Brussels, 21/05/2010 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 19 May, the European Commission unveiled an ambitious policy to develop a digital economy to improve performance in Europe and improve its competitiveness (see EUROPE 10142). This strategy has elicited various responses.
ETNO. Incumbent operators say that this strategy has the potential to contribute to achieving the objectives of the EU 2020 strategy for growth and employment. “ETNO applauds the focus on the need to accelerate the deployment of fast and very fast fixed and wireless broadband access networks and to reinforce incentives for private investment,” said ETNO Director Michael Bartholomew. He hoped that the forthcoming recommendation from the Commission on regulation new generation access (NGA) networks would “reflect the priorities of the Digital Agenda by allowing for a more targeted regulatory approach”. The text being prepared by the Commission should take into account the high investment risks, the varying levels of competition in different geographical areas and promote fair sharing of risks between investors and access seekers, he said. ETNO is also pleased the Digital Agenda makes provision for a pan-European content licensing system, more attractive legitimate online content being the best way to tackle illicit file sharing, it says.
ECTA. New operators welcome the Commission's commitment to reinforcing the single market and to encouraging investment in open and competitive fibre access networks. While ETNO calls for a flexible and targeted regulatory approach on NGA, ECTA, on the other hand, calls for the “vigorous” application of competition rules to fibre access networks - “consumers and businesses will pay a high price if competition rules are relaxed and wholesale pricing flexibility is permitted to dominant telcos,” according to ECTA Chairman Hubertus von Roenne.
EBU. The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) sees the Commission strategy as a significant step towards a digital information society in Europe. Through the provision of high quality content and information, public service media can play a key role in developing a sustainable and inclusive digital society, the EBU says. Public broadcasters believe that investment in content (to which they are contributing €10 billion per year) is crucial “as citizens tend to embrace new technologies only if they can access high quality content”. On intellectual property, the EBU is also in favour of simplification of the rules on copyright clearance which “would encourage innovation and ensure that audiences can legally access media content on a range of digital platforms, therefore facilitating the development of a successful Digital Agenda”. In relation to spectrum management, the EBU wants a balanced position which takes account of cultural, social and economic aspects.
ACT. The Association of Commercial Television in Europe is also very positive about the European initiative, “an ambitious roadmap for action in the mid- and long-term”. Highlighting the massive effort on the part of commercial television in legal offers, ACT would like the emphasis to be more on content: “we need to be clear that this debate is not about the pipes, it is rather about the content which flows down the pipes - it is great content, not great software engineering, which makes the Digital Agenda attractive to European consumers,” said ACT President Philippe Delusinne. Commercial television backs a review of copyright, but is more circumspect on spectrum harmonisation. It says that media markets are so diverse that a European approach would simply ignore national circumstances.
ISOC. The Internet Society (ISOC), the aim of which is to promote and coordinate development of internet networks throughout the world, believes that the Commission's digital strategy contains some very welcome points to encourage the interoperability and network confidence. “We applaud the call for member states to apply commitments on interoperability by 2013, as an open standards-based internet continues to serve as a platform for innovation for the billions of people around the world who will join the online community in the coming decade. Equally encouraging is the Commission's recognition of the need to strengthen network confidence,” said ISOC European Bureau Director Frédéric Donck. On the issue of cyber-security, ISOC suggests focusing firstly on enforcing laws that already exist in the non-digital world, rather than creating new legal models which only address criminal behaviour in cyberspace. (I.L./transl.rt)