Recent EU Press Releases

Digital Agenda: Commission outlines measures to deliver fast and ultra-fast broadband in Europe
(20 September 2010) Three complementary measures to facilitate the roll out and take up of fast and ultra-fast broadband in the EU have been adopted today by the European Commission. This package comprises a Commission Recommendation on regulated access to Next Generation Access (NGA) networks that provides regulatory certainty to telecom operators, ensuring an appropriate balance between the need to encourage investment and the need to safeguard competition, a proposal for a Decision to establish a Radio Spectrum Policy Programme to ensure, inter alia, that spectrum is available for wireless broadband and a Broadband Communication outlining how best to encourage public and private investment in high and ultra-high speed networks. These measures aim to help the EU realise the commitments in the Digital Agenda for Europe to give every European access to basic broadband by 2013 and fast and ultra fast broadband by 2020. As outlined in the Europe 2020 strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, installing broadband infrastructure in Europe is essential to create jobs and prosperity.

Broadband: Commission sets out common EU approach on ultra-fast broadband networks
(20 September 2010) The European Commission has adopted a Recommendation indicating to national telecoms regulators how they should regulate third-party competitive access to ultra-fast fibre networks (also known as 'next generation access' - NGA - networks) that bring high-speed broadband connections to homes and workplaces. Regulators should apply the new guidance in their daily decision making as soon as the text has been published in the EU's Official Journal. Under the telecoms Framework Directive they are obliged to take "utmost account of the Commission's Recommendation, justifying any departure from it. The Recommendation provides regulatory clarity to telecom operators, ensuring an appropriate balance between the need to encourage investment and the need to safeguard competition. It will help to stimulate investment in competitive high-speed broadband networks, which is a key objective of the Commission's Digital Agenda for Europe and Europe 2020 strategy. The Recommendation forms part of a package of broadband measures presented by the Commission today.

Spectrum: Commission proposes to ensure availability of radio frequencies for new and faster wireless services
(20 September 2010) A five year policy programme for planning and harmonising the use of the EU's radio spectrum has been proposed by the European Commission. The proposal, which will be sent to the European Parliament and EU Council of Ministers for adoption, includes steps to promote efficient spectrum management, and in particular, to ensure that sufficient spectrum is made available for wireless broadband. This will significantly contribute to bringing fast broadband connections to people in remote areas, where it is not economically viable to install cable networks, and to making innovative services available across Europe. Wireless broadband is essential to deliver the target of broadband for all by 2013, one of the key goals of the Digital Agenda for Europe. More efficient and competitive use of spectrum in the EU would also promote the development of innovative technologies and services, to the benefit of consumers and of Europe's overall competitiveness. The proposal forms part of a package of broadband measures presented by the Commission today.

Digital Agenda: Commission measures to deliver fast and ultra-fast broadband in Europe - what would they do for me?
(20 September 2010) Giving all European citizens and businesses access to a fast and ultra-fast broadband internet connection is one of the key objectives of the Digital Agenda for Europe, the EU's plan to maximise the social and economic impact of Information and Communication Technologies, and the Europe 2020 strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. The measures presented today set out a common regulatory approach for access to new high-speed fibre networks, propose a 5-year policy programme for radio spectrum to ensure, inter alia, that spectrum is available for wireless broadband and outline how best to encourage private and public investment in fast and ultra-fast broadband networks. Practical examples of exactly how the measures stand to benefit people and businesses are outlined below.

Digital Agenda: Commission spells out plan to boost investment in broadband
(20 September 2010) The European Commission has today outlined how best to encourage private and public investment in fast and ultra-fast broadband networks. These will be essential to realising the commitments in the Digital Agenda for Europe to give every European access to basic broadband by 2013 and fast and ultra-fast broadband by 2020. In its Communication, the Commission calls on EU Member States to introduce operational broadband plans for high and ultra high speed networks with concrete implementing measures, it provides guidance on how to cut investment costs and indicates how public authorities may support broadband investment, including making better use of EU funds. It also announces plans by the European Commission and the European Investment Bank to bring forward broadband finance instruments. The Communication forms part of a package of broadband measures presented by the Commission today.

Telecoms: Commission accepts UK regulator proposal to mandate virtual unbundling of BT's fibre networks but requests full unbundling as soon as possible
(2 June 2010) The European Commission has decided to accept, in view of the specific circumstances of the case, the proposal of UK telecoms regulator Ofcom to oblige telecoms operator BT to provide 'virtual' access to its optical fibre infrastructure to alternative operators. Ofcom's proposal will allow product differentiation and innovation similar to that possible through physical local loop unbundling. Ofcom's plans will maintain competition on UK broadband markets following the roll-out of next generation access (NGA) networks by allowing alternative operators to offer competitive broadband services on these networks. However, the Commission underlined that this should only be a transitional measure and that full fibre unbundling should be imposed as soon as technically and economically possible.



Telecoms: Commission report on national telecoms regulation shows more competition but no Single Market
(1 June 2010) A European Commission report released today shows that EU telecoms markets have become more competitive thanks to the Commission's guidance in the consultation and review process known as the 'Article 7 procedure', whereby national telecoms regulators inform the Commission in advance of their plans to regulate parts of their national telecoms markets. As a result, citizens and businesses enjoy greater choice of services and cheaper prices. However, the report also indicates that a single EU telecoms market is still far from reality, which is why the Commission's Digital Agenda for Europe (IP/10/581) calls for swift and consistent enforcement of existing telecoms rules and indicates that the Commission intends to propose appropriate steps to reduce the cost of the absence of a Single Market in telecoms services. Problems include different national regulatory approaches to tackling competition issues, such as regulating access to fibre networks. Today's report also warns that regulatory uncertainty could hamper the roll out of investment-intensive infrastructure projects like Next Generation Access (NGA) networks, one of the flagships of the Digital Agenda for Europe.
How the Article 7 consultation and notification mechanism works: frequently asked questions: http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/10/226&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en



Telecoms: Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC) established in Riga
(31 May 2010) European Commission Vice-President for the Digital Agenda Neelie Kroes has welcomed the decision of EU Telecoms Ministers today that the Office of the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC Office) will be based in Riga, Latvia. The timely setting up of this Office will allow BEREC to advise the EU institutions on their work to ensure a robust and competitive Single Telecoms Market will be important to further many of the actions foreseen by the Digital Agenda for Europe. The BEREC Office will work closely with telecoms regulators and the Commission to ensure the further development of consistent regulatory practice in the telecoms sector across Europe.