Brussels, 16/12/2009 (Agence Europe) - The next session of the “Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council” will take place on 17-18 December in Brussels. Ministers responsible for telecommunications will meet on Friday 18, under the presidency of Ms Åsa Torstensson, Swedish minister of communications. It is a relatively limited agenda and will focus on three very current subjects: completion of the single market in electronic communications, taking advantage of the digital dividend to help get Europe back on the path of growth, and developing a European response to the many “cyber-attacks” occurring.
The Council will begin with the political debate on the “post i-2010 strategy”, after which conclusions will be adopted. Discussions will be based on the European Commission report on orientations for the post i-2010 strategy, the strategic framework of which was adopted in June 2005 and defined the political orientations that the Commission envisaged for a five-year period in the area of Communication and Information Technology (CIT). The Commission called on the Council to provide it with a report on the subject, in the aim of drafting a new digital agenda to help facilitate completion of the electronic communications market. This new agenda is expected to be adopted in spring 2010 and will be debated under the Spanish presidency. Ministers will also adopt conclusions on the digital dividend, on the basis of a Commission Communication. The transition from analogue to digital communication will free up significant portions of radio spectrum. A harmonised approach at a member state level and intelligent use of new frequencies will help obtain economies of scale, as well as universal cover in all regions of Europe, including the most remote areas. Given that the transition to digital communication is expected to be finalised in all member states by 2012, the Council will attempt to obtain consensus in its conclusions and a sufficient technical and political level of coordination at a European level. Finally, the Council will adopt a resolution for a co-ordinated approach on the security of networks and information. This resolution is in response to concerns highlighted by the Commission for developing a common approach for protecting information infrastructure. It also underlines that electronic communications services are now extremely interconnected and interdependent and that a breach in the securitisation of the networks would be extremely damaging and could paralyse all the “vital” institutions in the economy throughout the European Union member states. Network security at a European level is currently carried out by ENISA, originally a temporary agency but whose mandate has been extended until 2012. The Spanish presidency is expected to examine the latter's future in May 2010. (I.L.)