EU Council Declaration on ICT Standardisation for the Digital Single Market
IP Europe warmly welcomes the adoption of the May 26th 2016 Declaration of the Council of the EU on the European Commission Communication “ICT Standardisation Priorities for the Digital Single Market”
As an advocate for technological innovators and a supporter of open, fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory standardisation policies, IP Europe welcomes today’s Declaration by the EU Council on ICT standards, made as part of the Council Conclusions on the “Digital Single Market Technologies and Public Services Modernisation” package.
“Today’s declaration of support for open innovation and technology standards sends a strong signal that innovators deserve fair remuneration for their high-risk investments in R&D.”
Any devaluation of standardised technologies would likely trigger technology withdrawals by European, Asian and US innovators working on the next generation of open standards for Wi-Fi, 5G and the Internet of Things.
“The European standardisation principles recognised today by the Council of Ministers will promote the development of open and interoperable digital ecosystems.”
Balanced European standards policies, which do not favour certain business models over others, will lay the groundwork to ensure that the Digital Single Market becomes a reality.
IP Europe, is a Brussels-based alliance standing for fair compensation for innovators and fair access to open and collaborative technology standards for all and for SMEs in particular.
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Declaration Adopted by the Council of the EU on 26.5.2016 (Paragraph # 9)
ICT Standards
- WELCOMES the Commission’s Communication “ICT Standardisation Priorities for the Digital Single Market”, and the principles and priority areas there outlined; RECOGNISES the importance of an ambitious, coherent and consistent standardisation policy and of timely and industry-led standards for interoperability, for competitiveness of European industries on global markets, and for creating a fully functioning Single Market; WELCOMES a regular dialogue with European standardisation organisations, industry and other key stakeholders and the Council and the European Parliament; ACKNOWLEDGES the importance of a balanced licensing system for standard essential patents (SEPs), ensuring a fair return on investment for SEPs holders as well as a fair access to SEPs for all players and especially SMEs (3). RECOGNISES the importance of European and international standards, through open standard setting processes. INVITES the Commission together with the European standardisation organisations to support where possible the promotion of European ICT standards at international level.
Footnote (3) : In line with Annex 2, art. 4 of Regulation (EU) No 1025/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2012 on European standardisation, OJ L 316, 14.11.2012, which states that intellectual property rights essential to the implementation of specifications are licensed to applicants on a (fair) reasonable and non-discriminatory basis ((F)RAND), which includes, at the discretion of the intellectual property right-holder, licensing essential intellectual property without compensation.
