Monitoring of the development and implementation of ICT standards and standardisation deliverables in ITU-T

External Consultants as ICT Standardisation Experts for DG CNECT in targeted standardisation groups across ITU-T and other relevant technical bodies in ISO & IEC Background and objectives: The International affairs and Policy outreach Unit (DG CNECT.DDG2.1) is the Unit in DG CONNECT in charge of international issues, including the coordination of matters related to information and communication technologies (ICT) standardisation, and representing the EU in the International Telecommunication Union standardisation sector (ITU-T). The objective of the EU regarding international standardisation, as stated in the Communication setting an EU Strategy on Standardisation[1], aims at reinforcing EU’s leading position as forerunner in key technologies and promoting core EU values in global standardisation. The International Digital Strategy[2] of the European Union also calls for shaping a global digital governance and standards with a network of partners, promoting its values-based approach on digital standards to shape a global digital transformation that is human-centric, trustworthy, and respects human rights and fundamental freedoms, acting decisively to become a driving force of responsibly guided technological advancement on the global stage. The EU acknowledges the important role of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in the context of global standardisation and believes that the EU and its Member States must promote a more strategic approach to international standardisation activities, namely in the ITU. The purpose of this tender is to contract the services of standardisation experts to follow closely the ITU-T standardisation work in key sensitive topics defined by CNECT.DDG2.1 Unit, and report regularly to CNECT.DDG2.1 on relevant findings and trends with respect to EU digital policies, and proactively suggest potential strategic actions for DG CNECT to consider, in particular the need of more involvement of EU experts in technical bodies, study groups and working groups of ITU-T. The consultants will act as observers on behalf of DG CNECT in targeted standardisation groups across ITU-T. They will follow closely ITU-T standardisation work in key sensitive topics defined by DG CNECT.DDG2.1. Maximum total value of the contract:135.000 EUR.