EU Telecom Council to Discuss Key Telecommunications Issues

December 11, 2006 // Published as a news service by IHS

1. Spectrum policy - An informal exchange of views about the economic importance of the more market-oriented approach to spectrum management proposed by the EC in September 2005.
2. eCall - EC's recent action plan proposal to prompt the rollout of emergency call (eCall) technology for cars in Europe.
3. Security - Council resolution on a strategy for a secure information society in Europe.
4. Internet governance - Summary of recent developments here
5. Roaming - A first ministerial-level debate about the European Commission (EC) proposal of July 12 for a regulation to bring down mobile roaming charges in Europe's internal market by 70%.
6. Hotline for missing children - Progress report on the draft EC decision on reserving the national numbering range beginning with "116" for harmonised numbers for harmonised services of social value.

1. Discussion on spectrum policy
During an exchange of views on spectrum policy on Dec. 10, Viviane Reding, EC commissioner for information society and media, stressed to ministers that better spectrum management represents both an economic and a technical issue, since it is important to realise the economic potential of spectrum resources. She underlined the urgent need for a coordinated EU spectrum policy, as well as for easier and more flexible access to spectra. The release of spectra caused by the move from analogue to digital TV services and the development of mobile TV were cited as examples of the need for coordinated EU action.

In September 2005, the EC launched a strategy to advance the single market for radio spectrum (see IP/05/1199). Legislative proposals on a more market-oriented approach for spectrum management in Europe could be presented by the EC in the first half of 2007.

2. EC communication on action plan for reducing road deaths through eCall
The EC will present the communication "Bringing eCall Back on Track – Action Plan," and call on member states to show their commitment to implement the newly agreed deployment plan for eCall, the in-vehicle emergency call service (see IP/06/1720). This service would enable cars to automatically call for help in an accident, based on the use of the pan-European telephone number for emergencies, 112.

Even though road fatalities in the 25 member states of the European Union (EU-25) have declined more than 17% since 2001, there remain around 41,600 deaths per year and more than 1.7 million were injured in 2005. The eCall service has the potential to save up to 2,500 deaths annually in the EU-25. eCall ensures that in a road accident, your car will automatically call the emergency services at a "public service answering point" (PSAP) and report your exact location.

In the framework of the EC's "Intelligent Car Initiative" (see IP/05/1137), industry and the public sector have worked together on a plan for the full deployment of eCall from 2009 onwards. (Several North American and European standards bodies have developed standards for intelligent vehicle systems.) However, the EC feels the level of implementation of 112, E112 and eCall in Europe is of serious concern. Many member states do not yet have the necessary infrastructure for putting eCall into practice. Moreover, industry has already reacted by presenting a new deployment timetable, now targeting 2010.

The new EC communication presents two lines of action that are crucial for keeping the newly agreed timetable and making eCall a reality in Europe:

• Member states are given a clear set of actions with deadlines for solving the remaining legal, technical and socio-economic issues for putting in place the necessary 112, E112 and eCall infrastructure.
• Industry is asked to renew its commitment to eCall. The EC will start negotiations with automotive industry associations on a voluntary agreement for the introduction of eCall devices in vehicles.

Support is also foreseen for field tests and public awareness campaigns.

At this Telecom Council meeting, Iceland will sign the eCall Memorandum of Understanding, which includes a political commitment to have the requirements for a widespread use of the eCall technology in place by 2009. Iceland is the tenth country to have signed this document (the other countries are Cyprus, Finland, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Norway, Slovenia, Sweden and Switzerland). The full list, including organisations, is available at: http://europa.eu.int/information_society/activities/esafety/doc/esafety_library/mou/list_of_signatures_mou.pdf.

3. Council resolution on a strategy for a secure information society in Europe
The Council is expected to adopt a resolution on a strategy for a secure information society in Europe and to endorse the EC communication of May 2006 on the same subject.

Given that information and communication have become key factors for economic and societal development, related security issues have become a political priority of the EU. Network and information systems now carry volumes of data and support essential services to an extent that were inconceivable only a few years ago. To extract maximum benefit from modern communication networks, the security of these systems is a prerequisite for further market development.

In May 2006, the EC presented a communication to the European Parliament, the EU Council of Ministers, the European Economic and Social Committee, and the Committee of the Regions to revitalise the 2001 strategy on network and information security (see IP/06/701). This not only aims at identifying security challenges for information systems and networks in the EU, but also to develop a dynamic policy framework based on a culture of security and founded on dialogue, partnership and empowerment with public and private stakeholders. The EC addressed three main points: specific network and information security measures, the regulatory framework for electronic communications and the fight against cybercrime.

