Our role in Europe

In addition to producing world class standards that can be applicable at the global level, standardization also plays a central role to ensure the proper functioning of the internal market. This is achieved by the prompt and efficient production Harmonized European standards (ENs) that are referenced to support the implementation of EU legislation and public policies to ensure the free movement of goods within the single European market and allow enterprises in the EU to become more competitive.

ETSI is the recognized regional standards body dealing with telecommunications, broadcasting and other electronic communications networks and services. ETSI produces standards and specifications supporting EU and EFTA policy issues such as the New Approach, other EU legislation (e.g. Electronic Fee Collection, the interoperability regulation under the Single European Sky (SES) initiative, the Electronic Communication Network and Services Framework Directives), mandated activity and other EU initiatives (e.g. Strategy 2020 and Digital Agenda).

Standardization is an integral part of the EU goal to achieve the Lisbon goals by carrying out better regulation and by simplifying legislation, by increasing competitiveness of enterprises and by removing barriers of trade at international level. ETSI has made a very significant contribution to European legislation by producing many Harmonized Standards to be used in the application of European Directives. ETSI has also contributed extensively to the e-Accessibility goals of the EC/EFTA, with well over 50 specifications in support of e-Accessibility and e-Inclusion, addressing the needs of all users, irrespective of age and ability.

There can be little argument that ETSI's most significant technical success to date has been GSM^TM, Global System for Mobile Communications. Introduced as a digital cellular technology to replace a plethora of incompatible analogue systems in Europe, GSM has become a global success, serving over two billion users in more that 200 countries world-wide. This has been the base for the 3rd Generation of mobile which has been developed by ETSI in partnership with other regions under the umbrella of the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). But ETSI has had many other technical successes, all helping to stimulate the telecommunications and broadcast markets in Europe and beyond, including TETRA, the SIM card, xDSL, DVB and DAB, DECT^TM, EuroISDN, etc.

ETSI works in close co-operation with the other 2 recognized European Standards Organization, namely CEN and CENELEC in order to co-ordinate activities.

ETSI is also an active member of the Information Communications Technologies Standards Board (ICTSB) which is an initiative from the three ESOs.