Czech Yearbook Vol. 4 2013

THE CZECH REPUBLIC IN THE WCITǧ12

and practices, some countries will no doubt be conducting public consultations on WCIT,

and some of those consultations will be based on the report of this working group. Indeed

I note that the Netherlands has already informed this working group of such a national

consultation, and I commend them for that. So let me encourage more of this kind of

action as we move forward, both in the interests of transparency and of accountability.”

Sweden – supported by other developed countries – requested public access to all

preparatory process outcomes.

The Czech Republic was among those Member States that opened these

documents to the public and conducted public consultations

though the webpage

of the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

WCIT-12

Structure and openness of the WCIT-12

At the beginning of the WCIT-12, Mr. Mohamed Nasser Al-Ghanim was elected

as the Chairman. At the same time, six vice-chairs and chairs of the committees, as

well as working groups, were also elected. These officials were assisted by the ITU

Secretariat and Standardisation Bureau. Dr. Hamadoun I. Touré was one of the

most important persons, due to his role as assistant to the Chairman – with a great

influence on the atmosphere in the rooms.

Like any other conference, the WCIT-12 had a structure that consisted of five

Committees – Steering, Credentials, Budget Control, Editorial and Review – with

appropriate Terms of Reference for each these.

The Committee dealing with review

was apparently the most important, as it was tasked to bring the huge document

of consolidated proposals of ITRs into the form of a new Treaty. Two supporting

structures (Working Groups 1 and 2) were created in order to facilitate the process. In

the course of the Conference, it was necessary to establish additional

ad hoc

working

groups, with the understanding that not more than two activities would overlap at

any one moment. The Plenary, as the highest organ,was supposed to approve the

ITRs, as well as other matters related to the WCIT-12.

The first session of the Steering Committee, consisting of the Heads of the

Delegations, Secretary-General, Chairman and his Vice-Chairmen, was very important

for the flow of WCIT-12. It took part immediately after the official opening of the

Conference. An essential decision to be taken over was which parts of WCIT-12

should be opened to the public. Sweden had already brought this forward at the last

preparatory meeting and repeatedly insisted on the request that all the sessions of

the Conference should be opened – that the press and other mass media should be

present there. The request, being supported by many Western countries, including

See

See

See Document DT/2-E of 1 November 2012, at

parent=S12-WCIT12-121203-TD&PageLB=50.