Policy & regulatory governance

National digital transformation strategy – mapping the digital journey

06.07.2023

Introduction The COVID-19 crisis has accelerated digital transformation across the globe. The lockdown situation pushed much of the world online, and the use of digital technologies became indispensable to guarantee the continuity of public, private, and social life. This acceleration has amplified processes that have been under way for decades, resulting in the pervasive impact of digital technologies on many domains: from the individual level (engaging in online learning, working, and shopping) to entire nations (shifting towards digital economies, governance, society), from companies (chasing new business models, new services, new ways to deliver) to entire industries (moving to process automation,…

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Monitoring sustainability: Incorporating ESG into ICT policy making and regulation

12.09.2025

Introduction[1] The consideration of environmental, social and governance (ESG) information has become increasingly important to investors, companies, policymakers, governments, stock exchanges, non-governmental organizations, consumers and other stakeholders. The analysis of any sector of the economy is no longer considered solely from a financial and operational sense but also encapsulates sustainability risks and impacts. Given this growing interest, ICT regulators should consider developing an ESG framework that measures the sustainability of the sector. Many ICT regulators and policy makers already collect operational and financial data on the ICT sector. They also have regulations related to ESG such as e-waste, universal service,…

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Guide to Meaningful Public Consultations: Collaborative Regulation from Foundations to Sustainable Practices

29.08.2025

About this Guide This Guide was jointly developed by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and Ofcom, the UK’s independent communications regulator. The Guide is a new tool in the portfolio of tools for national regulators and regulatory associations to support evidence-based decision-making. It provides practical guidance and a blueprint for effectively engaging and conducting regulatory consultations with stakeholders from government, private sector, and civil society and enhancing the outcomes of stakeholder involvement in policy and decision-making processes. Using a blended approach, the guide draws from insights from 13 interviews with regulators across all regions, various resources on good regulatory practices…

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A case for ICT Regulatory Sandbox

03.04.2023

1. Introduction Digital innovations are conquering all fields of everyday life and business, faster than ever before. Similarly, digital innovators, researchers and digital developers are developing new technologies and business models and bringing them to market at a rapid pace. Policy makers and regulators need to not only keep abreast with the pace but also be able to anticipate shifts in the market. Regulators are keeping a close watch on these changes as they need to anticipate the regulatory changes that may be required to facilitate a conducive environment. Increasingly, regulators need to answer questions like “how can we make…

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Collaborative governance

25.08.2025

Importance of collaborative regulation Over the last several years, ITU has developed a comprehensive model for tracking the maturity of telecommunications markets – the Generations of Regulation Model. The model presents a framework for considering how policy and regulation have evolved over recent decades, from a narrower telecommunications focus to a broader ICT focus and ultimately to collaborative digital governance (Figure 1) (ITU 2023a). As presented by ITU, fifth-generation (G5) regulation is framed under the premise ‘collaboration across sectors, cooperation across borders, and engagement across the board.’ Figure 1. Generations of regulation Source: ITU Leading G5 regulation is the desired…

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Evidence-based approaches in digital policy, regulation and governance

01.09.2025

Introduction to evidence-based decision making As the digital economy expands rapidly in many parts of the world, policymakers and regulators face ongoing challenges in keeping pace with innovative technologies and services that impact ICT markets. The governance of the digital ecosystem represents one of the most complex and dynamic challenges facing policymakers. The rapid pace of technological innovation, the global scale of digital platforms, and the profound societal impact of new technologies demand a regulatory approach that is both robust and adaptive. To address these challenges, many countries are assessing their current regulatory principles and practices to align them with…

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Regulatory governance and independence

15.12.2020

Introduction The regulatory framework, as well as the regulatory governance and independence of the institution, are key elements for effective regulation. Today, regulators and policy-makers face multiple challenges: they must address the traditional aspects of information and communication technologies (ICTs) and assess their appropriate roles in addressing the regulatory and policy issues arising from new digital technologies and services. In addition to more traditional issues, such as connectivity and infrastructure development, the digital environment prompts consideration of a broader range of sectors beyond ICTs, such as health, finance, education, transportation, and energy. The issues to be addressed include content regulation,…

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Regulatory independence: how to achieve it and how to maintain it

03.09.2020

When 69 Member Nations of the World Trade Organization (WTO) agreed to open their markets to companies from other WTO Members in 1997 they also adopted a document that was unique in the annals of international trade negotiations – the Reference Paper on Regulatory Principles. The Reference Paper was negotiated based on an understanding of the nature of telecommunications markets – in particular that, even when opened to competition, it is essential that the market be regulated in order to allow new entrants to compete with entrenched incumbent operators (referred to in the Reference Paper as “major suppliers.”) One of…

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Regulator structure and mandate

01.09.2020

Institutional structures of regulators Regulators overseeing the ICT sector base their structures on three general design models: the sector-specific regulator, multisector regulator, or converged regulator. As countries began liberalizing their telecommunication markets in the 1990s, they often created new sector-specific regulators to oversee the telecommunication sector, ensuring non-discrimination and promoting competition as monopolies (often state-owned) gave way to new entrants. When there was limited or no competition in telecommunication markets and fewer ICT services available, sector-specific regulators provided an effective institutional structure that enabled staff to build specialized knowledge in the sector, such as tariffing or spectrum engineering. For example,…

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Decision-making and enforcement in a multistakeholder environment

01.09.2020

Independence and accountability of the regulator An effective, stable, and credible regulatory framework starts with balancing the independence and accountability of the regulator. An independent regulator can propose, adopt, and implement decisions free from undue political influence, whether from the government or market players. The basic components of an independent regulator – structural, financial, and procedural independence – are crucial to preventing regulatory capture. Elements of an independent regulator Independence does not mean that regulators are above or outside the regulatory framework. Instead, independent regulators play an essential role in the interaction among all stakeholders by acting as objective arbiters…

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