Brussels, 14/02/2002 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday, the EU Council adopted the Telecoms package of directives to overhaul the regulatory framework for communications, namely a directive on a common regulatory framework for electronic communications networks and services; an authorisation directive; an access and interconnection directive, a directive on universal services and user rights and a decision on regulatory framework for radiospecturm policy (see EUROPE of 13 December 2001, p.12). Member States now have 15 months to transpose the directives into national law. The European Parliament and Council still have to agree on the draft directive on e-communications privacy (see EUROPE of 7 December 2001, p.9).
The Commission will soon be presenting a series of measures to actually implement the new package, namely guidelines on market definition and the assessment of significant market power too aid national regulators in applying the new regulatory framework; a recommendation on product and service markets where sector-specific regulatory obligations may be appropriate; a decision establishing a European Regulators Group of national regulators and the Commission to ensure regulatory decision-making is consistent throughout the EU; and a decision establishing a Radio Spectrum Policy Group of representatives from each Member State and the Commission to advise on the need for co-ordinated policy approaches and, where appropriate, harmonised conditions.