Brussels, 24/10/2013 (Agence Europe) - As heads of state and government gear up to examine the digital agenda on 24 October and the need to complete the single digital market, the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC) has provided a rather critical analysis of the Telecoms Package proposed by Commissioner Neelie Kroes. Although European regulators agree with the objective outlined, that of making the European Union an extensive single digital market as a way of providing added impetus to the overall European economy, they considered that it was not at all certain that the provisions suggested by the Commission would create any value in the European communications market. Even worse, they believe that some of these provisions could prove counter-productive. “BEREC is concerned that, taken as a whole, the provisions in the proposed single market regulation risk creating unnecessary complexity and greater legal uncertainty, and could have a negative impact on both investment and competition, ultimately to the detriment of European consumers and the wider European economy”. BEREC also emphasises that the issues addressed are particularly complex and sensitive and require consultation and meticulous analysis, which has not been the case and which will be not be possible during the current Parliamentary term.
BEREC also criticises the provision outlining the harmonisation of call prices in the EU. This means that, when customers are calling from another EU country, they will pay the same cost as those when making a call in their country of origin, and then end of roaming charges. Operators will be obliged either to propose costs that are valid throughout the EU or to enable subscribers to choose another operator when they are travelling. European regulators think that this measure is too harsh and could have disastrous repercussions on national and online operators. With regard to net neutrality, another sensitive point in the Telecoms Package, the Commission intends to ban the blocking and limiting of internet content, aware that operators would always be able to provide specialist services to their subscribers. BEREC thinks that this measure is too vague and that the Commission is not clear about what these specialist services are. (IL/transl.fl)