This will be one of the questions addressed by delegates meeting at the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) on the 31st August in Sophia Antipolis, France, for a conference entitled; “ The enlarged EU - Opportunities & Challenges for the ICT market ".

The event is a Wrap-up Conference for ETSI’s ambitious Matchmaker Programme which has provided a series of round-table seminars on ETSI’s standardisation effort and how Standardisation is helping to support the light framework of regulation in the EU area, especially in the ICT field. Since July 2003, the following locations have hosted the Matchmaker events (In date order);

Poland, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, Slovakia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Malta, Slovenia, Croatia, Bulgaria, The Czech Republic, Hungary and Romania.

The Deputy Director General of ETSI, Jшrgen Friis has attended some of the round tables. In supporting the wrap-up conference agenda he observed;

“Our experience in making standards that fit the need of National and European Regulators and meet the need of the industry is a story worth hearing. We have been encouraged by the reception we have received throughout the new EU zone. Our experience shows that we all can learn a lot from pooling our ideas and experiences at events such as this”.

The overall objective of the Matchmaker Programme has been to bring the telecommunications communities from acceding countries and the candidate countries, to participate more actively in standards-making in the enlarged Europe. Now, as the series is almost complete (Round-tables in Cyprus and Turkey to be held later in 2004), the wrap-up conference on the 31st August will provide some important updates and conclusions about the changes that are affecting the standardization environment.

It is also the first opportunity for a discussion with participants in the Matchmaker events about what action is needed to ensure a smooth transition to the ICT future of the EU and the Regions just beyond its borders – the so called “European Neighbourhood”.

ETSI Member companies, National Administrations and Standards Organisations have been invited to the event. Press and Media interest is encouraged also. Speakers will come from Academia, Industry, Standards bodies and Trade associations.

© "MForum.ru"