European Commission adopts legal package on standardisation reform

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PRESS RELEASE

 Brussels, 1 June 2011

  European Commission adopts legal package on standardisation reform

Brussels -The European Commission's proposal to open up EU's approach to standardisation will increase efficiency, openness, and transparency, Openforum Europe (OFE) said on Wednesday.

 The proposal to amend the EU's law on standardisation, which requires approval by Parliament and Council, would adjust the EU's policies and public procurement to the reality in the world of information and communications technology (ICT). The Commission also announced increased use of fora/consortia standards in policy documents, with no approval needed from other EU institutions.

 “This is an important step towards an open, competitive ICT market built on open standards,” said Graham Taylor, the spokesman for OFE. “It will increase the efficiency of government procurement and will address some of the shortcomings we identified in OFE's recent Procurement Study. And it will allow for more comprehensive and effective policy making in Europe.”

 Standards setting is important for the efficiency of public sector because it enhances the interoperability of ICT systems.

 The European Union has traditionally only recognised standards from CEN, CENELEC and ETSI, the European Standards Organisations, the national bodies or those from the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO), the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

 Taylor applauded the Commission for its proposal, which he said puts the EU at the forefront of standardisation policy and recognizes the global nature of ICT standardisation.

 “Global standards development organisations like W3C and OASIS are open, transparent, and an indispensable part of European Standardisation,” Taylor said.

 The Commission proposal would integrate the work of such groups into the European Union ICT standardisation framework provided their deliverables go through a recognition process.

For more information please contact Graham Taylor +44 771 359 3217 graham@openforumeurope.org

OpenForum Europe (OFE) is an independent, not-for-profit organisation and is supported by major IT suppliers (inc Deloitte, Google, IBM, Oracle, Red Hat), SMEs, user and consumer organisations, and national partners across Europe. OFE's focuses on delivering an open, competitive ICT market, and strongly supports both Open Standards and use of Open Source Software. OFE works closely not only with the European Commission but with many national governments across Europe. OpenForum Europe acknowledges all the input received from its members and partners in the compilation of this document. However, OpenForum Europe does not seek to represent any specific community nor present its opinions as being unanimously supported by its full membership. References given are fully attributed and every effort made to ensure they have been taken in true context.

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