Expert Group on the Internet of Things set up

The Expert Group appears as a multi-stakeholder mechanism integrated by organisations with competence in the areas of Law, Economics and Technology as these apply to the Internet of Things and will aim to advise the Commission on the formulation of the EU strategy to be followed in carrying out the various actions listed in the Communication ‘Internet of Things - An action plan for Europe’.

The Expert Group on the Internet of Things has been set up by Commission Decision of 10 August 2010. The Expert Group will be composed by representatives and organisations from sectors of the economy and society as stakeholders, and will be a consultative body for the Commission on any matter deemed relevant with regard to the development of the Internet of Things in Europe. The Group will also be entitled to suggest further topics for discussion to the Commission in relation to it.

Tasks of the Expert Group on the Internet of Things

  • Advise the Commission on how best to address the technical, legal and organisational challenges at European level
  • Bring about an exchange of experience and good practice and solicit oral and written contributions within a group of multiple stakeholders, including international input where needed
  • Contribute to a shared vision for the development and deployment of the Internet of Things in the framework of the Digital Agenda for Europe, a flagship of the Europe 2020 Strategy

The Expert Group will have 45 members, being organisations with competence in the areas of Law, Economics and Technology as these apply to the Internet of Things. The Commission will select a number of organisations, who will nominate their representatives as well as alternate representatives.

The Expert Group is set up as one of the elements for the development of the Communication from the Commission entitled ‘Internet of Things — An action plan for Europe’, which highlights the enormous potential that the development of the "Internet of the future" has to the very development of Europe. In this regard, some issues of special relevance for the Internet of Things have been highlighted throughout 2010, as is the case with respect to user privacy in the use and implementation of radio frequency identification technologies (RFID) as the European Parliament pointed out. Indeed, the evolution of the Internet, both Internet of Content as well as the Internet of Things, has been the object of discussion within the institutions.