Brussels, 26/09/2013 (Agence Europe) - On 26 September, the Committee of Permanent Representatives (Coreper I) granted the Lithuanian presidency of the Council of the EU a general mandate for beginning the trilogue with the European Parliament and European Commission on the amended draft regulation for Trans-European telecommunications network guidelines.
Telecommunication network guidelines form an essential part of the European Digital Agenda. They explain how broadband network funding questions should be resolved; they select digital service infrastructure priorities; and they guarantee that member states are appropriately involved in the management of this instrument. The European Council of February 2013 decided to significantly reduce the budget proposed by the Commission (€1 billion instead of €9.2 billion as required) in its initial proposal on 26 October 2011. An amended proposal was subsequently put forward on 28 May 2013 by the Commission, in an effort to take into account the budget reduction and reorientate the priorities targeted. The regulation on the CEF and telecommunications network guidelines should be applied as from January 2014 in the three following sectors: energy, transport and telecoms. The first informal tripartite dialogue is planned for 2 October. (IL/transl.fl)