09.07.2018

President Sorin Grindeanu chairs this year’s Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR-2018), the world's eminent gathering of the global ICT regulatory community. The event is organized by the International Telecommunication Union ITU.

Under the theme "New Regulatory Frontiers", in Geneva, Switzerland, the programme includes compelling discussions and debates on how today's digital transformation is impacting all aspects of our daily lives and extending regulatory frontiers.

"Over the years the Global Symposium for Regulators has provided regulators and policy-makers with a unique platform to share views on how policy and regulations can be used to unleash the opportunities brought about by new technologies and business models," says Houlin Zhao, ITU Secretary-General. "Regulators are the lighthouse guiding us to growth, development and sustainability."

GSR-18 brings together policy-makers, regulators and businesses from around the world to collaborate and define innovative regulatory responses that drive real changes in people's lives.

"Today's digital transformation is bringing important changes for all: with emerging technologies, ICTs increasingly power and enable the global economy," says Sorin Grindeanu, Chair of GSR-18. "Now, more than ever, we need to come together for an open dialogue to develop new and innovative approaches to implement effective collaborative regulation—not only among ICT policy-makers and regulators, but also across sectors."

Topics to be discussed at GSR-18 include:

•  Emerging technologies for digital transformation;
•  Artificial intelligence for development;
•  New regulatory frontiers;
•  Digital identity across different platforms;
•  The protection of personal data in a smart data-driven economy;
•  New sustainable investment models.

"Regulation is the invisible interface that facilitates the interplay between investors, service and content providers and consumers, and creates a wealth of opportunities for all," says Brahima Sanou, Director of the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau. "Regulators need to create the foundation upon which digital transformation can achieve its full potential."

A thematic "Global Dialogue on Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things and Cybersecurity – Policy and regulatory challenges and opportunities,” will be held on 9 July.

During GSR-18, the latest issue of the publication AI for Development Series will be launched. The series aims to deepen the understanding, and promote further discussion and collaboration among policy-makers and regulators on the significance of artificial intelligence and the policy and regulatory aspects that are beginning to emerge from its development.

Further information on GSR-2018 is available here.

ITU and GSR

ITU, an intergovernmental organization founded in 1865, is the oldest of the United Nations specialized agencies and the premier center of expertise and world’s only global forum on telecommunications and information technology, Romania being among the oldest members of the Union. The Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR) is an annual event organized by the ITU since 2000, which aims at facilitating the exchange of experience between regulators and respectively between them and the representatives of electronic communications industry worldwide. Every year, the GSR brings together about 600 participants from around the world: regulators, representatives of international organizations, electronic communications operators, network providers and electronic communications equipment manufacturers, academia, etc.

GSR also fosters a dynamic Global Industry Regulators Dialogue, between regulators, policy makers, industry leaders and other key ICT stakeholders. The Global Dialogue of the GSR provides a neutral platform for members of the ITU-D sector to share their views on the major issues facing the ICT sector.