| Commissioner Reding Speaks out on Spectrum |
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13 December 2006 - In a speech delivered to the Telecom Italia reception, which took place on the 11th of December in Brussels, Information Society and Media Commissioner, Viviane Reding gave delegates some idea of just how much importance the Commission is attaching to spectrum management. While Reding's speech covered a wide range of topics, such as the need to ensure effective competition in Europe's telecommunications sector and the fragmented nature of regulatory measures in the EU-25, the topic of radio spectrum featured prominently, with the Commissioner describing it as "an issue of strategic importance for Europe's electronic communications markets". Under current proposals, the EC plans to replace the present 25 national spectrum management administrations with "less red tape, more market and more joint European decisions". While the Commissioner stated that her proposals had initially been the object of a great deal of scepticism on the part of Ministers she also added that Member States may be warming to the Commission's way of thinking: "I am therefore very satisfied that yesterday evening, over dinner, ministers mentioned not the difficulties, but the tremendous economic opportunities of a more market-oriented and more European way of spectrum management. After this discussion, I feel encouraged to put ambitious proposals for a reform of spectrum management on the table in the first half of 2007 as part of my proposals for a new regulatory framework for Europe's electronic communications sector". In addition to her comments on spectrum management, Reding also underlined the Commission's commitment to better regulation, commenting that "the most effective and least bureaucratic way to achieve a real level playing field for telecom operators across the EU would clearly be to replace the present game of "ping pong" between national regulators and the European Commission by an independent European telecom authority. Under the Commission's proposals, national regulators would continue to act as direct contact points with operators and could directly analyse the market as they do today, but would have to operate as a system - similar in nature to the European System of Central Banks. In her closing remarks, the Commissioner stated (an independent European telecom authority) "is certainly an idea that will deserve further reflection in the months to come. I am currently working closely with national regulators in the ERG - which is, as you know, an advisory body to the Commission - to explore the best possible solution to ensure more consistency and better regulation in the internal market".
Viviane Reding is presently embroiled in discussions with Ministers of the Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council, who are in Brussels on the 11th and 12th of December. |
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