Brussels, 17/04/2003 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission issued a statement on Wednesday in which it defines the objectives and precedence which the EU shall advocate during the World Radio communication Conference 2003 (WRC-03). This conference, which is organised at regular intervals by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), shall take place this year in Geneva from the 09th June until the 04th July. Its aim is to review the allocation decisions of frequencies as well as the other conditions of usage of the radio electric spectrum on a global level. In a press release, the Commission stresses that, insofar as "they determine the conditions of access to the radio electric spectrum, the (WRC-03) negotiations are potentially crucial for the realisation of certain policies and community negotiations like the Information Society and Development Programme (third generation mobile communications - 3G-, local wireless area networks) and the transport policy (Galileo radio navigation system by satellite)". For the European Commissioner for Telecommunications, Erkki Liikanen, "it is therefore essential that the member States and the Presidency see to it that these strategic objectives of the EU are strengthened by decisions which shall be taken during this conference". Moreover, the statement clearly invites the European Parliament and the Council to summon the member States to actively support the European proposals drawn up for the WRC-03 by the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT) vis-à-vis the objectives of the community policies.
The WRC-03 agenda comprises a series of questions relating to the community policies. The principal objectives to be reached for the Commission during the conference are the following: - to preserve frequency allocations acquired at the time of the WRC-2000 for 3rd generation mobile communications and to confirm the conditions of usage of the radionavigation services spectrum planned for Galileo; - to advance towards a regional and worldwide harmonisation of frequencies for PPDR systems (Civilian protection and rescue in the event of a catastrophe) so as to facilitate communications between emergency intervention and rescue teams; - to respond to the needs and frequencies of other wireless infrastructures. For the Commission, harmonisation on a worldwide level of the protocol of local area radio networks (RLAN) is essential for this up-and-coming technology.
In contrary to what occurs for other international negotiations, for example for commercial questions within the framework of the WTO, it is on a national basis that the EU and the member states are negotiating within the ITU. However, insofar as national interests often converge, the European administrations have opted to work it out collectedly, within the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT), their positions with respect to technical aspects. The Commission underlines that this approach contributes to a great extent to reinforcing the EU's position at the WRC-03, however that it is equally necessary to coordinate these positions on a European level before and after the conference. The Commission's statement therefore aims to provide the member States taking part in the WRC-03 with clear political direction on the community objectives which must be reached during the negotiations. Consequently, the European parliament and council are urged to, - approve the corresponding European proposals drawn up by the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT) and to press for the member States to support these proposals and that, if necessary, that they adjust their positions so as to guarantee cohesion throughout the WRC-03.