ETSI IPR Online database
Access a comprehensive database of patents declared essential to ETSI and 3GPP standards, and explore how intellectual property is managed throughout the standardisation process.
Explore a range of resources designed to help you better understand ETSI’s work and activities. From publications to practical information, these materials provide useful insight into our standards, policies and areas of expertise.
ETSI White Papers provide informal overviews of various technical topics related to our activity. They summarise the work that we and other organisations have been doing on each topic, as well as highlighting broader issues related to the successful deployment of the technologies and services discussed.
Please note: The White Papers do not constitute an official or agreed position of ETSI, nor of our Members. The views expressed are entirely those of the authors.
ETSI has been at the forefront of ICT standardisation since 1988.
Recognised, respected and trusted worldwide, the ETSI brand is synonymous with technical excellence, innovation and collaboration. At the heart of the brand are the organisations that make up ETSI’s membership, as well as the staff of the ETSI Secretariat who support them.

Terms and conditions for use of the ETSI logo
For additional information or to request graphics, including high-resolution logos in high resolution, please contact: [email protected]
To enable our members to demonstrate their engagement with, and pride in, ETSI, we have created a dedicated “ETSI Member” logo.

This “ETSI Member” logo is derived from the official ETSI logo and enables ETSI Members to clearly demonstrate that their organisation is an integral part of ETSI: an ETSI Member.
The “ETSI Member” logo is truly a limited edition as it may be used exclusively by ETSI Members.
Show your commitment to, and involvement in, ICT standards development by displaying the ETSI Member logo; whether on a physical exhibition stand, in your marketing collateral or your website. There are many opportunities to align your brand closely with the ETSI brand.
Request a high-resolution version of the “ETSI Member” logo to integrate it into your stand design via: [email protected].
For implementation details, please refer to the ETSI Member logo Guidelines.
We have registered the following wordmarks and figurative marks for the benefit of our members:
Semi-figurative trademark (logo):

ETSI members are authorised to use ETSI trademarks in an appropriate and approved manner on, or in relation to, standard-compliant equipment and/or services, provided they comply with the conditions set out below.
Non-members wishing to use ETSI trademarks are subject to these same conditions. In addition, they must apply to the ETSI Communications team for authorisation, specifying:
To maintain the integrity and exclusivity of ETSI trademarks, they must be used in accordance with the following guidelines:
In relation to the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPPTM), ETSI also holds trademark protection for the following word marks:
ETSI also holds the semi-figurative 3GPP trademark (logo) for the benefit of its members and the 3GPP Organisational Partners.
3GPP Trademark and logo use

LTE Trademark and logo use

5G logo use

3GPP has agreed that manufacturers and service providers may use these trademarks to declare that their products and/or services are based on 3GPP specifications. This arrangement is entirely voluntary and is based on self-declaration by the manufacturer, supplier, or service provider. It does not involve, nor does it imply any certification by ETSI or the 3GPP Organisational Partners.
Further information on the use of the 3GPPTM and LTETM trademarks is available on the 3GPP website.
For the oneM2M Partnership Project, ETSI has registered the oneM2M logo in Europe for the benefit of the oneM2M Partners and their members.

