Agenda Telecomraad: markt voor elektronische communicatie, i2010-strategie, stimulering transitie analoog-digitaal (en)

The EU Telecommunications Council will meet on December 1, 2005 in Brussels. Viviane Reding, Commissioner for Information Society and Media, will represent the European Commission. Ministers will gather after lunch for a "family photo" to mark the launch of the ".eu" top-level domain, enabling businesses, public bodies, and citizens to choose a pan-European Internet name for their web sites and e-mail addresses. ".eu" officially opens for business on 7 December 2005, and on 7 April 2006 for the general public (See IP/05/1510).

Better regulation - Review of the European Regulatory Framework for Electronic Communication Markets and Spectrum Policy

Background

Telecoms Council Ministers will discuss the following question: "What are the key issues the Commission should address in the forthcoming review of the Regulatory Framework, taking into account the need for consistent, thorough and improved implementation of the Framework, a competitive choice in services for users, and the need for investment in future networks?"

The Commission must review the current regulatory framework for electronic communications by July 2006. This framework, in force since 2003, is the successor to the earlier telecoms market liberalising legislation of the eighties and nineties.

See the Factsheet "Electronic Communications New Regulatory Framework" at
http://europa.eu.int/information_society/doc/factsheets/013-regulatory_framework.pdf

The Commission notes with regret that delays in transposing the framework into Member States' national laws, and in implementing it at national level (See IP/05/430, IP/05/875 with MEMO/05/242 and IP/05/1269 with MEMO/05/372), are often reducing the beneficial effects it could otherwise have on economic growth, investment and innovation. These delays not only hobble this sector's economic potential, but also have negative knock-on effects on the single market as a whole.

The discussion is expected to take an open, forward looking, approach with broad questions on how best to ensure that Europe remains an attractive place to invest, in comparison with other world regions, including whether regulation involves a trade off between the objectives of innovation, competition and consumer protection and, more controversially, whether regulatory `holidays or moratoriums' deliver more investment than regulation which ensures effective competition.

The regulatory framework under review already tries to promote investment, innovation and consumer protection and it does so in technology-neutral ways that also favour digital "convergence" of communication networks, media content and devices.

The extent to which the current framework has delivered greater choice of services and encouraged investment will be assessed in the Commission's 2006 review. Some continued regulation will clearly be called for, in cases of market dominance, to preclude the risk that competition and innovation might be stifled.

In July 2006, the Commission plans to issue a Communication on the functioning of the framework and to open a public consultation on possible changes to the framework. Legislative proposals and a final version of the Recommendation would be adopted around the end of 2006.

The Commission's proposed strategy for radio spectrum policy aims to lower barriers to accessing radio resources and to take advantage of the synergies resulting from a common European approach to spectrum management. The strategy is set out in three communications issued in September 2005 (see IP/05/1199 and MEMO/05/345). These communications set out the overall policy, outline a market-based approach to spectrum allocation and advocate a common approach to addressing spectrum issues arising from the switchover to digital TV. These issues are expected to be discussed in greater depth at a future Council.

At this Council

• Debate will focus on how to achieve agreed regulatory aims and how to improve regulation.
• Member States will share their views and experiences on the implementation of the current framework and may indicate possible areas for improvement or simplification.
• The Commission will explain its overall approach, timetable and deliverables for reviewing the framework during 2006. Any future legislative proposals from the Commission will undergo extensive consultation and impact assessment before adoption, which is not foreseen before end 2006.
• The Council will discuss spectrum policy under the "Better Regulation" heading. This is the first time there has been debate at the political level on the issue. The Council will discuss the need for more efficient spectrum management in Europe and the role of market-based mechanisms.

i2010 - A European Information Society for growth and employment,

- Policy Debate and Council Conclusions on i2010 strategy

- Council Conclusions on eAccessibility

Background

On 1 June 2005 the Commission published the Communication on "i2010: European Information Society 2010", an initiative to promote an open and competitive digital economy and to capitalise on ICT as a driver for social inclusion and enhanced quality of life. i2010 is the first substantial initiative adopted under the renewed Lisbon strategy for growth and jobs and aims to contribute to its objectives. It focuses on three key priorities: setting up a single European information space to promote an open and competitive single market for information society and media, strengthening innovation and investment in information and communication technology (ICT) research and achieving an inclusive European information society that is consistent with sustainable development and prioritises better public services and quality of life

See IP/05/643, IP/05/900, MEMO/05/184 and the Factsheet on i2010 at:
http://europa.eu.int/information_society/doc/factsheets/035-i2010.pdf

Regarding the "third pillar" of i2010 (inclusion), coordinated action by EU Member States is particularly needed to make information and communication technologies (ICTs) more accessible to all, and particularly to people with disabilities and some older persons. In a Communication on "Electronic Accessibility" (eAccessibility), issued in September 2005, the Commission called on Member States to do more to promote EU e-Accessibility initiatives and to encourage take-up by industry. Progress will be reviewed two years from now, when additional measures may be proposed, including new legislation if deemed necessary. The strategy proposed in the Commission's eAccessibility Communication calls for a concerted voluntary approach over the next two years, to raise awareness and promote the use of the proposed instruments while gathering data on their impact (See IP/05/1144 and MEMO/05/320).

