UNION INTERNATIONALE DES TELECOMMUNICATIONS INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATION UNION UNIÓN INTERNACIONAL DE TELECOMUNICACIONES Address by the Secretary-General Dr. Pekka Tarjanne Inaugural Meeting World Telecommunication Standardization Conference 1 March, 1993 Högt ärade Herr Trafikminister, Konferenssin Herra Puheenjohtaja, Excellencies, Mesdames et Messieurs, Ladies and Gentlemen, I have a tradition - I have tried to open all the ITU Conferences and meetings in the language of the host country. Today I'll deviate from this tradition. I have nothing against the beautiful Finnish and Swedish languages. This time, however, I'd like you not just to remember that I spoke some strange language, but that you'd remember my message, what I said! Today is a landmark date in the long history of the International Telecommunication Union. March 1, 1993 is of course important because it is the opening day of the first ever World Telecommunication Standardization Conference. This event certainly deserves to be celebrated, not the least because it is taking place in this beautiful city, Helsinki, capital of my homeland. But today's date is important for other reasons. March 1, 1993 is the birthday of a new ITU, the inauguration of a new organization that will carry this old Union, founded 128 years ago, forward into the twenty-first century. And this event should surely be celebrated as well. Our Chairman already mentioned the Additional Plenipotentiary Conference, the first ever in the history of the Union. The purpose of the APP was to consider proposals for reforming the structure and functioning of the Union, so that it might better respond to the rapidly changing global telecommunications environment. The APP was a great success. In only two weeks, delegates completely overhauled the ITU Constitution and Convention along the lines recommended by the HLC. In the shortest ITU Plenipotentiary Conference ever, they succeeded in modernizing and updating arrangements that were put in place almost half a century ago, by the 1947 Atlantic City Conference which founded the modern ITU. What better indication could there be that ITU members recognize the urgent need for fundamental change, and are prepared to achieve it? As a result of the APP, the activities of the ITU have been reorganized and revitalized, so that the Union will be better positioned to serve the needs of its clients. The most dramatic changes have taken place in the areas of standardization and radiocommunications, where the responsibilities of the old CCITT, CCIR and IFRB have undergone major restructuring. The new Telecommunication Standardization Sector - which consolidates the standardization activities formerly carried out by the CCITT and the CCIR - is a timely response to the integration of wireline and wireless communications, which is particularly evident in areas such as mobile services. By bringing CCIR activities aimed at supporting the development of radio regulations together with IFRB responsibilities for applying these regulations, the new Radiocommunication Sector is an integral element of our broader strategy for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the ITU's regulatory role. The APP considered that these new arrangements should be implemented as quickly as possible. Instead of waiting until July 1, 1994 - the date the rest of the new Constitution comes into effect - the conference decided that March 1, 1993 should be the birthday of the new standardization, radiocommunication and development sectors. Therefore, as of today, the CCITT, the CCIR and the IFRB cease to exist, and the new ITU is born! The structural changes made by the APP position the ITU to remain the lead player in international telecommunications for the rest of this decade, and perhaps into the next century. But this will happen only if we put these new arrangements to work in the true spirit of reform in which they were born. The World Telecommunication Standardization Conference can be seen as the first test case for the new ITU. Is the ITU membership prepared to thoroughly reform and revamp the ITU standardization process? The next two weeks will give us the answer to this question which - I hope - will be a clear and resounding "yes"! Evidence of a real willingness to change the way we do business is of prime importance for ITU's standardization activities. Perhaps more than any other area of ITU activity, the Standardization Sector reflects in the changing telecommunications environment, where we are seeing a steady breakdown of monopolies in manufacturing and service provision, the emergence of new players, and a shift in the role of government from operator to regulator. This new environment has increased the role of the private sector in the standardization process. It has also led to the emergence of new regional standardization organizations, which are young and dynamic. As a result of these changes, standardization is becoming a competitive "business" and needs to be treated as such! We will have many discussions over the next two weeks, and hear many different viewpoints presented. At the end of the day, I hope that the conference will be able to agree on mechanisms and strategies for producing global ITU telecommunication standards, and that we will be able to do this as economically and efficiently as possible, in ways that serve the interests of all members of the ITU family - whether they are developed or developing countries, government or the private sector, manufacturers or service providers. Above all, we should of course aim to serve the best interests and real needs of our final customers - consumers of telecommunications goods and services everywhere. This is a challenging agenda for the first World Telecommunication Standardization Conference. But under the able leadership of our Chairman, I am confident we will succeed. ../.