EU Commission Review of Regulatory Framework

EU Commission Review of Regulatory Framework for Electronic Communications networks and services

EU Regulatory Framework

The Electronic communications sector underpins the whole of the economy and at EU level is supported by a regulatory framework that entered into force in Ireland in 2003.

The framework consists of five Directives (& a Decision) which were adopted by the European Parliament and the Council in 2002 and include:

· The Access Directive

· The Authorisation Directive

· The Framework Directive

· The Universal Service Directive

· The ePrivacy Directive

· The Spectrum Decision

The aims of the framework are to promote competition, consolidate the internal market for electronic communications, and benefit consumer and users. It is designed to take account of convergence in that it deals with markets not technologies. The framework provides for the progressive removal of regulation as and when competition becomes effective.

The European Commission is conducting a review of the European Regulatory Framework for Electronic Communications networks and services (which was transposed in Ireland in 2003). The Commission published proposals for possible changes to this framework, which were open to public consultation until end October 2006.

The two main areas for change identified by the Commission are:

• Application of the Commission's policy on spectrum management
• Reduction of the procedural burden associated with the reviews of markets susceptible to ex-ante regulation.

Other proposed changes seek to:

• Consolidate the internal market
• Strengthen consumers and users interests
• Improve security and
• Remove outdated provisions.

A revision of the Recommendation on Relevant Markets is a separate, but parallel consultation to the Framework Review. The purpose of the Recommendation is to identify the product and service markets in which ex-ante regulation may be warranted. The Commission proposes to reduce the number of markets where ex-ante regulation is required.

More information on the EU Commissions proposals is available at: - http://europa.eu.int/information_society/policy/ecomm/tomorrow/index_en.htm

• DCMNR Forum on the EU Commission’s Review of the Regulatory Framework – September 12^th, 2006
• Commission’s presentation at the DCMNR Forum
• Ireland’s submission to the Commission on the EU Commission Review of the Regulatory Framework, October, 2006
• Ireland’s submission to the Commission on the Recommendation on Relevant Product and Service Markets within the electronic communications sector susceptible to ex ante regulation.