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The Rolling Plan for ICT Standardisation provides a unique bridge between EU policies and standardisation activities concerning information and communication technologies (ICT). This helps to increase convergence of standards makers’ efforts towards achieving EU policy goals. This document is the result of an annual dialogue involving a wide-range of interested parties as represented by the European multi-stakeholder platform on ICT standardisation (MSP). The Rolling Plan focuses on actions that can support EU policies and does not claim to be as complete as the work programmes of the different standardisation bodies.
The Rolling Plan 2023 identifies around 260 actions grouped into 39 technological or application domains under four thematic areas: key enablers, societal challenges, innovation for the single market and sustainable growth. Moreover, it gives a particular prominence to three horizontal “foundational topics” under section 3.0, including updated chapters on data economy, cybersecurity and e-privacy. These are all technology areas for standardisation that go right across the spectrum of standards-making, and may need to be referenced by many, even most, specific activities. Their challenges arise at every step of digitalisation and policy makers need to be more aware that ICT standardisation is the tool to tackle them.
The 2023 edition includes two new chapters focused on novel technologies where standardisation is increasingly important, namely Metaverse and Quantum Technologies. A new chapter on Pandemic preparedness is also included, building on the former Covid-19 chapter and extending its scope. Additionally, the former chapter on education, digital skills and digital learning has been split into two, one focusing on digital skills and the other one on digital learning.