Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1436880
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 12 DECEMBER 2021 12 COMMERCIAL 'Unlocking digital value for society' THE Malta Communications Authority (MCA) this year cel- ebrates its 20th year anniversa- ry - reaching such a milestone deserves reflection on the past, a celebration of the present and preparation towards the future. To commemorate this anniver- sary, a hybrid day conference was held on the 25th Novem- ber, with the purpose to initiate discussions on the vision for the MCA going forward with the engagement from both local and international experts. Historical context Some three decades ago in- novation and progress in tel- ecommunications technology began attracting private invest- ment, leading to the end of an era for typically government controlled communications services. Globally, National Regulatory Authorities (NRAs) began to be established as independent regulators to cultivate a fair and competitive communica- tions market for the benefit of citizens. In January 2001 and in prepa- ration for the evolution from a monopolized telecommunica- tions sector into a fully liber- alized one, the Malta Commu- nications Authority was set up as the statutory body respon- sible for the regulation of the electronic communications sector – including fixed and mobile telephony, Internet and TV distribution services – as well as the postal services, and more recently the eCommerce sector. Full liberalization of the tele- communications market came in 2003 and from then till now, Malta has met and even sur- passed many other European countries in services being of- fered to consumers. Over the past 20 years, the MCA has built a solid reputation as a fair and expert independent communi- cations regulator. This trust in the Authority's work is consid- ered an instrumental factor in attracting foreign investment in Malta's technology sector, and more particularly, the tele- communications sector from all corners of the world, including the UAE, the US and the UK, re- sulting in the thriving competi- tive market we see today. A vision towards the future MCA's CEO Jesmond Buge- ja opened the conference with a strong message towards the future stating that, "20 years full of challenges transformed into opportunities have nur- tured investment and placed Malta as one of the leaders in connectivity in Europe. A jour- ney marked by so many devel- opments and accomplishments for the sector, the country, and the MCA and which promises to become even more exciting with the advent of transform- ative technologies such as 5G that are poised to unlock a new world of connected opportuni- ty." A video message from the Chair of the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Com- munications (BEREC) praised the active role Malta plays in BEREC saying that the MCA may be considered as a small regulator but, "the MCA is definitely punching above its weight in terms of influence within BEREC." He thanked MCA CEO, Jesmond Bugeja, for his work as Vice-Chair dur- ing 2021 and added this was significant in marking the first time the MCA formed part of BEREC's esteemed leadership team. The morning panel discus- sions centered on the decade ahead, evaluating both digital opportunities and challenges. On the opportunities front, the panels explored what actions are to be taken to encourage investment in technological innovation and deliver real val- ue to citizens. Direct reference was made to Europe's plan to achieve the digital transforma- tion of society and economy by 2030, through best practice co- operation initiatives centered on 5G and connectivity initia- tives across Europe. With regards to challenges, the panels agreed that protect- ing both the economy and soci- ety is of top priority for the EU, and initiatives such as the Dig- ital Services Act – planned for adoption in 2022 – and aimed at safeguarding society against online harms, will seek to ad- dress a number of concerns to create a safer digital space for all EU citizens, while fostering innovation, growth, and com- petitiveness within a harmo- nised single market. This is a particularly relevant topic for the MCA as it takes on new responsibilities such as its recent designation as Dig- ital Services Coordinator for the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA), advancing MCA's jour- ney in the field of digital regu- lation. In commemoration of 20 years of operations the MCA produced a set of postage stamps which were presented to the CEO Jesmond Bugeja, by MaltaPost CEO Joseph Ga- fa. An announcement will be published on the MCA website with details for those inter- ested in acquiring a set of the unique numbered folder and postal stamps. Present opportunities and challenges The conference resumed with an afternoon session focused on contemporary issues related to digital services, as regulated by the MCA. A presentation was delivered on MCA's stra- tegic vision for local eCom- merce in the upcoming years, addressing the most pertinent questions identified through survey results and trends. This was followed by a panel discussion made up of speak- ers from different business environments on adding val- ue for society through digital services, further examining the present opportunities and challenges being dealt with in everyday scenarios. The panel agreed that we are witnessing a shift in consumer expecta- tions, increasing complexity in systems and above all, with the application of new regulations, it is more important than ever that the MCA as regulator keep listening and communicating in order to continue to support business organisations towards digitalisation. The final panel of the day was preceded by a detailed pres- entation on the technical as- pects of developing websites to meet the requirements of the Web Accessibility Direc- tive, which the MCA also im- plements and enforces locally. The panel was made up of con- tributors from relevant estab- lishments, bodies and entities and moderated by Dr. Marica Gatt from the San Miguel Pri- mary Resource Centre. The discussion centered around the current needs of people with disability and addressed how COVID-19 has affected these people especially in the digital realm. The full day proceedings were translated into sign language by Aġenzija Sapport and the recording is available on the video, which can be found on the MCA's YouTube channel: h t t p s : / / w w w . y o u t u b e . c o m / watch?v=45cfLibf_vo