If adopted, the council resolution on a strategy for a secure information society in Europe will provide political support for this network and information security communication and also for that on "fighting spam, spyware and malicious software" (see IP/06/1629).

For further information, see A Strategy for a Secure Information Society – Dialogue, Partnership and Empowerment.

4. Internet governance
The presidency will summarise the latest developments related to Internet governance, including the first meeting of the Internet Governance Forum, the follow-up of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) and the ongoing dialogue between the EU and the U.S. in relation to the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).

The cornerstone for Internet governance is ICANN, which is generally recognised by the EU to have done very reliable work over the years. In October, ICANN signed a new contract with the U.S. Department of Commerce allowing ICANN greater autonomy (see IP/06/1297).

The EC has been working for several years on a system of Internet governance entrusted fully to the private sector, without government interference in the Internet's day-to-day management. The EC cooperated in 1998 with the U.S. in setting up ICANN and hosted, until 2006, the Secretariat of the Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC) to ICANN. Completing the transition of Internet governance to the private sector also had been an explicit request by the EU and its partners at the World Summit on the Information Society in November 2005 (see IP/05/1433). This led to the formation of the Internet Governance Forum, which met for the first time at the end of October, marking the beginning of a multi-stakeholder policy dialogue on Internet governance. The forum is not intended to take decisions but to make recommendations based on multi-stakeholder cooperation.

The EC will seek to ensure that the Internet be governed in the interests of multi-stakeholders, and that its continued stability and evolution should not be compromised though undue influence of just a few of these.

5. EC proposal for a regulation on roaming on public mobile networks
The council will hold the first ministerial policy debate based on a report prepared by the presidency. Ministers are expected to discuss how to assess the EC's proposal with regard to:

• Ensuring that all consumers benefit rapidly from significant and sustainable price reductions across the single market, while maintaining a competitive market for operators.
• Ensuring a balance between administrative simplicity and transparency for consumers as well as flexibility for operators.

Since the EC proposal of July 12 to lower the excessive price of roaming charged to consumers by mobile operators (see IP/06/978), considerable progress has been made. This has been guided by the Finnish presidency, which has held seven working group sessions to ensure a speedy political agreement. In parallel, the European Parliament has started to work intensely on the EC proposal.

Overall, there appears to be strong support for the EC's objectives and for the need of regulation. The discussion in the council, therefore, focuses more on the details of the required EU regulation: How much scope should be left to operators at the wholesale level? How far is retail regulation necessary to ensure that reduced wholesale prices are passed on to the consumer? Should the EU regulation on roaming only cover voice or also be extended to SMS and data roaming?

The EC proposal for an EU regulation on roaming, in essence, aims to ensure that all private and business consumers in Europe's internal market benefit rapidly from significant price reductions; that operators can compete without abusing the consumer's interests; and that national regulators are kept as free as possible from administrative burden. A recent Eurobarometer survey indicated strong public support for such a regulation (see IP/06/1515).

The first reading of the European Parliament is expected to be completed in the first quarter 2007. The new EU regulation can, therefore, be expected to enter into effect before the end of the German presidency (end of June 2007).

6. EC decision on reserving phone numbers for harmonised services of social value
The EC will provide information on the progress made since February 2006 when the EC proposed to reserve a single telephone number for missing children as a concrete example of how the EU has made children's rights one of its first priorities. A draft EC decision intends to reserve numbers beginning with 116 for harmonised services of social value in Europe and to reserve a hotline number for missing children. This draft decision will soon be submitted to the Communications Committee (comprising member states' representatives) for opinion. At the council, the EC will ask all member states to support this proposal and to make progress with this initiative as soon as possible.

Hotline telephone numbers for parents to report missing children already exist in several EU countries, but they use different telephone numbers in different countries.

The proposed EC decision will allow a single number to be reserved for the same service across Europe. Services provided through these free phone numbers will benefit citizens by helping those in difficulty - for example, if a child is lost while travelling in another European country.

Reserving such numbers is part of a broader project for member states to reserve a national range of free phone numbers starting with 116 for services of social value. This is being done via the draft EC decision.

The EC decision will require member states to permit listed services to be offered, but will not guarantee that these services are offered. A specific 116 number will be reserved at the EU level for a specific service, in the decision annex. However, assigning the specific number to a specific service provider in each member state will be a national responsibility.

Source: European Commission.