09:30 - 09:45
CET
| Opening Remarks- Sophie Maddens, Head of RME Division, ITU-D
- Bilel Jamoussi, Chief of Study Groups Department, ITU-T
- Fernando de Faria Siqueira, Steering Committee Chairman
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09:45 - 10:00
CET | Session 2: Introduction to ITU-T Study Group 3
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10:00 - 12:45
CET | Session 3A: Industry’s perspectives on the economic and fiscal landscape
In recent years, user demand has driven outstanding growth of data and applications over telecommunication infrastructure, which broadens options of virtual interaction, content consumption and remote communication for people all over the globe.
With the increasing presence of these new digital firms, issues arise on the economic impacts of new fiscal instruments; for instance, on investments, forms of cooperation between traditional telecommunication operators and OTT application service providers, among others.
Some parts of the telecommunications industry have proposed to apply the “sending-party-network-pays system” (SPNP) and have called for some form of an Internet usage/traffic tax, levies or fees on “big technology content and service provider companies” and ISPs to help provide cost recovery for telecom service providers’ investments. However, some parts of the wider Internet ecosystem have cautioned that such approaches could be counterproductive.
This session aims to gather the various industry perspectives on the economic, regulatory, and fiscal landscape in which telecom operators and content and application providers operate.
Moderator: Gaia Penteriani, Director, Government and Regulatory Affairs, GSMA
- Gaia Penteriani, Director, Government and Regulatory Affairs, GSMA [Presentation]
- David Geary, Government Relations and Public Policy Advisor, Digicel Caribbean Limited [Presentation]
- Aminata Dramé, CEO of Orange International Networks Infrastructures and Services (OINIS), Orange Africa [ Presentation EN I Presentation FR ]
- "Building and Sustaining the Global Internet Economy, Together": Tomas Jakimavicius, Director of European Government Affairs, Microsoft [Presentation]
- Sidy Diop, Partner, Deloitte Economic Advisory, Deloitte France [Presentation]
- Jonathan McHale, VP of Digital Trade, Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA) [Presentation]
- Ben Wreschner, Chief Economist & Head of Public Affairs, Vodafone
Q&A Session
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12:45 - 14:30
CET
| Lunch Break
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14:30 - 15:45
CET
| Session 3B: Industry’s perspectives on the economic and fiscal landscape
In recent years, user demand has driven outstanding growth of data and applications over telecommunication infrastructure, which broadens options of virtual interaction, content consumption and remote communication for people all over the globe.
With the increasing presence of these new digital firms, issues arise on the economic impacts of new fiscal instruments; for instance, on investments, forms of cooperation between traditional telecommunication operators and OTT application service providers, among others.
Some parts of the telecommunications industry have proposed to apply the “sending-party-network-pays system” (SPNP) and have called for some form of an Internet usage/traffic tax, levies or fees on “big technology content and service provider companies” and ISPs to help provide cost recovery for telecom service providers’ investments. However, some parts of the wider Internet ecosystem have cautioned that such approaches could be counterproductive.
This session aims to gather the various industry perspectives on the economic, regulatory, and fiscal landscape in which telecom operators and content and application providers operate.
Moderator: Kari Ballot-Lena, Director, Digital Policy and Regulatory, Telecommunications Management Group (TMG) Inc.
- Mike Blanche, Google Inc.
- Thomas Volmer, Director, Global Content Delivery Policy, Netflix Inc. [Presentation]
- Alicia Tambe, Head of International Organizations for Connectivity & Inclusion, Meta [Presentation]
- Megan Funkhouser, Senior Director of Policy, Tax and Trade, Information Technology Industry Council (ITI)
Q&A session
Wrap-up discussions for Sessions 3A and 3B
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15:45 - 16:00
CET
| Coffee Break
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16:00 - 16:45
CET
| Session 4: ICT market impacts of international tax agreements
As investments around the world advance towards globalized intangible digital service-based assets, so do tax systems in order to adapt to the 21st century production structure. Given the importance of cross-border transactions, a commitment for international coordination on taxation was made through the OECD/G20 Inclusive Framework on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS).
The OECD/G20 Inclusive Framework on BEPS has agreed a two-pillar solution to address the tax challenges arising from the digitalisation of the economy. Agreed by more than 135 countries and jurisdictions, representing more than 90 per cent of global GDP, this landmark deal represents a historic achievement towards a more stable and fairer international tax system.
