SBS, in collaboration with ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute), organised a training seminar on the importance of standardisation for SMEs in the ICT sector. The event gathered entrepreneurs, ICT associations and experts in the sector at the ETSI headquarters with the aim of explaining the particular set-up and working methods of ETSI as a European and global standards organisations in the fast changing digital industry.

During the seminar, SBS put forward the main elements of its activities in representing SMEs in the digital standardisation system with experts nominated in ETSI Technical Committees. The work of UEAPME and SBS member PIN-SME (digital-sme.eu) as coordinator of SBS’ sectoral activities and SBS representative in the ETSI Board and General Assembly was also presented.

While the majority of SMEs are just users of standards, this seminar was addressed to companies and organisations that have the potential to become makers of standards. Participants were introduced to the processes for the elaboration of ETSI standards. The greatest incentive for SMEs to contribute to the elaboration of a new ETSI standard is for them to influence the content of a technical specification that might be used all over the world.

The seminar explored how SMEs that develop innovative technologies and become standards makers have an open door to global markets and have access to millions of standards users in the EU internal market as well as internationally. Th seminar also highlighted other potential advantages for SME standards makers, such as generating revenues from licencing patented technologies included in standards and having direct access to global industrial players who collaborate in the standards making.