Activites

• 1999/04/07 Final act published in Official Journal
  • Directive 1999/5
  • OJ L 091 07.04.1999, p. 0010
• 1999/03/09 Final act signed
• 1999/03/09 End of procedure in Parliament
• 1999/02/10 Decision by Parliament, 3rd reading
  • T4-0091/1999 summary

    At third reading under codecision procedure, the European Parliament voted to approve the joint text approved by the Conciliation Committee for the European Parliament and Council Directive relating to radio equipment and telecommunications terminal equipment and the mutual recognition of the conformity of equipment, together with the relevant declaration. The rapporteur was Imelda Mary Read (PSE,UK).�

• 1999/02/09 Debate in Parliament
  • Debate in Parliament
• 1999/02/02 Report tabled for plenary, 3rd reading
  • A4-0055/1999
• #2158
• 1999/01/25 Council Meeting
• 1999/01/13 Joint text approved by Conciliation Committee co-chairs
  • 3635/1998
• 1998/12/08 Formal meeting of Conciliation Committee
• #2149
• 1998/12/07 Council Meeting
• 1998/10/06 Debate in Parliament
  • Debate in Parliament
  • T4-0541/1998 summary

    In adopting the recommendation for second reading by Mrs Imelda READ (PSE, UK), the European Parliament proposed 15 amendments. While some of them merely reinstated amendments already adopted at first reading, others took account of amendments made by the Council in the common position. Parliament called, in particular, for the adoption of measures to facilitate free movement of equipment. It was important to lay down that Member States were not permitted to prohibit or restrict the placing on the market and putting into service in their territory of apparatus which met the criteria laid down in the Directive. Moreover, at trade fairs, exhibitions, demonstrations, etc., Member States must not create any obstacles to the showing of apparatus which did not comply with the Directive, on condition that a visible sign clearly indicated that such apparatus could not be marketed or put into service until it had been made to comply. Parliament called for the adoption of specific measures concerning equipment used by radio amateurs. It stressed the importance of protecting the health and safety of users or any other persons, which were essential requirements applicable to all equipment.�

• 1998/09/23 Vote in committee, 2nd reading
  • A4-0337/1998
• 1998/06/18 Committee referral announced in Parliament, 2nd reading
• #2105
• 1998/06/08 Council Meeting
  • 06507/1/1998 summary

    The common position incorporates, in whole or in part, 5 of the 19 amendments adopted by the European Parliament at first reading. The main changes to the Commission proposal concern the following points: a) Radio equipment: while maintaining the objective of ensuring free movement for such equipment, the common position includes a number of provisions intended to prevent radio equipment operating in frequency bands not yet harmonised throughout Community territory from causing harmful interference when used: - inclusion of a safeguard clause enabling Member States to prohibit on their markets radio equipment which has caused or is likely to cause interference; - an obligation on the person responsible for placing on the market equipment operating in as yet unharmonised frequency bands to inform the national authority responsible for spectrum management in the Member State concerned of his intention of marketing such equipment; - stricter conformity assessment for unharmonised radio equipment; - information for users on any restrictions on the geographical area of use of radio equipment; b) Committee assisting the Commission: the common position provides for a dual procedure: - an advisory procedure applicable to the following questions: the interpretation and publication of harmonised standards; the date of application of the essential requirements specific to certain categories of equipment; safeguard measures taken by Member States to remedy shortcomings in harmonised standards; - a type III(a) regulatory procedure for setting the essential requirements specific to certain categories of equipment and establishing the equivalence between interfaces notified by the Member States; c) The manufacturer's liability in the event of non-conformity: the Council considers that the Directive does not need to include any provision harmonising legislation on the manufacturer's liability in the Community; d) Scope of the new rules: the common position includes a specific list, annexed to the Directive, of equipment not to be subject to the new rules (e.g. equipment used exclusively by radio amateurs). The common position expressly excludes equipment exclusively used for activities concerning public security, defence, State security and the activities of the State in areas of criminal law; e) Information to users and marking: the Council has extended the obligations for manufacturers to inform users of the purpose for which equipment is to be used. The information is to be indicated both on the equipment (marking) and on its packaging; f) Reciprocity with third countries: the common position includes provisions to ensure that Community enterprises can enjoy similar treatment in third countries to that which those countries' enterprises will enjoy under the new Directive. �

