Mrs. Reding addressed the ERG by making some comments and clarification about the review of the European Union regulatory framework for electronic communications networks and services “Telecom Package”: 

• The draft Telecom Package will be published on November 13th, 2007.
• The EC and the ERG should work close together.
• The need for effective competition on the market is always vital.
• About 50% of the 18 listed market subject to ex ante regulation, are now marked by competition and can be removed from the list.
• National Regulatory Authorities (NRAs) are best equipped to deal with competition problems. 
• NRAs should continue to have the major importance in regulating national market. However, future regulations in a market will need to be strongly justified.
• The independence of NRAs should be strengthened.
• Reform of the radio spectrum management for more efficient use, including trans-national and pans-European services

Mrs. Reding also talked about the “European Telecom Market Authority” (ETMA) as a part of the reformed Telecom Package. This pan-European regulatory body has been considered as a substitute to either the NRAs or the ERG. Nevertheless Mrs. Reding stressed the importance of cooperation between the three types of bodies and the continuous existence of them all. She rather wants to see the new situation as a “European System of Independent Regulators”, and rejects all type of centralisation. Mrs. Reding recognises the diversity of the market and the differences in each country that only the NRAs know best. Further, in reference to the Board of regulators of the ETMA she describes, it as an “’ERG plus plus’, which will have the institutional capability to arrive faster at more ambitious common positions”.

The creation of the ETMA will mean new types of division of labour with the EC. Mrs. Reding expresses “I believe that the text of the telecom reform package as it stands today, strikes the right balance between decentralisation and harmonisation, between effectiveness and speed and the need for flexibility”. However, Mrs. Reding wants to underline that she is still open to new ideas concerning the relationship between the EC and the ERG.

Next steps:
Mrs. Reding meets the President, Mr Corrado Calabrò and Mr Roberto Viola, Secretary General of the Italian telecom regulator, AGCOM, October 16th, 2007
Extraordinary ERG and European Platform of Regulatory Authority (EPRA) conference in Capri, in the presence of Mrs Reding, October 18th-19th, 2007
Launch of the draft Telecom Package, November 13th, 2007
The draft Telecom Package could enter into force in early 2010

To access the speech, please click here
To access article in Europolitics, please click here