[Chapter-delegates] Bulgarian position on WCIT

[Veni Markovski]

Bulgarian position on WCIT is now officially published. Compare with the 
position <https://isocbg.wordpress.com/2012/09/20/wcit/> (in Bulgarian) 
of ISOC-Bulgaria, and you will see many common points. Compare with the 
Party of European Socialists statement 
<http://www.pes.eu/en/news/pes-president-calls-european-parliament-vigilance-new-internet-governance-regulations-we-must-m> 
(in English), and you might see a common pattern. I am proud of the work 
ISOC-Bulgaria has done.

best,
veni


*BULGARIAN CONTRIBUTION TO THE WORLD CONFERENCE ON INTERNATIONAL 
TELECOMMUNICATIONS (WCIT-12)*


Bulgaria organized a 7-week public consultation (July 23^rd -September 
10^th, 2012) in order to receive views from stakeholders on the draft 
revision of the International Telecommunications Regulations (ITRs). 
Within the forthcoming revision and taking into account various 
submissions, Bulgaria is pleased to announce to the WCIT that its 
position will be based on the following key  guidelines  of national 
importance:


 1.

    The ITRs should establish *high-level, general principles *for the
    provision and operation of international telecommunications services
    and should not address specific regulatory and technical matters
    because of the various national specifics worldwide. The ubiquitous
    principles should be *access*to contemporary telecommunications,
    *affordability*and *transparency*of prices, *accessibility*of
    services, and *encouragement*of investments in infrastructure and
    *innovations*and respectively, *stimulation*of demand.Principles
    of*technology and service neutrality*should become also part of the
    revised regulations.


 2.

    The ITRs should state that the ITU *recommendations*are taken into
    utmost account but remain non-binding documents which promote best
    practices.Being elaborated with the active participation of certain
    companies, Sector Members of the ITU, this might create market
    distortions.


 3.

    .*International telecommunications traffic *should be based on
    greater international co-operation between network operators and
    service providers, but primarily should avoid causing burden to
    consumers, regardless of the economic situation of the countries
    they live in.


 4.

    *International mobile roaming *is also an issue of great importance
    which settles relations between mobile operators worldwide with
    significant direct impact on consumers. Therefore, we would support
    proposals for incorporating provisions fostering pro-competitive
    measures related tolowering of, and achieving greater transparency
    on, prices.


 5.

    *The Internet *should remain free and unregulated, and therefore we
    will support proposals stimulating freedom of expression and
    openness of the Internet, which we believe underpin the dynamics of
    the Internet and should be respected as fundamental human rights.


 6.

    *Cybersecurity *and combating cyber crime should remain an issue of
    national competence. We believe in,and encourage all Member States
    to further engage in enhancing bilateral, regional and global
    cybersecurity cooperation.


 7.

    *The ITRs*should promote commercial negotiations between various
    market players instead of regulating those relationships which could
    stifle competition. The ITU, as a recognized world organization,
    should not get involved in settling disputes among operators, but
    could call them through the ITRs for acting fairly under competitive
    conditions, or give non-binding guidance in accordance with its
    mandate, when applicable.


 8.

    *Preventing the use of telecommunications for malicious purposes
    (fraud, misuse of numbers etc.) *should be a national priority and
    best approaches how to achieve it could be devised locally, bearing
    in mind the particular nature of such acts. There could not be a
    fits-all model or a common framework since a given approach might be
    applicable in one country but not in another and that is why, we
    should insist on flexibility in this regard.

The Republic of Bulgaria reserves its right to add to, or modify, the 
views expressed herewith in the course of WCIT discussions and 
forthcoming coordination meetings.


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