DIGITALEUROPE comments in relation to its engagement in the Joint Initiative on Standardisation

DIGITALEUROPE is pleased to join and contribute to the Joint Initiative on Standardisation (JIS) and share its experience and knowledge in developing market-driven standards of global relevance in collaboration with all interested participants.

Nevertheless, DIGITALEUROPE believes that going forward JIS should take the following elements into account:

1. all industrial and economic sectors increasingly rely on ICT technologies, products and solutions (hardware and software) to develop and implement new services and tools

2. ICT is a fast developing sector that relies on market-driven standards that are used globally and ensure a high level of interoperability

3. ICT standards are developed by a variety of different, mostly global, Standards Developing Organisations (SDOs) which cross reference each other’s standards to build on and leverage from existing ones and ensure appropriate interoperability of products using such standards

4. the working methods used in the ICT standardisation domain make effective use of ICT tools to ensure timely delivery of expected standards and to maximize global participation of all stakeholders

5. DIGITALEUROPE is concerned with some of the content of the JIS document which gives the impression that the European Standardisation System is ineffective, operating poorly and delivering standards that have limited relevance. The vision promoted by European Commission to impulse a large “wave” – instead of a small “tide” to improve the current European Standardisation System provides a negative view and does not value the positive outcome and contribution of European industry and all parties engaged in standardisation activities. DIGITALEUROPE recommends to take advantage of all existing committees and organisations that contribute to the European Standardisation System, avoid unnecessary duplication of work and focus on providing the current structures with any requested support.

As the ICT industry is global in nature, DIGITALEUROPE believes that going forward JIS could significantly benefit from an increased focus on global openness and international cooperation. DIGITALEUROPE would in this regard like to stress the absolute imperative for the Joint Initiative to support the bottom-up, industry-led, global and voluntary approach.