[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