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Publications"What value for European standardisation?" by Paul Healy (PublicServiceEurope)21 June 2011 This article discusses the potential for greater standardisation in Europe and argues that whilst standards are a good thing, as they help improve the market by growing the potential for interoperability, the European Union should not use them to create a completely harmonised market. Instead it should at all times maintain that standards-setting remains both voluntary and market-based.
Standardising the Standardisation Process – An Update On Standards, Competition, and Innovation in Europe December 2010 The use of standards in high technology sectors, such as in the ICT and network industries, has facilitated a new level of dynamism and innovation in technological development. Indeed, the acceleration in technology associated with the use of standardisation has impacted on the entire industry, at once enabling and driving companies to keep up with the pace of technological change. As a previous Stockholm Network briefing paper on standards discussed, the current standardisation process relies on a range of channels to establish standards, whether it be through a dominant product or protocol; a formal national or regional standard-setting organisation (SSO); or an informal industry consortium. As technology intensifies, the range and the number of channels or actors involved in standardisation are expanding. In particular, more non-traditional entities, including international fora and consortia, such as the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and the Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards (OASIS), are producing widely implemented specifications. In addition, there is greater demand for accessing standards among different implementers or end-users, including SMEs. This briefing paper discusses the impact of the changing environment for standardisation, particularly in Europe, and assess four new proposals for adapting the existing framework for standard setting in the EU.
Submission to the European Commission Guidelines on the Applicability of Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union to horizontal cooperation agreements June 2010 The Stockholm Network`s submission to the Commission consultation on horizontal agreements deals particularly with the issue of standardisation agreements. The recommendations underline the role of standards and of intellectual property rights (IPRs) in promoting both competition and innovation. In addition, the issue of formalising best practices for the use of IPRs in standardisation agreements is addressed, including recommendations for improving and optimising such efforts. Polybrief - Standards, Competition and Innovation April 2010 This Stockholm Network Polybrief explores the debate into standards, competition and innovation. Stockholm Network Polybriefs provide concise summary of pressing issues and debate throughout Europe. In addition to providing a background to the relationship between intellectual property rights and open standards, the Polybrief also explores the debate between open and proprietary-based standards, as well as identifying and outlining new governmental approaches to standards. |
