BRUSSELS – High-level policy makers and industry representatives from Europe and beyond will gather in Brussels on April 19th for a workshop organised jointly by ETNO and the ITU on ‘Revising the International Telecommunication Regulations (ITRs) - Preparations for WCIT 2012’. The workshop is to be hosted at Belgacom’s Headquarters and will be opened by Didier Bellens, Belgacom CEO, and Luigi Gambardella, ETNO Board Chairman.

“International Telecommunication Regulations date from an era when the Internet and mobile phones were inexistent. The next World Conference on International Telecommunications will be an important opportunity to ensure that recent rapid technology and market changes are fully reflected in any revised framework going forward. It is essential to take a balanced approach which ensures that Internet innovation continues to grow and evolve successfully for the benefit of society and the economy as whole”, says Luigi Gambardella, ETNO Executive Board Chairman.

The International Rules for Telecommunications (ITRs) are to be revised at the next World Conference in International Telecommunications, due to be held in Dubai in December. This will be an opportunity to adapt the ITRs to better reflect today’s telecoms market and the innovation that has occurred since 1988, when the rules were last negotiated.

The objective of this workshop is to bring the issues to the fore and provide a platform for policy makers and industry to discuss the issues and any concerns, with a view to finding common ground or at least identifying areas for closer collaboration going forward.

Key speakers will include Robert Madelin, European Commission DG INFSO Director-General, William Kennard, US Ambassador to the EU and Malcolm Johnson, Malcolm Johnson, ITU-T Director.

“WCIT will be ITU’s second treaty-making conference in 2012. The World Radiocommunication Conference 2012 (WRC-12) was a shining example of what can be achieved for the good of industry and the world’s inhabitants. A lot has changed since the ITRs were last revised. I think we can all agree that this conference comes at a time when technology is having a major impact on economic and social development. WCIT represents a unique opportunity for all stakeholders to work together to extend the benefits of ICTs to all the world citizens.”

For more information on the programme and to register for the event, please consult:

http://www.etno.be/Default.aspx?tabid=2478

For more information, please contact: Thierry Dieu, ETNO Director for Communications and Public Policy Tel: (32-2) 219 32 42 Fax: (32-2) 219 64 12 E-mail: dieu@etno.be

ETNO’s 40 member companies and 10 observers from Europe and beyond represent a significant part of total ICT activity in Europe. They account for an aggregate annual turnover of more than €600 billion and employ over 1.6 million people. ETNO companies are the main drivers of broadband and are committed to its continual growth in Europe.