She mentioned topics such as the digital dividend, spectrum management, copyrights for content online and the i2010 strategy. She also insisted on the need to have a “fifth freedom”: the freedom of movement of knowledge and innovation that would be added to the freedoms of movement of persons, goods, services and capital.

In the frame of the European i2010 initiative on e-inclusion, Mrs. Reding intends to launch before 2009 a European Strategy on e-Accessibility addressing issues such as equal opportunities to access ICTs.

She is also firmly convinced that the efforts put in “Broadband access for all” have to be quickened and should be a priority under the French Presidency of the European Union (EU). Therefore, she suggested the future development of a European broadband performance indicator in close cooperation with EU Member States (MS). It will integrate factors such as coverage, competition, prices, speed and qualifications. Its first publication is planned for next September and will come along with a Communication from the European Commission (EC) on “the Internet and networks of the future”.

Regarding copyrights for content online, she referred to the “Creative Content Online” initiative that the EC adopted last January. With the launch of this initiative, her objective is to reach a win-win situation at European level as a complement to national initiatives. The MS have already declared at the European Council last week that they would support this initiative that covers different matters such as the facilitation of content offers or the improved consumers’ information on conditions of contents’ use.

Mrs Reding stressed the need to think about barriers that impede the development of a single market regarding creative content. Internet and mobile services enable content services to be available across the single market. However, the lack of multi-territory licenses makes it difficult to spread online services out in Europe. Therefore, the EC believes it is necessary to make soon some recommendations in this regard.

For her, the European approach, on the review of the EU regulatory framework for electronic communications networks and services, is a competitive approach: it encourages newcomers and should enable a more efficient management of the radio spectrum. She believes that this review is necessary because there is a lack of coherence between national regulatory authorities’ actions, which impedes to have economies of scale in Europe: for Mrs Reding, the sector of telecommunications did not make progress as fast as other policy sectors of the EU. One can notice this when looking at the lack of harmonisation in the implementation of regulatory remedies in the different MS although it concerns markets with similar features. She gave two examples: termination rates and Next Generation Networks (NGN). It is urgent to find coherent approaches for these two areas. Therefore, the EC will adopt next fall two recommendations that will be subject to a public consultation during summer time.

To be able to set up the fifth freedom of movement, cohesion between national regulatory authorities will be necessary. In this perspective, the EC suggested the creation of a European Electronic Communications Market Authority (EECMA), an authority with regulatory power. The French Presidency will work in cooperation with the EC and the European Parliament (EP) on two important issues regarding the EECMA:

• What are the best means to guarantee a regulatory authority, and a political and financial independency to the EECMA?
  
• What size should the EECMA be given in order to allow this authority to work properly? Should its role be limited to regulation or should it also for instance manage the radio spectrum?

Another important concern is the review of spectrum management. There are new opportunities being offered such as mobile Internet (guaranteeing access to information whenever needed), and mobile TV (changing the way of consuming audiovisual contents). For her, spectrum should not be given up to those who want monopoly since she believes there is enough spectrum to be shared between new and old users. Quality radio spectrum is and will remain a scarce resource. There are some adjustments to be made: she is not convinced that having High Definition TV (HD) all over would be the appropriate way to use frequencies. Besides, stating there is no, or almost no, possibility for the development of new services would not be accurate.

However, different issues are arising such as shortage in rural or isolated areas where mobile Internet and satellite have an important role to play. Moreover, emergency services, environmental monitoring and other services need a share of the spectrum. The EC suggested a harmonization of the 2Ghz sub-band for Mobile Satellite Services (MSS), and also a flexible approach, through technology and services neutrality.

She concluded saying that the single market of the 21st century needs a fifth freedom of movement and that it should work in favour of operators, consumers and content providers.

Next steps:

• Launch before 2009 of a European Strategy on e-Accessibility;
  
• First publication on the European broadband performance indicator planned for September 2008, and coming along with an EC Communication on “the Internet and networks of the future”;
  
• Recommendations to be made soon by the EC about the spread out of online services in Europe;
  
• Adoption of two recommendations by the EC planned for next fall regarding termination rates and Next Generation Networks, following a public consultation during summer time (2008).

To read Mrs Reding’s speeches (in French only), please click here and here.