Further information on the use of the oneM2MTM trademarks is available on the oneM2M website.
Access a comprehensive database of patents declared essential to ETSI and 3GPP standards, and explore how intellectual property is managed throughout the standardisation process.
Understand how ETSI protects and manages the use of its standards, including reproduction rights, licensing conditions and the handling of software contributions.
Learn how ETSI and its members ensure compliance with competition law, with clear guidelines designed to support fair and transparent standardisation practices.
BECOMING A MEMBER
For enquiries related to becoming an ETSI member, please contact our Director for Membership Development.
EXISTING MEMBERSHIP
For enquiries related to an existing ETSI membership, please contact the ETSI membership team by e-mail, phone or fax:
[email protected]
Tel: +33 (0)4 92 94 42 69
Fax: +33 (0)4 93 65 47 16 (mark for the attention of Membership)
You can apply online and then follow the instructions.
The application must be submitted online. If you don’t have an ETSI Online account, you will need to request one via the same link to proceed with your application.
The person authorised to sign such legal documents on behalf of an organisation. The Membership Agreement with annexed application form is sent for signature to the person you have indicated as “Legal contact”.
The person authorised to sign such legal documents on behalf of an organisation. The signature on the application engages a member to comply with the ETSI Directives and the decisions of the General Assembly and to pay the yearly contribution. Therefore, the person who signs should be authorised within the organisation to ensure that this engagement is respected. e.g. the head of division or head of section depending on how authority is delegated within your organisation.
Membership of ETSI is approved by obtaining consensus among the ETSI Full and Associate members via an online poll organised four times per year, subject to the payment of the member contribution or observer fee prior to the poll submission and calculated on a pro-rata basis – depending on when the application is registered by the ETSI Secretariat (see our contributions page).
The different membership categories of ETSI are described in the ETSI Rules of Procedure, Annex 1, contained in the ETSI Directives.
Administrations: For the purposes of the present Rules of Procedure “Administration” refers to the specific department, agency or other organisation empowered by a public authority or a government to act on its behalf, and financially contributing to the ETSI budget according to the latest available figure of the GDP of their country as specified in Annex 2 of the RoP. This financially contributing organisation is usually the department leading on electronic communications and digital technical standards for the government.
Other Governmental Bodies: Central government departments, local government departments, public institutions, public authorities (agencies, corporations etc.) that function separately from the department that pays the Administrations membership.
National Standards Organisations: Organisations whose function is to carry out at national level the activities related to Standstill, Public Enquiry, establishment of the national position for the vote on draft European Standards as well as the transposition and withdrawal of national standards. These organisations are recognised by their governments as being authorised to make those standards available to the public at the national level.
Consultancy Companies/Partnerships: Legally established entities that provide professional expertise in relation to electronics communications and related areas.
An association or organisation of such Consultancy Companies/Partnerships also falls within this category.
Manufacturers: Companies developing and/or producing and/or installing and/or maintaining products to be used in, or directly or indirectly connected to, an electronics communications network.
An association or organisation of such Manufacturers also falls within this category.
Network Operators: Operators of an electronics communications network or part thereof.
An association or organisation of such Network Operators also falls within this category.
Research Bodies: Establishment performing research related to electronics communications and related areas. A Public Research Body is a not-for-profit research organisation whose majority ownership is within the public sector.
Service Providers: Companies providing service(s) on a commercial basis to third parties.
An association or organisation of such Service Providers also falls within this category.
Universities: Institutions for higher education or postgraduate training having the legal power to award first and/or higher degrees.
An association or organisation of Universities also falls within this category.
Users: Organisations making use of services in the field of electronics communications and related areas, whose main interest in electronics communications standards is in that capacity.
An association or organisation of such Users also falls within this category.
The financial contribution of an ETSI member is not based on your participation in specific technical work, when you become a member you have access to all ETSI technical resources and work. Only the participation in 3GPP is subject to an extra fee for members in class of contribution 1 or 2.
Members’ contributions are calculated by class. Each class corresponds to an annual contribution/fee payable and a related voting weight.
Associations, Users not-for-profit Associations (end consumers), National Standards Organisations (NSOs), Universities, Public Research Bodies, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SME) and Micro-Enterprises correspond to class of contribution 1 with a flat fee.
Otherwise, the class is derived from the member company’s annual ECRT or GDP for Administrations.
The contribution is based on your organisation’s annual Electronic Communications Related Turnover (ECRT) (or the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country for administrations responsible for electronics communications and related areas of their country).
For a detailed breakdown of the classes of contribution, see the contributions page.
ECRT is your Electronic Communications Related Turnover. A member organisation’s ECRT is defined as the worldwide turnover generated by all the member’s products and services related to Article 2 “Purpose” and Article 3 “Scope of activities” of the ETSI Statutes. ECRT is your Electronic Communications Related Turnover. A member organisation’s ECRT is defined as the worldwide turnover generated by all the member’s products and services related to Article 2 “Purpose” and Article 3 “Scope of activities” of the ETSI Statutes. The ECRT for an organisation must be updated on a yearly basis.
