Brussels, 28/02/2007 (Agence Europe) - The European Regulators Group (ERG) has presented its proposals to resolve the problem of telecommunications regulation in the EU. The proposals are outlined in a letter sent on 27 February to the commissioner for the information society and media, Viviane Reding, in response to her request on 30 November last year (EUROPE 9369). In advocating measures similar to those the Commission prefers for the reform of this sector, the ERG is ensuring an alliance with the Commission and a place at the heart of the debate.
The group's president , Roberto Viola, declared in a press release dated 26 February that “the ERG welcomes the opportunity to advise the Commission, and sees the early engagement of the ERG in this initiative as the start of a constructive and collaborative relationship”.
The ERG, which was created in 2002 by a decision of the Commission, represents the interests of the national telecommunications regulators of 25 member states (the ERG is planning a more concrete role for the two new members as well as the four EFTA countries and the candidate countries for accession, if these plans come about). Since it appeared on the table (beginning of January 2006), the revision of the framework directive on electronic communication networks and services has revealed several problems, notably: a lack of coherence among the member states in the implementation of the regulatory framework and difficulties homogenising the treatment of cross-border services (see EUROPE 9368). The first analysis conducted by the Commission resulted in the suggestion of increasing its regulatory powers, in part by allowing it to force national regulators to implement “remedies”. But Ms Reding, who was impressed by the effectiveness and spirit of cooperation shown by the ERG, instead requested that it propose alternative solutions to this kind of centralisation.
These proposals consist firstly of strengthening the consultative role of the ERG in the development of the new legislation. This would not require any changes to the current framework, and would allow the Commission to make full use of the significant expertise of members of the ERG. Beyond 2010, the ERG is willing to constitute the basis of an institution for the coordination of international regulation (perhaps even a “federal” system of national regulators similar to the ECB/central banks of the member states system). However, it stresses the importance of preserving the close links with national regulators, as well as its independence from the European institutions, since its credibility rests on these two features.
In a joint press release from the ERG and the Commission, Ms Reding welcomed this spirit of cooperation. However, the Commission's proposal for revision will be submitted to the codecision procedure with the Parliament in July this year, with the hope that it will be implemented, if possible, in 2009-2010. The Parliament may in all probability oppose the transfer of a share of the Commission's regulatory power to the ERG, as it has done in other similar cases. Moreover, subjecting the national regulators to the authority of a pan-European body risks controversy among the member states. The future of this reform is therefore uncertain. The general roadmap for the reform is available at http: //ec.europa.eu/information_society/policy/ecomm/tomorrow/roadmap/index_en.htm. (cd)