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Proposal for a Regulation to complete
Telecoms Single Market and to
achieve a Connected Continent
Roberto Viola
Council Working Party
Brussels, 19 September 2013
Connected Continent package: what's in it?
• The Communication: Commission's vision for a
Single Telecoms Market
• The costing and non-discrimination
Recommendation
• Proposal for a Regulation to complete the
Telecoms Single Market in the EU + Impact
Assessment
The Context
• EU single market in electronic communications =
annual 0.9% GDP/€110 billion (Ecorys/TU Delft/TNO 2012)
• Spring European Council (15/3/2013):
"the European Council notes the Commission's intention to
report well before October on (…) concrete measures to
establish the single market in Information and
Communications Technology as early as possible"
What is wrong with Europe?
Major Operators
3
Major Operators
Major operators
Regulatory framework
1
Regulatory frameworks
3
40+
28
Regulatory framework
1
Content of the proposal:
1. Single EU authorisation
 Simplified regulation and enhanced convergence of
regulatory conditions
2. European inputs for high-speed broadband
 Wireless: spectrum coordination; facilitating small cells
 Fixed: standardised access products
3. Single consumer space
 Harmonised end-user rights and easier switching
 Open Internet: net neutrality
 Phasing out roaming
Single EU authorisation
Why needed?
• to ensure legal consistency and overcome
fragmentation, reduce administrative burdens
How?
• Single notification to the home Member State
• Suspension/withdrawal by home NRA
• No charges and universal service contributions in
host Member States during startup phase
• Equal regulatory treatment across Member States
• Veto power for the Commission on remedies
Wireless Broadband: spectrum
Why needed?
• to ensure coordinated and timely availability of
new wireless technologies; boost interoperability
and ensure economies of scale across Europe
How?
• Common principles for rights of use of harmonised
spectrum for wireless BB
• Synchronisation of spectrum availability, timing
and duration
• European coordination mechanism for
authorisation procedures
• Simplifying conditions for Wi-Fi and small cells
Fixed Broadband: Virtual Access
Products
Why needed?
• to enable pan-EU provision of services, e.g.
content, e-health, video-conferencing, B2B
How?
• Defining common features for European virtual
broadband access products
• Included in range of remedies imposed on SMP
operators by NRAs
• Implementing measures by Commission
• European assured service quality connectivity
upon reasonable request
Rights of Consumers
Why needed?
• To ensure high level of protection in a European
single market, and helping to stimulate demand
How?
• Full harmonisation of rights of end-users
(transparency, also on Internet speeds, contractual
information, no "bill shocks", contract termination)
• No unjustified distinctions between the price of
domestic and "international" (intra-EU) calls
• Gaining provider takes care of switching process
which should be completed in a day
Net Neutrality
Why needed
• To ensure open access to internet for end-users
while providing the possibility to ensure quality of
service for specialised services
How?
• Ban on the blocking or throttling of services
and/or applications, except in very limited
objectively justified circumstances
• Specialised services allowed as long as this does
not impair best efforts Internet
• Implementing rules by the Commission,
supervision by national regulators
Roaming
Why needed?
• To remove artificial effects of fragmented markets
and give consumers something they really value
How?
• Roam-like-at-home as default solution for all
customers subject to reasonable use criterion
• Industry to negotiate roaming agreements
• Exemption from threat of decoupling as incentive
Consistent with Roaming 3: if roaming surcharges persist until
the 2016 review, more intrusive measures may be needed
A Connected Continent will bring about
Better productivity
Growth & jobs
•
•
•
•
5% on GDP = €1500 per person
2 million jobs
€110 billion GDP growth / year
€300 billion saving on public services
•
•
•
•
•
Savings from pan-EU telecoms providers
A secure cloud
Top-quality videoconferencing
World-class digital infrastructure
+ 5-6% productivity
Real benefits for citizens
•
•
•
•
More choice & more telecoms providers
Phasing out unfair charges when communicating across borders
A full open Internet
Easier & more efficient public services
A stronger telecoms sector
• Consistent rules, regulators & remedies
• Cross-border business boost
• Stable, consistent investment climate
Brighter prospects for SMEs & start-ups
• Operators can't block or throttle
• A home market that is fully connected
• Wireless services & devices that work perfectly
across the EU
Adoption Timeline
European
Council:
European
Council:
Entry into
force:
24/25
October
2013
14/15
March 2013
Adoption of the
package:
11 September
2013
1 July 2014 /
1 July 2016
Adoption by
EP and
Council:
Spring 2014