Reinforcing European presence in international ICT standardisation

Topic description

Specific Challenge:

Standards and interoperability for digital technologies play a crucial role as a foundation of an effective Digital Single Market. They ensure that technologies work smoothly and reliably together, provide economies of scale, foster innovation and keep markets open. Fragmentation of standard setting processes along national lines, or the absence of common standards, would significantly slow down innovation and disadvantage European businesses on a global scale.

The standard setting process in the ICT domain faces a number of important new challenges that require a focused, sustained and coordinated European response. There are ever more bodies and organisations involved in ICT standard setting around the world. Improved cooperation, deeper involvement of European specialists, and increased focus are needed in order to ensure that the EU's priorities and the Digital Single Market perspectives are sufficiently represented in the entire spectrum of organisations.

The proposal is expected to reinforce the EU presence in the international ICT standardisation scene, by:

1. Monitoring and gathering information regarding the on-going work from the relevant international and global standards developing organisations (SDOs), fora and consortia, in particular those active in the ICT priority areas identified in the Communication “Priorities for ICT standardisation for the Digital Single Market^[1]”. This monitoring should allow European institutions, Member States and industry to better understand where the opportunities and risks are and determine where it is needed to participate and invest resources with maximum impact to promote European strategic interests, both regarding public and users' interests, as well as industrial competitiveness.
2. To set up and manage a facility to support participation of key European specialists (especially from SMES and Academia) in key SDOs to push for European requirements and promote broader European interest. The facility would intervene in domains and SDOs where there is not enough coverage from European companies and not supported by other instruments (PPPs, EU or national R&I projects) as to avoid overlaps and achieve maximum impact.

The proposal should have the ambition to strengthen the position of the European interests to effectively contribute to, benefit from, and influence the global standardisation landscape. The ultimate goal is to ensure that standardisation activity supports a global market creating opportunities for European businesses and consumers and it is achieved via the most appropriate routes and organisations.

Relevant activities at national and EU level, as well as by industry should be taken into account.

In order to improve European participation in the field of international ICT standardisation, proposals should address the following:

• Mapping of the relevant activities in international ICT standardisation, including corresponding SDOs, fora and consortia, in particular regarding the priority domains identified in the Communication “Priorities for ICT standardisation for the Digital Single Market”
• Identification of, technical bodies, committees and concrete working items where (more) European resources are needed.
• Setting up of a management facility to support participation and leadership (e.g. chairing of technical committees) of key European specialists (including from SMES and Academia) in those organisations and technical bodies identified, to push for European requirements and promote European interest.
• Proactively achieving critical mass from industry, including SMEs and Startups, and academia for emerging standardisation activities
• Liaise with relevant on-going developments in EU and national funded R&I projects, in particular with projects having identified standardisation output or with potential relevant results, including as well other coordination and support actions, and relevant PPPs^[2]
• When relevant hosting standardisation meetings and workshop in Europe.

This action allows for the provision of financial support to third parties in line with the conditions set out in Part K of the General Annexes, in particular regarding the participation of European specialists in international SDOs. The consortium will define the process that will lead to a selection of an additional pool of specialists that may be needed to fulfil the scope of the proposal. In addition ad-hoc selection processes may be required. Financial support for these specialists will be typically in the order of EUR 1.000 – 8.000 per action by third party. It is expected that minimum 70% of the EU funding requested by the proposal should be allocated to the purpose of financial support to third parties. Third party support is expected to cover the participation of specialists in international ICT standardisation activities to support European interests, including participation in technical bodies, and leadership of relevant committees.

The Commission considers that proposals should cover a period of two years, and that those requesting a contribution from the EU of up to EUR 2 million would allow this specific challenge to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.

• Identification of ICT standardisation areas which need European intervention and proposal of actions to address them;
• Engagement of required stakeholders and experts to ensure lasting impact;
• Increase the influence or Europe into international ICT standardisation, ensuring promotion of European requirements and interests;
• Set-up of a facility to support participation of European experts in international ICT SDOs and technical bodies.
• Increase the participation of European experts in international ICT Standardisation activities to support European interests.
• Getting working items at the right time into the right technical bodies in international SDOs, fora and consortia.
• Synergies with other similar initiatives or European players including from EU (and national) funded R&I projects
• Common positions of European stakeholders in international ICT standardisation.

[1]COMM(2016) 176

[2]e.g., 5G PPP, AIOTI, Big Data PPP, etc.