Regional Commonwealth in the Field of Communications / Regional Commonwealth in the Field of Communications / RCC Working Bodies / High-Level Working Group on the Development of the Information Society (HLWG)

High-Level Working Group on the Development of the Information Society (HLWG)

The Regulations on the High-Level Working Group on the Development of the Information Society (hereinafter referred to as the HLWG) was approved by the Decision of the RCC Board of the CAs Heads and the Coordination Council on Informatization of May 24, 2016, №51/22-8 with the simultaneous integration of the High-Level Working Group on Internet Infrastructure Management (was formed in accordance with clause 3 of the Decision of the RCC Board of the CAs Heads and the Informatization Coordination Council on May 8, 2015, №50/21-12) and the RCC Information Security Commission and the transfer of the functions of these working bodies of the RCC to the competence of the HLWG, as well as functions on issues of transboundary space trust (ST-T) in the context of electronic sovereignty and the creation of the Interstate Information and Marketing Center of the RCC Informatization Commission.

Earlier, by Decision of the RCC Board of the CAs Heads №25/1, November 25, 2009, "On the preparation of the RCC CAs for the “Connect the CIS Space” High-Level Meeting, a High-Level Working Group was formed on cooperation in the readiness of the RCC participants' countries to build the information society and by the Decision of the RCC Board of the CAs Heads and the Informatization Coordination Council of May 8, 2015 "On promising areas of activity in the field of communications/ICT of the countries of the RCC Members" its work was resumed.

A high-level working group on the development of the information society (hereinafter referred to as the HLWG) was created to interact with the RCC participants in the field of information and communication technologies (ICT) and build an information society that contributes to the development of the economic, socio-political, cultural spheres of society and improving the quality of life.

In its activities, the HLWG is guided by:

- Agreement on the creation of the RCC, the RCC Charter and other documents regulating the activities of the RCC;

- By decision of the RCC Board of the Communications Administrations Heads (hereinafter referred to as the RCC Board of the CAs Heads) and the CIS Coordination Council for Informatization at the RCC (hereinafter referred to as the Coordination Council) of May 8, 2015 №50/21-2 “On promising areas of activity in communication/ICT areas of the RCC Member-States”;

- Decisions of the World Summit on the Information Society and other international UN forums on the topic of the information society;

- Resolutions of the UN General Assembly A/70/125 and A/70/1;

- Other decisions of the supreme bodies of the RCC and the CIS, as well as the Coordination Council regarding the implementation of ICT in various areas of activity of states;

- The Regulation on the HLWG.

The HLWG is a collegial working body of the RCC Board of the CAs Heads, interacting on issues of ICT development in the RCC member-states in order to build an information society, and within its competence interacts with the RCC Board of the CAs Heads, the Coordination Council, basic CIS organizations and international associations in the field of communications and ICT.

The following can be the members of the HLWG: Representatives of the full members of the RCC in a rank, as a rule, not lower than deputy ministers of communications administrations, and equivalent officials from state authorities of the RCC Member-States who are in charge of this area of work and have the corresponding status, as well as other representatives in accordance with clause 4.1 of the Regulation on the HLWG.

HLWG reports to the RCC Board of the CAs Heads.

Priority activity areas of the HLWG:

- Regulation of the usage of the Internet, including the internationalization of its infrastructure;

- Promoting the development and promotion of software products developed in the RCC participating countries in order to demonopolize the global software market;

- Creation of a cross-border space of trust in the context of electronic sovereignty;

- Creation of an Interstate Information and Marketing Center;

- Development of joint projects in the field of “Internet of things” and the digital economy;

- Development of a common functional platform of the countries of the RCC participants in the field of e-government;

- Promoting the creation of data processing centers in the RCC Member-States;

- Development of joint information resources.

