening and will continue, will the MSP be a partner or will it have little relevance? Increasing presence of fora type bodies? A different mix of formal and informal standards organisations?

Thanks for listening