Terms of Reference
(as revised and approved at ICTSB#30 meeting on 17 March 2004 - version 1.0)

Scope

The ICTSB Network and Information Security Steering Group is formed to provide a strategic view at European level of standardization issues in relation to Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) network and information security.

Objectives

To act as an overall focal point for the European standardization community on network and information security issues by:

ensuring that the security-related standardization activities in Europe adequately reflect at strategic level the requirements of the market constituents;
providing a mechanism that could be used to follow-up on European policy requirements on Network and Information Security standards issues;
providing effective co-ordination between the ICTSB member organizations of relevant standardization work programmes and their execution;
ensuring European requirements for standards and standards work in this area are correctly interfaced with international standards activity, and standards activity in other regions, to avoid conflict or duplication of effort;
acting as a strategic standardization interface with relevant authorities and agencies;
ensuring as far as possible the effective follow-up and implementation of the CEN/ETSI Report on Network and Information Security Standardization ("the NIS Report").

Initial tasks

The Group may itself identify additional tasks. Initially, it shall:

review the NIS Report recommendations, assigning priorities and identifying impact, and, where appropriate, assign a lead responsibility for each or liaise with the appropriate standards body for each;
consider the implementation aspects of the NIS Report with the European Commission and other relevant policy institutions;
consider what action is required in order to implement the NIS Report recommendations, in conjunction with the lead organization responsible, and make appropriate proposals;
consolidate the various actions into an overall Action Plan to be endorsed by ICTSB and published;
consider any proposal for standardization mandates in this field that may be issued by the Commission services, and provide a common view where possible.

Membership

The NISSG shall be open to any ICTSB member organization and their relevant technical groups, and to additional interested parties as specified below.

The Group shall invite participation of stakeholder interests, including: individuals representing:

Hardware and software manufacturers/vendors;
Information society service providers;
Telecommunication service providers;
Regulatory authorities in EU member states;
Research centres;
Academia.

Small and medium-sized enterprises and consumers shall be included in the Group through the representation of ICTSB associate members NORMAPME and ANEC respectively.

The European Commission (each of DGs Enterprise and Information Society, but also including other DGs as appropriate) and EFTA Secretariat are encouraged to attend as Observers.

In general, there should be one representative per organization/technical standards group, plus in the case of the standards organizations, a representative of the central secretariat operation; alternates are permissible and may be included on the overall mailing list.

The Group may decide to co-opt additional participants, or, with ICTSB agreement, expand the overall list of participants. Individual guests may be invited for meetings at the Chair's discretion.

Liaison activities

The Group may appoint electronic or physical liaisons. It shall seek liaison arrangements with relevant international and regional standards related activities, and European-level institutions with an interest in the activities.

Working methods

The Chair will be nominated by the Group and endorsed by the ICTSB. The Secretariat shall be provided by an ICTSB member organization. The Group will work on a voluntary basis. Physical meetings may be held as required, but full electronic working facilities shall also be provided.

The Group shall work by consensus; its approved outputs should document any minority views.

The Group may provide reports and recommendations, and these may be published by ICTSB on its web-site.

Recommendations for coordination may include, for example, proposals for:

the establishment of technical liaisons;
changes or refinements to the scope of work items to avoid overlap and duplication;
adoption of existing standards instead the creation of new ones.

The Group may organize open meetings or seminars on specific topics or general aspects of its work.

The Group's role is advisory - its recommendations shall not be binding on the participating organizations or ICTSB.

The Group's members are encouraged to participate in relevant international and global standardization efforts in order to both report on relevant activities and achieve the group's strategic aims through the relevant bodies.

The Group shall provide a report on its activities to each ICTSB meeting.

.. to coordinate the standardization activities in the field of Information and Communications Technologies