5.6 ETSI

The European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) [11] is a non-profit making organisation whose mission is to produce telecommunications standards that will be used throughout Europe and beyond. Its 730 members from 51 countries inside and outside Europe include administrations, network operators, manufacturers, service providers, research bodies and users.

In Europe, as telecommunications standardisation is regarded as an important step towards building a harmonised economic market, ETSI enjoys the support of the European Commission (EC). ETSI produces voluntary standards, some of which may go on to be adopted by the EC as the technical base for Directives or Regulations. ETSI consists of a General Assembly, a Board, a Technical Organisation and a Secretariat. The Technical Organisation produces and approves technical standards. It encompasses ETSI Projects (EPs), Technical Committees (TCs) and Special Committees, which are collectively known as Technical Bodies. As well as the central Secretariat of ETSI, additional experts work full time in Specialist Task Forces (STFs) to accelerate standardisation. Such an STF is normally dedicated to the work of one Technical Body, but it will consult widely among other Technical Bodies, and outside ETSI, if required.

Work in ETSI is done on the basis of ETSI work items, approved by the Technical Body and adopted by the ETSI membership.