At this Council

After holding a policy debate on key strategic ICT issues in 2006 and on the economic and social benefits of ICT, the Council will adopt conclusions that endorse the key i2010 objectives. This endorsement demonstrates a common understanding of the importance of ICT policies to growth and jobs. The Council recognises that the i2010 strategy is a responsibility shared among Member States, the European institutions and stakeholders, each of which now needs to deliver on its undertakings.

The Council is expected to adopt conclusions on eAccessibility to demonstrate the Member States's support for the eAccessibility policy proposals. The Council is expected to recognise the importance of improving eAccessibility for people with disabilities and older persons, particularly in the light of the demographic shift in Europe, and to invite the Commission, Member States and key actors to take further steps to implement the various eAccessibility initiatives.

Accelerating the transition from analogue to digital broadcasting

Background

The Commission is committed to accelerating the analogue to digital switchover. The Commission's aim is to achieve switch-off of analogue TV broadcasting by 2012 and to ensure that the spectrum released by analogue switch-off is used in a way that brings maximum benefit to society, which may entail using it not only for broadcasting, but also for hybrid TV/telecoms services or non-broadcast services. See IP/05/595 and MEMO/05/166.The switchover is accelerating across the EU. Deadlines for switching off analogue terrestrial TV have recently been brought forward by two years in Spain (from 2012 to 2010) and by three years in Germany (from 2010 to 2007). Overall, ten Member States have set a switch off date of 2010 or earlier. Ten others have set 2012. Five Member States and Bulgaria and Romania have not yet decided about a switch off date. Poland, Ireland and Bulgaria have indicated that they may have difficulties in meeting the 2012 deadline. On this basis, it is expected that by the beginning of 2010 the switchover process should be well advanced in the EU as a whole, and that the deadline of 2012 for completing switch-off of analogue terrestrial TV will be met by an overwhelming majority of Member States.

At this Council

The Council is expected to agree with the Commission on the need to accelerate the switchover process at EU level, and to aim for switch-off of analogue TV broadcasting by 2012.

World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS)

Background

1. Internet governance

A worldwide political agreement providing for further internationalisation of Internet governance, and enhanced intergovernmental cooperation to this end, was brokered, on the basis of text proposals submitted by the EU (see IP/05/672, IP/05/1424 and IP/05/1433), at the World Summit on the Information Society in Tunis (16-18 November 2005). Under this agreement, a new international Internet Governance Forum (IGF) will be created in which governments, the private sector and civil society at large will debate Internet Governance policy. The first IGF meeting will be convened by the UN Secretary-General in second quarter of 2006 and take place in Greece. The texts agreed in Tunis also foresee "enhanced cooperation" among governments, on an equal footing, on public policy issues. Such cooperation should include the development of globally applicable principles on public policy issues associated with the coordination and management.

While the current oversight of the internet by the US Administration will remain untouched for the time being, the Tunis agreement - for the first time - opens the door to involvement of other governments and interested stakeholders in key policy issues which could affect the architecture of the internet, in particular with regard to decisions on Top Level Domains of particular countries (such as .fr, .uk, .eu) as well as on generic Top Level Domains such as .com or .org.

Last but not least, the Tunis agreement for the first time recognises that countries should not be involved in decisions regarding another country's country-code Top-Level Domain (ccTLD). This will become an important policy factor to be taken into account in autumn 2006, when a Memorandum of Understanding between the US Commerce Department and the California-based, not-for-profit Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), which is the basis for the US Administration's present internet oversight role, will expire (see MEMO/05/428).

2. Digital divide

The Tunis summit also produced an agreement recognizing that priority should be given to making new information and communications technologies (ICTs) available in developing countries. It calls for programmes to help these countries to take advantage of technology in their pursuit of development, and stresses the growing role of ICTs as a development enabler. But at the same time it warns developing countries that an economically competitive environment is needed to attract investment in ICT infrastructure and to promote the development of new services needed to bridge the digital divide. Finally, the document recommends improvements and innovations in existing financing mechanisms. In this context, the recently adopted EU strategy for Africa, which also refers also to ICT, fits in well with the aims agreed at the Summit.

The full text of the Tunis agreement is published at: http://europa.eu.int/information_society/activities/internationalrel/global_issues/wsis/index_en.htm.

At this Council

The UK Presidency and the Commission will inform Ministers on the Summit proceedings and an assessment of the results. The Commission will adopt, in the first quarter of 2006, a communication providing a detailed evaluation of the WSIS outcome and outlining how it can be taken into account in European policies. On this basis, the follow-up to WSIS should be discussed in depth.