Brussels, 23/10/2007 (Agence Europe) - In a speech delivered to the European Regulators Group (ERG) and the European Platform of (Audiovisual) Regulatory Authorities (EPRA) in Capri on 19 October, Information Society and Media Commissioner Viviane Reding pointed out the need to re-engage the debate on the radio spectrum, and to re-organise frequencies to allow the development of digital and high definition television, mobile television and mobile internet in Europe. “I believe it is essential to bring greater efficiency to frequency management in Europe, to draw up a chart of efficient use and instances of ineffective use. … Frequencies are too few and too precious not to make the best possible use of them,” she pointed out. She also confirmed that she intended to push the DVB-H standard to harmonise mobile television broadcasting in Europe, and was pleased to note that “already 19 member states are going in the right direction”. On the sidelines of the conference, responding to a question on the functional separation of Telecom Italia, Reding said that it was not the European Commission's intention to impose functional separation of networks, but simply to propose that it be used as an additional regulatory tool, at the disposal of national regulatory authorities, which can choose to use it or not. The Italian authority AGCOM has said that Telecom Italia has to manage its network of fixed lines separately in order to create greater competition in the sector. The Italian government, with the same aim in mind, has passed a law allowing AGCOM to impose this remedy on the Italian telecoms giant. According to the Italian press, Telecom Italia Chief Executive Pasquale Pistorio has written a letter to Reding complaining that the Italian law runs counter to European telecoms regulation. (I.L.)