When considering what ECRT to declare, members should take into consideration the entire turnover related to electronic communications related products, components and services, regardless of technology or standard used (e.g. WiFi and Bluetooth technologies are included). It includes sales of communications equipment, and sales of communications-related services or systems (network management, communications intelligence). Or alternatively sales to communication service providers. Gross turnover or revenue, and not net income, should be considered. When considering what ECRT to declare, members should take into consideration the entire turnover related to electronic communications related products, components and services, regardless of technology or standard used (e.g. WiFi and Bluetooth technologies are included). It includes sales of communications equipment, and sales of communications-related services or systems (network management, communications intelligence). Or alternatively sales to communication service providers. Gross turnover or revenue, and not net income, should be considered.
The Rules of Procedure, Annex 2, clause 6f) state that where a Member company is part of a corporate group, the ECRT is based upon the worldwide turnover generated by the entire corporate group’s products and services related to electronic communications, not simply that of the Member company.
Where more than one company from a corporate group is an ETSI Member, the sum of ECRTs declared by these companies shall be equal to or greater than the ECRT calculated on the basis of the entire corporate group.
If your organisation’s ECRT cannot be determined from publicly available information, you will need to agree an appropriate class of contribution with the Director General.
For an Administration responsible for electronics communications and related areas of their country, the class of contribution is determined according to the latest published or available figure of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of its country. Reference World Bank.
Governmental organisations shall declare the latest GDP figures of their country and update that figure on a yearly basis. Governmental organisations shall declare the latest GDP figures of their country and update that figure on a yearly basis.
The member contribution payable for governmental organisations is available on the contributions page.
In accordance with Article 10.3 of the Rules of Procedure, and to ensure a correct application of the appropriate contribution scheme, each Full or Associate member shall declare or confirm to the Director-General, at least once a year, its current legal and financial situation. Any change to this situation shall be declared to the Director-General without delay.
The amount due for a given year is based on your organisation’s status as on the 30th September of the prior year.
The Secretariat will remind you during the summer months to declare your ECRT or GDP before the 30th September.
Applicants for membership are requested to make their payment on receipt of a pro-forma invoice. The payment must be received by ETSI prior to the submission of the application to the member online poll. If the payment is not received within 90 days of the application the said application will be suspended.
The member contribution is aligned to the calendar year. The invoice is sent in December year N-1 and is due on 1st January Year N. There is a 5 % penalty for contributions and fees paid after 30 April. Fill information on the payment of member contributions and fees is available in Article 10 of the ETSI Rules of Procedure. The member contribution is aligned to the calendar year. The invoice is sent in December year N-1 and is due on 1st January Year N. There is a 5 % penalty for contributions and fees paid after 30 April. Fill information on the payment of member contributions and fees is available in Article 10 of the ETSI Rules of Procedure.
It shall be noted that Membership will be tacitly renewed unless it is withdrawn before 30th September of the current year by the member organisation (see Rules of Procedure, Article 1, clause 1.4.1 for full details).
No, it is prorated as follows:
Our financial system is only set to Euros. You might initiate the payment in another currency, but the conversion rate should match the amount raised in Euro.
Yes, SMEs and MEs belong to class 1 and benefit from a preferential flat fee. See the contributions table on the contributions page.
Yes, universities and public research bodies belong to class 1 and benefit from a preferential flat rate. See table in the contribution page.
Yes, associations and not-for-profit user associations belong to class 1 and benefit from a preferential flat rate. See the table on the contributions page.
Cases are usually very different and for that reason you are invited to contact the membership team at [email protected]
A member organisation from a corporate or public group may decide to apply for an additional membership related to the same group. An additional member contributes an administrative fee (EUR 6 300) considering that the “primary” member of the group already pays the member contribution based on the corporate group’s declared ECRT or GDP. There is no limit to the number of additional memberships within a corporate group or for an administration.
An additional member has 0 voting weights, but it may carry the voting weight associated to the Corporate or Public Group.
Fees and member contributions are excluding tax. Whether you need to pay VAT depends on your organisation’s VAT registration status and location. Here’s how it works:
Yes. It is mandatory that each user of the organisation has his own personal account. We will provide as many user accounts as required in order to follow all the areas of work you have an interest in.
Yes. People will need to register their attendance under your organisation’s name subject to the approval of the member organisation’s official contact.
Special provisions are applicable for Associations that shall be represented in ETSI by their employees and elected officials. In addition, a maximum of one nominated technical expert, per meeting, shall be allowed to attend and participate in meetings and shall come from a Member of the said Association, unless explicitly authorised by the Director-General on a case-by-case basis.
This expert shall be officially nominated in writing by the said Association before the meeting begins. All employees, elected officials and/or nominated technical expert of an Association attending ETSI meetings shall only represent that Association’s views.
No, your attendance at the General Assembly meeting is not mandatory but you may benefit from attending as it gives you the opportunity to express your interests and needs, participate in the management of the Institute and network with other members.