The main task of the HLWG is to assist RCC participants in the following areas:

- Participation in the transformation of all public institutions and spheres of human activity using the potential of ICT;

- Promoting the development of national economies of the RCC participants through the usage of ICT;

- Improving the effectiveness of public administration and local government;

- Promoting the formation of a cross-border space of trust based on the Internet in the RCC member-states for the integration of the Commonwealth countries in the economic, political and humanitarian fields;

- Promoting the development of a common functional platform of the RCC participants' states in the field of e-government;

- Coordination of efforts to create a single digital market for RCC participating countries and demonopolize the software market;

- Improving the system of state guarantees of constitutional human and civil rights in the information sphere, ensuring universal access to information and knowledge;

- Preparation of citizens, public institutions, business and public authorities at all levels for life in the information society;

- Development of the technical and technological basis for the formation of the information society, reducing the digital divide;

- Improving the quality of research, education, medical services, social protection of the population through the development and use of ICT;

- Contributing to improving the quality of life of citizens through the use of ICT;

- Preservation of cultural heritage, the strengthening of moral and patriotic principles in the public mind, the development of a system of cultural and humanitarian education;

- Training of qualified personnel in the field of ICT;

- Prevention of threats arising in the information society;

- Assistance in the approximation of the regulatory framework in the countries of RCC participants;

- Harmonization of the work carried out in the RCC participating countries on the development of the information society, with the activities of international organizations, especially the UN, ITU, UNESCO, and etc.

The main functions of the HLWG are:

- Cooperation in resolving issues related to the construction of the information society in the countries of RCC participants;

- Development of recommendations aimed at helping to improve the efficiency of public administration and local self-government;

- Promoting the development of the technical and technological basis for the formation of the information society, reducing the digital divide, creating a single digital market for the countries of the RCC participants and demonopolizing the software market;

- Cooperation in the development of the digital economy and the “Internet of things”;

- Promoting the creation of an enabling environment for obtaining and deepening knowledge for the implementation of innovations, improving the level and quality of life of our citizens;

- Contributing to the development and implementation of regional concepts, strategies, programs and projects for building and developing the information society of the RCC participants' countries, aimed at providing socially significant electronic services for citizens and developing business in this area;

- Promoting the development of ICT infrastructure, increasing the availability of ICT services and products for the population, modernizing the education system in the field of ICT and creating favourable conditions for companies in the ICT sector;

- Interaction to prevent threats arising in the information society, building trust, providing conditions for the safe provision and receipt of electronic services, protecting personal data, internationalizing the Internet infrastructure;

- Cooperation in the development of a common functional platform of the countries of the RCC participants in the field of electronic government;

- Interaction in the organization of cross-border legally significant exchange of electronic documents;

- Organization of the exchange of experience in the application of ICT in various fields of activity of the state and society;

- Cooperation in the achievement by countries of RCC participants of high ICT indicators, contributing to the improvement of their rating in international organizations;

- Interaction in matters of monitoring on the readiness of countries of the RCC participants to build the information society, taking into account the methodological recommendations of ITU and other international organizations on the assessment of the readiness of countries to build the information society;

- Promoting the creation at the national level of coordinating and advisory bodies on the issues of building the information society of the countries of the RCC participants;

- Other relevant areas of the development of the information society.

To carry out these tasks and functions, the HLWG has the right:

- Prepare drafts of organizational, methodological and other documents on areas of cooperation in the development of the information society and submit them to the RCC Board of the CAs Heads and the Coordination Council in the prescribed manner;

- Consider organizational, software, technical, technological, information and methodological and other solutions prepared in the course of research and development;

- Consider the feasibility study of projects for the development of the information society, foreseen for implementation on a multilateral basis;

- Request and receive information on the development of national information systems, ICT projects from representatives of state bodies participating in the work of the HLWG;

- To involve experts in accordance with the RCC statutory documents, these Regulations and the decisions of the RCC Board of the CAs Heads to solve the issues considered by the HLWG.

- Consider and make decisions on other issues falling within the competence of the HLWG.