Collaborative Standards-Setting Forum Starts Open Dialogue on the Health of the
Standards System
BRUSSELS, Nov. 20 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ --
The Intellectual Property Institute (IPI) and the Center for European Law and
Economics (CELEC) today jointly launched an open dialogue about the health of the
standards system. Today's forum brought together a group of academics, industry
experts and government officials to discuss the standards-setting process and the
important role standards can play in the information, communication and
technology sector with implications for that sector's broader group of
stakeholders. This forum is one of several taking place in Brussels this week on
the standards-setting system.
"We have established an important precedent in this debate," said Dr.
Christopher Stothers from the IPI. "Today's collaborative, open dialogue among
key stakeholders in the standards debate sheds light on the issues surrounding
possible improvements to the standards system and brings diverse voices into the
discussion."
"Standards can promote innovation and competition, fuel market growth and
protect investment. The standard-setting process should be designed to support
these objectives," said Dr. Mattias Ganslandt from the Center for European Law
and Economics. "Today we have started an open dialogue about the standards-
setting system that involves stakeholders from corporations, academia and
government."
Forum participants felt that the value of ICT standards in today's
interconnected economy cannot be over-stated. There was a general consensus that
standards can improve efficiency and interoperability. They allow different
products and services to work together better and improve product safety and
productivity for businesses and consumers. For instance, standards mean that
travelers can get cash from an ATM machine anywhere, any time, and from any bank
while standardized wireless technology allows users to connect to more than 2.3
million Wi-Fi hotspots around the world; granting access to the Internet at
Starbucks in London or Sydney, Australia.
"The main objective of today's discussion has been to focus on the interests
of relevant stakeholders vis-a-vis the standards process, so that we can ensure
that any proposed improvements will help us to accomplish the goals of
standardization," Dr. Stothers from the IPI explained.
This event is a launching point for a wide range of forums and discussions
surrounding the issue. It is the hope of the organizers that they will continue
to bring the full range of interested parties to the discussion in an honest,
open and collaborative fashion.
"It is our belief that the consensus-based and voluntary standards-setting
system is working, but it can be improved through greater participation by all
stakeholders," said Dr. Ganslandt, from CELEC. "Our forum today was part of an
open and collaborative dialogue and involved parties that are interested in a
rich and robust standards-setting process. This is the first of many such events
that can bring more diverse voices into the standards-setting process."
For more information on this forum and on the collaborative and open
SOURCE: Intellectual Property Institute; Center for European Law and Economics
CONTACT: Monica Cristina of Intellectual Property Institute and Center for
European Law and Economics, +32(0)2 289 0952,
monica.cristina@blueprintpartners.eu
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