5.1 Sector Representation
One of the ICP's goals is to represent the communications sector, as stated in the Institute's statutes. In so far as international representation is concerned, the ICP is the technical representative of the Portuguese government before international sector bodies. The ICP also accompanies EU technical projects and is part of various sectorial organisations.
ICP is an active player in sectorial activities of the European Union (Commission, Council and Parliament), the ITU - International Telecommunication Union, the IMSO - International Mobile Satellites Organisation, the ITSO - International Telecommunications Satellite Organisation, EUTELSAT - European Satellite Telecommunications Organisation, the UPU - Universal Postal Union, the UPAEP - Postal Union of the Americas, Spain and Portugal, the OECD - Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and the ESA - European Space Agency. These organisations have a strong political component and the government thus maintains permanent contact with same (through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs).
Highlights among the technically specialised sectorial organisations include CEPT - the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations, the IRG - Independent Regulators Group, and the ETSI - European Telecommunications Standards Institute.
During the exercise of this activity, and if deemed necessary, the ICP establishes contact and co-ordinates with other interested parties on the topics under discussion, whether concerning telecommunications or postal operators.
The institutional and technical representation of the sector was an important part of the ICP's activity in 2001. This is especially true in the EU context, where important measures include the discussion of the new regulatory framework for electronic communications known as 99 Review and the adoption of a common EU stance on opening the postal service to competition.
The ICP has also been named vice-president of CEPT, and will take on the respective presidency in the fourth quarter of 2002.
The IRG, which brings together all EU and EFTA European regulators, continued its activities in different areas of common interest, including 99 Review. The ICP also led the IRGIS project, a system of management and sharing of information on the European regulation and telecommunications market.
At the ITU, in addition to regular activities, preparations intensified for world conferences upcoming in 2002: the World Telecommunications Development Conference (WTDC02) and the Plenipotentiaries Conference (PP02).
Also, the international postal sector organisations - the UPU and UPAEP - carried on with their respective projects, associated to reform of said organisations, while the World Trade Organisation (WTO) discussed including postal services in the General Agreement on Trade in Services.
5.2 Co-operation
The ICP has always given high priority to co-operation with its counterparts in other countries. Such co-operation has followed on and complemented the government's policies.
The ICP celebrated the following institutional and technical co-operation agreements in 2001:
a) An institutional co-operation agreement with the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (CPLP). This includes participating in the 5th Ministerial Meeting of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations of Portuguese-speaking Countries and Territories (AICEP), by taking part in the respective general assembly and the "Communications: Globalisation and Identity" forum;
b) Strengthening of the bilateral relationship with Brazilian regulator Agência Nacional de Telecomunicações (ANATEL). The ICP continued its co-operation agreement established in 1999 on a ministerial level, and in 2001 took part in two bilateral meetings and various specialised projects;
c) Continuation of a bilateral technical co-operation agreement with PALOP (Portuguese-speaking Africa) countries, further developing previous bilateral co-operation protocols established with same. These include internships in Portugal, on-site projects and responding to requests for specialised information;
d) Continuation of a co-operation agreement with East Timor, included in the Memorandum of Understanding on co-operation between the Portuguese government and the East Timor Transition Government established in 2000. This included internships at the ICP, on various communications sector topics;
e) Bilateral meetings with the regulatory authorities of Hungary and Kenya.
