[EURO-Discuss] Reaction from European Commission on ETNO / ITU / WCIT

[Rudi Vansnick]

Below an extract from the attached document from European Commission with regards to the debates around ITU, ETNO and WCIT :

Very clear positioning :

> (1) The overarching objective of the European Union in relation to the WCIT is to ensure that
> any amendment to the International Telecommunications Regulations (ITRs) shall contribute
> to the development of the information society for the benefit of all citizens and
> telecommunications users world-wide, and users in the European Union in particular and
> comply with the Union’s acquis and policy.

> (2) The European Union shall take the following position on proposals for decisions by the
> WCIT at its meeting in Dubai between 3rd and 14th December 2012 and any related
> preparatory meetings:
> (a) Do not support any proposals that conflict with the EU acquis, or introduce obligations on
> operators which go beyond those already provided for under the EU acquis;
> (b) Support proposals that respect the sovereignty of ITU member states and in particular
> recognise those areas that are a national matter such as cybercrime, content, national security
> and defence.
> (c) Support proposals that seek to ensure that the revised ITRs remain high level, strategic and
> technology neutral and oppose proposals to make ITU recommendations binding on ITU
> member states and operating agencies;;
> (d) Support any proposals to maintain the current scope of the ITRs and the current mandate
> of the ITU, oppose any proposals to extend the scope to areas such as the routing of Internetbased
> traffic, content-related issues;
> (e) Support proposals to respect human rights in relation to international telecommunications,
> support proposals to respect privacy and personal data protection in relation to personal data
> and communications (subject to 2(a) above)
> (f) Support measures to promote greater international cooperation in relation to the security of
> networks used for international telecommunications traffic;
> (g) Support pro-competitive measures intended to help achieve lower prices, and greater
> transparency on prices, for international telecommunications traffic, based on commercial
> negotiations in a free and fair marketplace;
> (h) Do not support proposals to establish, within the ITU, mechanisms to settle disputes
> between operators as such mechanisms are not necessary;;
> (i) Support proposals that ensure that maritime communications can be charged in an
> economically efficient way.
> In order to make (2) (a) above explicit, EU agreement to any final outcome should be
> explicitly conditional on the submission of a formal statement by the EU to other participants
> regarding the applicability of EU regulatory provisions, as follows:
> “In signing the Final Acts of the World Conference on International Telecommunications
> (Dubai, 2012), the Delegations of the Member States of the European Union declare that
> these States will apply the International Telecommunication Regulations in accordance with
> their obligations under the Treaty establishing the European Union.”.




Rudi Vansnick
President - CEO
rudi.vansnick op isoc.be  
Mobile +32/(0)475/28.16.32
Tel :      +32/(0)9/329.39.16 

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