Convened Session 9

6G Research into standardisation: Maximising European impact through collaboration, examples of success stories

Friday, 5 June 2026, 9:00-10:30, Sala de Conferencias 1 (1.2)

Session Chairs:

• Colin Willcock (6G-IA, )
• David Boswarthick (ETSI, )

The success of the Smart Networks and Services (SNS) Joint Undertaking relies not only on the technical results of the projects but also on a strong valorisation of EU research in standardisation bodies. It is important for EU stakeholders to prepare for this crucial phase. Also new developments are happening in industry, like disaggregation and softwarisation of networks, the raising importance of cloud technology that may eventually have an influence on the standardisation process. Similarly, new topics like Artificial Intelligence are emerging as being highly prominent in 6G.
Against this background, the purpose of this special session is to raise awareness of the standardisation directions, focus, priorities and challenges that the research community should take into account, as well as to present to present some European success stories, with the objective of preparing the widest possible EU industrial base to be in prime position for the upcoming 6G standardisation, and also to prepare for the next SNS phases which will have a strong standardisation component.

Programme

1. Title: Importance of Connectivity for the Digital Decade, speaker Miguel González-Sancho, Head of Unit “Future Connectivity Systems”, DG CNECT
2. Title: Status and plans from the SNS-JU, speaker Pavlos FOURNOGERAKIS Deputy Head of Programmes SNS JU
3. Title: Moving research into Standards, Colin Willcock, Chairman of the 6G-IA Board / Vice Chair of ETSI Board.
4. Title: How researchers / research projects are enabled / encouraged to participate in 3GPP Standardization activities, speaker Yonatan Shiferaw, TNO
5. Title: ETSI overview on enablers for research in standards, speaker Muriel Deschanel, Technical Officer SNI, ETSI
   1. Proof point: Antonio de la Oliva Delgado, Chair of the ISAC activity/sub-working group under the SNS JU Policy WG for Standardisation
   2. Proof point: Lessons learned from moving research closer to standards in ISG ISAC, speaker Alain Mourad, chair ETSI ISAC
6. Title: ETSI overview on ETSI Software Development Groups for bridging research into standards, speaker Silvia Almagia, ETSI
   1. Proof point: Lessons learned from one EU projects making impact in 3GPP through ETSI SDGs, speaker Pavlos Basaras, vice chair ETSI OCF
7. One of the winners of the new ETSI R&I (young) award to present their work and how they succeeded in making an impact on Standardization, name TBC.