Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States

Plamen Petrov
Minister of Transport and Communications
Republic of Bulgaria

The organizing committee of the Regional Preparatory Meeting for Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), working in Sofia during late autumn 2000, was far from being confident in the success of this event.

In the context of ITU/ BDT activities, Europe as a region with comparatively high average telephone penetration and a high level of network digitization does not, at first sight, represent a primary objective. One could expect little common discussion points between the well-developed western, and in recent years central European ITU Member countries on the one hand, and its eastern Europe and CIS Members, with less developed telecommunication infrastructure and services, on the other hand.

But the Preparatory Meeting was a success. Approximately 260 representatives from more than 40 Member States, recognized operating agencies and regional organizations attended the meeting, held under the patronage of Antoni Slavinski, then minister of Transport and Communications of Bulgaria.

Participants endorsed the agenda of the meeting, focusing on ITU reform, telecommunication sector development in Europe and the CIS and the role of ITU/BDT, regulatory issues, the information society and the digital divide, investment and social issues, human resources management and development and network development.

More than 35 written contributions were presented and thoroughly deliberated. The work was intense and focused on the common priorities of Europe and the CIS.

ITU reform

The meeting acknowledged its support for the main findings and proposals concerning the "Review and improvement of the management, functioning and structure of the ITU" and the "Draft Report of the third meeting of the Working Group on ITU Reform", presented by the ITU Secretary-General.

Policy and regulation

The European Union Member States and, to a lesser extent, the associated countries of the region have well-established national regulatory agencies in telecommunications and an improving regulatory framework. Many ITU Members from the CIS and Western Balkans already either have or intend to establish regulatory bodies.

The convergence of technologies, services and markets in the digital world highlighted the need to adapt the regulatory framework to the on-going transition from sector-specific to converged ICT legislation. High priority will be given to studying and adapting the regulatory framework in the case of digital terrestrial television broadcasting.

Participants also underlined the need to access and share experiences and knowledge and encourage the collection and dissemination of information. It was suggested to handle ICT-related policies in connection with the European Information Society concept.

Information society, the digital divide and universal access and ICTs

Education and life-long training in the field of ICT were underscored as primary objectives in the efforts to offer equal opportunities to all members of the society.

Participants agreed that to while information society developments are mainly in the hands of private entrepreneurs, government spending in ICT could play an important triggering role. The e-Government concept offers possibilities to cut administrative costs and restrain corruption.

For Europe and the CIS, the concept of universal access is targeting mainly the needs of the population in remote and less developed areas and people with special needs. Access to electronic services, including the Internet, emerged as a new priority in defining and providing universal access.

In order to ensure universal access to ICT, an emerging need to develop mechanisms for access to the Internet and to elaborate recommendations for extending ICTs to rural areas was underlined.

Collective Internet access from public facilities such as telecentres in remote and scarcely populated areas, established with an initial financial support from government or local authorities and business, was evidenced as being successful.

Discussions stressed the need to develop friendly tariff models and a legal basis intended to favour the expansion of Internet access.

Finance and investment

An investor-friendly framework was stressed as a key priority. This includes, inter alia, political and financial stability, a banking sector that works effciently and, where possible, some tax incentives. Sector-specific conditions attracting investments are a stable regulatory framework, and a predictable and consultative national regulatory authority.

In addition, the introduction of tariff rebalancing schemes was assessed as important for attracting investments in the incumbent operators and the sector.

Participants also emphasized the need to study further service costs and tariffs, interconnection charges and calculation of universal service compensation funds.

Human resources development

The speed of technology and service innovation in the sector clearly delineates human resources as the most important factor in the development of the sector. Life-long training using the new information and communication technologies was identified as vital for maintaining each country in the pace of technology developments.

ITU Centres of Excellence and training centres were considered as focal points and as a vehicle for strategic alliances among industry, educational institutions and community, promoting regional cooperation.

Telecommunication sector development and the role of ITU/BDT, network development and new technologies

ITU/BDT presented an overview of sector development in the region, followed by several presentations from country representatives.
Eastern Europe and CIS Members underlined the need for technical assistance in coordinating, harmonizing and planning the successful implementation of new technologies and services. In the light of emerging technologies, there is a need to identify and assess developments such as broadband access solutions and IP telephony.

The regulatory framework for digital television platforms was assessed as causing problems to most of the Members. Exchange of experience in this field was deemed important.

The panel discussions during the different sessions were lively and friendly. If there are findings of the meeting to be outlined as a summary, probably they could be expressed as follows:

• The assistance of ITU/BDT in the region should extract the essence of the variety of existing Cupertino bodies.

• State sector information portals should be considered as a first step in establishing e-Government services.

• The establishment of enterprises for collective access to Internet and IT services should be fostered.

• Efforts to secure a faster BDT response to regulators and industry needs should be supported.

• ICT application to training activities should be used extensively, thus reducing travel and accommodation costs.

• Experience in the new data and video services and applications should be disseminated.

The Preparatory Meeting gave the opportunity to all participants to exchange views and formulate priorities for Europe and the CIS. We expect a positive and successful outcome from WTDC-02.