No. You will not be asked to make a presentation about your organisation.
As soon as your application is validated by ETSI Director-General, you may attend meetings of technical committees, ISGs, working groups etc. You can only exercise your voting rights or hold official positions when your membership is effective (after formal approval at the quarterly online poll or at the GA).
Each user should send a request to ETSI via our User Account Application Form.
To change your personal information, you can use the online form.
Only official contacts can submit a request to update his/her organisation’s details.
Membership of ETSI will be tacitly renewed unless it is withdrawn by a member organisation before the 30th September.
To resign your membership, please utilise either the online application on the Member Portal or send an email to the Membership team before 30th September. This ensures that your resignation takes effect at the end of the current calendar year.
Failure to do so will result in your membership remaining active until the end of the following year, and you will be required to pay the member financial contribution for that period.
ETSI’s mentorship programme provides support when getting started within the ETSI community. Your organisation will be contacted upon obtention of the applicant ETSI member status. Should you need assistance getting started within ETSI, please contact our Director of Membership Development.
Please contact the ETSI membership team via [email protected].
All Member contributions and Observer fees will be based on the declared position of the Member/Observer, as at the 30th September of the prior year.
You can decide to have either a group membership composed of a primary member who pays the member contribution based on the global entity ECRT and additional membership(s) who pay an administrative fee and can carry the vote of the primary member.
The ECRT is based upon the worldwide turnover generated by the entire corporate group’s products and services related to electronic communications, not simply that of the Member company. See the ETSI ECRT Definition.
Participation in oneM2M is included in the contribution for full and associate ETSI members and just needs to be requested.
Contact: [email protected].
3GPP individual membership is subject to an extra 3GPP contribution for class 1 and class 2 members.
Where Public and Corporate Groups hold multiple 3GPP memberships, they shall make an overall contribution that exceeds EUR 20k multiplied by the number of 3GPP members to be exempted from paying the 3GPP minimum contribution for each of their 3GPP individual Members.
For participation in 3GPP face-to-face meetings another fee applies, based on the selected group of attendance.
Contact: [email protected].
Information on ISGs is available on this webpage or via our Technical Groups page.
Contact: [email protected].
Contact our Director of Membership Development.
Contact our membership administration & care team.
It is best to examine the existing work in ICT related SDOs and Fora and see if there are synergies. It is possible to influence existing work in ETSI by revising existing deliverables, and also to start new deliverables in existing groups or even create new groups.
To start an ISG, first of all you need an idea for ICT standardisation and a group of ETSI members who wish to bring that idea into ETSI. Once you have those initial elements contact [email protected].
This depends of the maturity of the research and also the synergies the work has with existing standards activities. It is safe to say, the earlier researchers start considering related standards work, the better.
It is best to consider what standards may be required for an innovative research topic early on in the process. You can contact ETSI research helpdesk [email protected] at any time.
New work can be brought to existing ETSI groups or new groups can be created specially to house new research topics. To contribute work to ETSI this can be done via ETSI members as direct contribution to technical groups.
ETSI has reduced fees for “Universities, public research bodies and not-for-profit user associations” set to EUR 2 100 per year. More information can be found in our membership section.
Standards support interoperability across technologies. They help create global markets. They enable networked development, where innovation occurs on top of existing technology platforms. ICT standards embody a “state of the art” of technology development. They are an essential resource for researchers in ICT. ICT markets are shaped by standards. If ICT research should lead to new products, new services, or whole new markets, then clearly research must lead to standardisation activities.
ETSI can offer to provide Letters of Support to project proposals when the scope of those projects meet certain criteria. Such criteria include the project involving several ETSI members, falling within the scope of ICT, and most importantly having the clear intention to bring research results into ETSI.
For more information contact [email protected].
The full ETSI membership list can be found on our website. Simply filter the view by “Research Body (public)”, “Research Body (private)” or “University”.
This falls under the scope of the European Commission. More information about the EC funding programmes that support research and innovation projects, with links to open and upcoming calls can be found on the EC website.
See the ETSI IPR POLICY: Standards rely on technical contributions from various sources. These contributions may contain patented technologies which are commonly known as Standard Essential Patents (SEP). When it is not possible on technical grounds to make or operate equipment or methods which comply with a standard without infringing a SEP, i.e. without using technologies that are covered by one or more patents, we describe that patent as ‘essential’. More information can be found on our website.
There is guidance text on the ETSI webpages. In addition we have developed a set of teaching materials on standardisation, a comprehensive textbook, “Understanding ICT Standardisation: Principles and Practice”, together with an extensive set of over 380 slides to be used as teaching aids.
ETSI does not fund researchers directly, but there is certain funding available from projects such as StandICT and others.
Beyond the cost of membership to ETSI (that is greatly reduced for researchers, academics and SMEs) the real cost of participation in standards is “time” and “invested energy”. This cost depends on your level of activity and engagement.
All of ETSI’s deliverables are available for free and can be consulted and downloaded from the standards search on our website. Search by “keywords” relating to the scope of you project.