UNUnited Nations Economic Commission for Europe

Press Release

[Index]      

Global standards for the global Information Society

UNECE, IEC, ISO, ITU-T Side Event at the Pan-European Preparatory Ministerial Conference
for the World Summit on the Information Society

Geneva, 7 November 2002

Bucharest, Romania, 8 November 2002


How can international standards foster the global policy dialogue on the Information Society and the development of a harmonized and stable framework of technologies, best practices and agreements, recognized worldwide? This is the crux of the question that will be tackled by Mr. Ollie Smoot, ISO President elect, and Mr. U. Hartmann, Director, Information/communications, Siemens, at the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Pan-European Regional Conference in Bucharest on 8 November 2002.

The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) has set out, as its objective, to address the broad range of questions concerning the Information Society and to draw up an action plan to layout a roadmap to bridge the digital divide.

The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the International Telecommunication Union - Standardization Department (ITU-T) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) will work together to ensure that WSIS will raise awareness on the contribution that international standards can make in addressing global issues in the information society. IEC, ISO, ITU-T and UNECE all have a common aim and a common vision: to provide an environment in which all key international organizations can cooperate and contribute to the delivery and promotion of an evolving set of standards for electronic business. The four organizations have committed themselves through a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to avoiding divergent and competitive approaches, to eliminating duplication of efforts, to providing a clear roadmap for users, and to ensuring coherence.

At the WSIS Pan-European Regional Conference in Bucharest, in which IEC, ISO, ITU-T and UNECE will be participating actively, they intend to make a specific contribution to the debate during the session on "Defining the Information Society", on 8 November 2002. In the course of that session, the leading international standardization organizations will elaborate on the theme "The role of open and global standards for achieving an inclusive Information Society".

By highlighting the role that international standards can play to foster this international policy dialogue on the Information Society, the four organizations hope to promote the development of an inclusive information society that provides access and participation for all, bypassing all borders, gender considerations and social distinctions.

International standards have an ever-greater place in helping to maximize the benefits of Information and Communication Technologies for developing countries. Standards simplify the use of existing and new technologies; focus on interfaces and interoperability; reduce costs and complexity; open markets and foster broader access to products and services; and favour the emergence of rules and agreements on best practices.

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Ref: ECE/TRADE/02/08