Overview[]
The U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Economic, Energy, and Business Affairs, International Communications and Information Policy (EEB/CIP), is responsible for international telecommunications and information policy. The Bureau:
- Leads the coordination and development of U.S. positions for ITU meetings, including the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference, World Telecommunication Development Conference, World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly, and World Radiocommunication Conference.
- Leads U.S. delegations to ITU-T, including study group efforts focused on developing cybersecurity standards, cable transmission standards, next generation networks, and cybersecurity.
- Leads U.S. delegations to ITU-D and chaired study group efforts focused on national best-practices guides and cybersecurity self-assessment tools.
- Participates in ITU-R study group efforts related to cybersecurity.
- Provides input into the ITU-GCA through the annual meeting of the ITU Council; participated in the Group of Experts that helped identify global cybersecurity issues and recommend activities for ITU involvement.
- Holds an annual Information Society Dialogue with the European Commission to exchange information on telecommunications and information and communications technology developments.
- Participate in IGF meetings as moderators, panelists, and attendees.
- Co-Chairs with the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, the NetFreedom Task Force
whose goal is to promote the free flow of information and freedom of expression on the Internet.
- Leads U.S. delegations to biennial meetings of the APEC-TEL’s Security and Prosperity Steering Group.
- Leads U.S. delegations to OECD’s WPISP meetings to develop policy options to sustain trust, information security, and privacy.
- Leads U.S. delegations to OAS-CITEL meetings to discuss regional positions on issues pending before the ITU, including cybersecurity.
- Engages in bilateral and multilateral relationships with foreign countries to address a range of cybersecurity issues.
- Participates in Sub-IPCs.