The CEPT Committee for ITU Policy (Com-ITU) met last 23-24 September in Lisbon. This committee is in charge of European coordination ahead of participation in International Telecommunication Union (ITU) activities.
The main agenda point was the election of ANACOM staff member Manuel Costa Cabral to chair Com-ITU, thereby also becoming a co-president of CEPT. The outgoing chair Marcin Krasuski of Poland stepped down from the position after his first term. The next Com-ITU meeting will be held in January 2016, where its new vice-chairs will be appointed.
The meeting was devoted to preparing for Europe’s participation at the next ITU World Telecommunications Standardisation Assembly, to be held in 2016. The committee agreed that it was vital to determine strategic principles and interests that Europe and its respective industry want to see defended at the Assembly, so that they can then prepare specific proposals.
Also noteworthy was the preparation for meetings of the ITU Council working groups that will take place in October 2015. The proposal on obtaining revenue from international numbering resources (INR), which will be discussed in the working group (WG) on human and financial resources, raised particular concern among CEPT countries that believe it will impact countries’ national legislation, whereby it should only be applied (even on a trial basis) in countries that voluntarily participate.
The attendance of observers at Com-ITU meetings was also debated. Some countries hold that only bodies that have clear European interests defined in their bylaws should be awarded such status, and that the Internet Society (ISOC) and the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) should not be able to attend as observers. On the other hand, some countries acknowledge that those bodies have made a vital contribution to the committee’s work and thereby deserve to hold permanent observer status. As no consensus was reached, those bodies will continue to be temporary observers until a decision is made on the matter.
The next Com-ITU meeting will be held on 20-22 January 2016 in Copenhagen.
