DRM (Digital Rights Management) Standardization Group Terms of Reference

Brussels, 29 March 2002

CEN/ISSS has set up a new group to examine the standardization aspects of technologies for digital rights management (CEN/ISSS DRM Group), following the approval of the European Union Directive 2001/29/EC on the harmonisation of certain aspects of copyright and related rights in the context of the Information Society.

The CEN/ISSS Group kick-off meeting was held on Monday 29 October in Brussels under the Chairmanship of Ms Verina Horsnell, European Standards Manager of Sun Microsystems.

CEN/ISSS has made contact with the standards groups known to us, to seek inputs and participation where appropriate. If you are interested in contributing, please provide giulia.cipressi@cenorm.be with some brief details.

There is evidence of a number of different standards-related activities in this area, including in ISO/IEC JTC1, ISO TC46, and a number of industry standards consortia. The first task to be undertaken is therefore to produce a global overview of "who is doing what" in this area, and to assess the wider relevance of these activities. The Group will also prepare a report and relevant recommendations, and submit it for public comment; CEN/ISSS proposes to hold an Open Meeting in the autumn in order to discuss the draft report.

The approved Terms of Reference for the CEN/ISSS DRM Group are given below.

We are making an Open Call for an Editor, to bring together the various contributions to the DRM Group’s Report and ensure a consistent style and presentation.

Applications from candidates are invited from all interested parties.

The approved Terms of Reference for an Editor can be accessed here.

Responsible: John Ketchell John.Ketchell@cenorm.be

Digital Rights Management Group Terms of Reference

Description
The Group is formed to conduct a study into Digital Rights Management (DRM) and to prepare a report as suggested by the European Commission, with a view to identifying the current status of DRM usage and possible means to ensure effective implementation of DRM in the marketplace.

Objectives
To develop an inventory and database of all worldwide significant parties, companies, organizations and other involved bodies relating to the development, control, monitoring, consumption and exploitation of DRM technologies, and to seek and obtain input from same regarding the subjects under study.

To investigate and to document current DRM technologies in the online/offline delivery of digital content.

To examine the level to which DRM has currently been implemented in the delivery of digital content, and to further identify all significant effects, including those effects relating to market or technology issues that currently and potentially accelerate or hinder the implementation of DRM in the marketplace. The study can, where appropriate, suggest short-term and long-term means such as voluntary, industry led measures supportive of existing standards initiatives, that could promote the interoperability of DRM systems.

To prepare a draft report to be submitted to an open meeting for consideration, and a final report by the end of June 2002, taking account of the open meeting discussions, to be submitted to the CEN/ISSS Forum for approval. The report should include the following topics:

a) a definition of digital rights management;

definitions of other significant terms and concepts, including inter-operability with regard to DRM;

inventory of significant parties as defined in objective 1;

a description of DRM technologies as defined in objective 2;

descriptions of current DRM implementations as defined in objective 3, and in particular:

identification of benefits of, and technological and other obstacles to, the uptake of DRM, including possible recommendations for further study;

identification of potential "gaps" in protection and any potential solutions to these;

suggestion of short-term and long-term means such as voluntary, industry led measures supportive of existing standards initiatives, that could promote the interoperability of DRM systems.

Membership
The Group shall be open to any CEN/ISSS Forum member entity, or their representative, and to additional interested parties.

Specifically, representatives from the following organizations shall be invited:

CENELEC
ETSI
EC DG Enterprise
EC DG Information Society
EC DG Internal Market
EFTA Secretariat

A call for expressions of interest will be retained on the web.

Working methods
The Chair will be nominated by the CEN/ISSS Forum. The Secretariat shall be provided by CMC/ISSS. The Group will work on a voluntary basis. Physical meetings may be held as required, but full electronic working facilities shall also be provided.

The Group shall organize the drafting of the report, and may select and manage a Project Team of paid experts if required. The Group shall agree the Terms of Reference for such a Team if it is decided to use one, subject to compliance with the standard CEN rules regarding the selection and appointment of experts.

The Group will work by consensus; otherwise it may choose its own operational methods. It shall provide regular progress reports to the Forum.

Responsible: John Ketchell John.Ketchell@cenorm.be

European Committee for Standardization
Comité Européen de Normalisation
Europäisches Komitee für Normung
http://www.cenorm.be/default.htm