This session aims to provide participants with a thorough understanding of the efforts undertaken in this initiative in terms of the tax challenges arising from the digitalization of the economy such as on automated digital services and on multinational enterprise business taxation. It also has the objective of broadening the knowledge on relevant aspects which relate to the ICT and telecommunication sector, as well as to possible outcomes on companies that operate over telecommunication infrastructure.
Moderator: Ahmed Said, ITU-T Study Group 3 Chairman
Q&A session
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Day 2 - Friday, 4 November 2022
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11:30 - 12:00
CET
| Session 5: International aspects, and multistakeholder impacts of established and new fiscal instruments
There is an ongoing need to encourage investment in telecom infrastructure, particularly in new deployments and continual upgrades, especially in rural areas, to help close the digital divide. This raises the question of which funds, fiscal instruments, incentives and other measures could be most appropriate and effective in bridging the digital divide and in supporting the digital transformation.
There are challenges to Universal Service Funds (USF), which are shrinking as they are derived from telecom voice service revenues, affecting especially developing countries with varying economic consequences. Suggestions have been made to rescope or reform the service funds and derive them from broadband data service revenues, as well as to request “Big Tech” companies to contribute to universal service obligations.
There are also debates surrounding applying the “sending-party-network-pays system” (SPNP) and/or some form of an Internet usage/traffic tax, levies or fees on “big technology content and service provider companies“ and ISPs to help provide cost recovery for telecom service providers’ investments.
Recently established European regulations such as the Digital Market Act and Digital Service Act that address digital/online platforms will be considered in this session, as well as the WTO moratorium not to impose customs duties on electronic transmissions, and an expected Connectivity Infrastructure Act.
A key objective of the session is to facilitate a dialogue among the experts regarding how they understand the economic consequences and regulatory implications of some Internet usage/traffic tax compared with other fiscal instruments such as tax relief, incentives and subsidies, and alternatives or other cost-sharing approaches. This includes considering compatibility with net-neutrality principles, the potential impact on innovation and competition, and the relationship with other forms of digital taxes, as well as the risk of double/over-taxation.
Moderator: Martin Euchner, Advisor, ITU-T
Q&A session
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12:00 - 14:30
CET
| Lunch Break
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14:30 - 15:30
CET
| Session 6: Research perspectives on challenges for the digital transformation
As the digital transformation advances, featuring in this context the emergence and development of OTTs, new forms of fiscal policy and regulatory apparatus have appeared, each based on different premises for how state intervention can be shaped to address pertinent public policy issues.
Theoretically, these forms of economic and fiscal incentives should be based on their predicted impact on society. In this analysis, there is a space for the technical consideration of several issues that represent common international challenges. These issues may encompass competition and a level playing field, digital divide, macro and microeconomic effects of those state instruments, economic tax burden and others. Eventually, these various conclusions may lead to policy implications and best practices.
This session aims to explore some of these issues through the perspective of independent researchers, focusing on technical points relevant to this debate.
Moderator: Christoph Stork, Research ICT Solutions
- Christoph Stork, Research ICT Solutions [ Presentation]
- Raul Katz, Telecom Advisory Services [Presentation]
- Philip Mader, Research Fellow, International Centre for Tax and Development (ICTD) [Presentation]
Q&A session
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15:30 - 15:45
CET
| Coffee Break
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15:45 - 16:45
CET
| Session 7: Digital Inclusion in the Civil Society
As the world becomes increasingly digital, and new forms of fiscal instrument potentially arise in response, it is vital to consider the issue of digital inclusion – and especially views on this matter from the perspective of Civil Society.
For instance, recent pandemics put into perspective the importance of connectivity to the people and the economy. It is, therefore, vital to consider economic barriers, regulatory measures and fiscal incentives which could help address digital inclusion, including affordability and availability of traditional and digital services.
The objective of this session is to gather information on these issues through the lens of Civil Society, and especially from the perspective of consumers.
Moderator: Teddy Woodhouse, Senior Research Manager, Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI)
- Wairagala Wakabi, Collaboration on International ICT Policy in East and Southern Africa (CIPESA)
- Belinada Baah, Policy Lead, Tech for Development Policy Unit, Institute for Global Change (London)
- Onica Makwakwa, Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI)
Q&A session
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