Luxemburg, 09/06/2006 (Agence Europe) - In the late afternoon on Thursday, the Telecommunications Council in Luxemburg held a policy debate on the regulatory framework for electronic communications, currently under review. The European Commission is currently putting the finishing touches to the options for this review process, which are expected to be presented before summer, prior to putting forward a final proposal which should be adopted at the end of the year. Information Society and Media Commissioner Viviane Reding has already let it be known that she did not envisage wholesale re-working of the framework ensuring competition and creating an environment favourable to investment and innovation by guaranteeing choice, quality and the lower prices for consumers. The improvements proposed on technological developments and their convergence will seek to encourage investment through competition based on infrastructure, to promote innovation through the transparency of the rules applicable to the new technologies and to ensure the completion of the single market by making sure that European rules are applied in a more coherent fashion in the 25 Member States and encouraging cross-border communication services. Once competition has been established in the markets, the final objective is to ease legislation so as not to upset their development. In its 11th evaluation report, the Commission welcomed the fine implementation of directives by Member States while regretting gaps in some areas (see EUROPE 9135).
Member States all came out in favour of the current framework, following the Commission's proposal, and of changes only on certain specific points. They insisted on the interests of the consumer, which had to be the ultimate aim. During the debate, Ministers took stock of what Member States had achieved hitherto and considered possible improvements, while identifying possible conflicts between some objectives. During discussions, the Austrian Presidency stressed: the need for the framework to be implemented in all Member States while maintaining the independence of national regulatory authorities, the simplification of the process to ensure the proper working of the regulatory framework, consumer protection, which had to be guaranteed so as not to betray confidence in the development of technology, the pursuit and encouragement of investment, an effective procedure for dealing with complaints, the removal of obstacles to access to the spectrum. Ministers agreed on the need for flexibility in the management of the spectrum, in order to maximise its use, through sensible and rational management of frequencies, but this flexibility should also take account of national and regional specificities.