RD242 - ETNO Reflection Document on the Strategic Development of ITU

This ETNO Reflection Document on the strategic development of ITU focuses on the following four main missions of the Union:

• development of technical standards
• coordination and management of the radio frequency spectrum
• “closing the gap”
• global activities such as IPR, GMPCS MoU, etc.

ETNO finds that such core activities will permit ITU to operate close to market needs. In order to fully achieve this goal, ETNO thinks that a reform is more than ever necessary, and proposes some ideas to be discussed in the appropriate fora, such as with CEPT administrations in the context of the preparation of the next Plenipotentiary Conference, EC representatives, etc.

The rapid growth of broadband technology and the convergence of telecommunications, computing and information and multimedia applications are opening up new perspectives for the sector. Some Member States see ITU’s mission to be in the field of promoting the broader definition of telecommunications, namely the application of ICTs, and advocate for a change of its fundamental missions.

The new environment of the telecommunication sector combined with the preparation of the upcoming ITU Plenipotentiary Conference, - PP-06 in Antalya in November 2006, was the occasion to reassess ETNO’s views on the future of ITU.

This ETNO Reflection Document on the strategic development of ITU focuses on the following four main missions of ITU:
 - development of technical standards
 - coordination and management of the radio frequency spectrum
 - “closing the gap” 
 - global activities such as IPR, GMPCS MoU, etc.

ETNO finds that these core activities fall within the current mandate of the ITU, and will permit ITU to operate close to market needs. In order to fully achieve this goal, ETNO thinks that a reform is more than ever necessary, and proposes in this Reflection Document some ideas to be discussed in the appropriate fora, such as with CEPT administrations in the context of the preparation of the next Plenipotentiary Conference, EC representatives, etc.