This part of ISO/IEC 9066 specifies the protocol (abstract syntax) and procedures for the Reliable Transfer Service Element services (ISO/IEC 90661). The RTSE services are provided in conjunction with the Association Control Service Element (ACSE) services (ISO 8649) and the ACSE protocol (ISO 8650), and the presentation-service (ISO 8822).

The RTSE procedures are defined in terms of

a) the interactions between peer RTSE protocol machines through the use of ACSE and the presentation-service;

b) the interactions between the RTSE protocol machine and its service-user.

This part of ISO/IEC 9066 specifies conformance requirements for systems implementing these procedures.