• 1998/03/26 Modified legislative proposal published
  • COM(1998)0176 summary

    The Commission's amended proposal takes account, in full or in part, of 16 of the 19 amendments adopted by the European Parliament at first reading. The Commission accepted the amendments which: - reinforce the importance of maximising the classes of equipment covered by the Directive; -clarify the procedures on dealing with radio equipment; - introduce a consultation mechanism where equipment considered non-compliant with the Directive is withdrawn from the market; - introduce possibilities for network operators to disconnect equipment in special circumstances. The Commission did not, however, accept amendments seeking: - limitation of coverage of putting into service of equipment not operating in harmonized frequency bands; - usage of harmonized standards; - the keeping in place of existing directives (with very detailed requirements and conformity assessment procedures) for products originating from countries not providing reciprocal access for products from the Community. �

• #2071
• 1998/02/26 Council Meeting
• 1998/01/29 Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
  • T4-0051/1998 summary

    In adopting the report by Mrs Imelda Mary READ (PSE, UK), the European Parliament largely approved the Commission proposal. However, it did adopt a number of amendments designed to make good certain lacunae in the proposal and particularly to render more stringent the basic requirements with which equipment must comply. The amendments particularly seek to make it possible to ascertain without difficulty the source of failures or disturbances caused by inadequate connections or non-compliant equipment and to ensure that the consequenes are limited for users or networks. Parliament particularly wishes to ensure that equipment, or its use, does not compromise the health and safety of users or of anyone else, and that it is so designed as to take account of the needs of disabled users. Parliament considers that if a telecommunications operator shows that equipment which has been declared compliant with the Directive causes damage to his network or is not being used properly, the surveillance authority may authorize him to refuse to connect the equipment to his network. Parliament also stipulates that if a Member State ascertains that equipment within the scope of the Directive does not comply with its requirements, it should take all appropriate and proportionate measures in its territory to obviate the consequences of non-compliance, for example by authorizing operators to refuse to connect the equipment to their networks, by withdrawing the equipment from the market and by prohibiting its placing on the market or restricting its free movement. It calls on the Commission to keep a register of the cases notified by the Member States. �

• 1998/01/28 Debate in Parliament
  • Debate in Parliament summary

    Replying to the rapporteur who wanted to replace the existing national regulations with a uniform and simplified licensing procedure, Commissioner Bangemann said that he preferred to leave manufacturers room for manoeuvre rather than impose mandatory standards. However, as regards radio equipment, he acknowledged the lack of harmonisation but considered that it was primarily up to the Member States to harmonise their systems. He also agreed that the use of telecommunications by disabled people should be improved but considered that it was primarily up to manufacturers to make new equipment available. As for liability, he added that this was shared by both manufacturers and importers. The Commissioner accepted 9 of the 23 amendments: namely Nos 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 12, 17 and 18. He also partially accepted Amendments Nos 8, 10, 13, 14, 15, 16, 20, 21, 22 and 23. However, he rejected Amendments Nos 6, 7, 11 and 19.

• 1998/01/21 Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading
  • A4-0023/1998
• #2054
• 1997/12/01 Council Meeting
  • 2054
• 1997/06/25 Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
• 1997/06/04 Legislative proposal published
  • COM(1997)0257 summary

    OBJECTIVE: the purpose of the proposal for a Directive is to establish a Community legislative framework for the placing on the market, free circulation and putting into service of connected telecommunications equipment which complies with essential requirements. SUBSTANCE: the proposal represents a significant step forward in the legislative framework necessary to support a genuinely competitive multi-vendor Community market for connected telecommunications equipment. The proposed Directive replaces two Directives (91/263/EEC on telecommunications terminal equipment and 93/97/EEC on satellite earth station equipment) and simplifies two other Directives (93/68/EEC on conformity marking and 89/336/EEC on electromagnetic compatibility). It supplements horizontal Community legislation and is fully aligned with the Global Approach to testing and certification. As regards manufacturers' liability, provisions equivalent to those contained in Directive 85/374/EEC on liability for defective products are incorporated in order to cover telecommunications requirements so that the regulatory regime can be complemented by a balanced and harmonized surveillance regime. The major elements of the new Directive are: - enlargement of the scope of equipment covered by the inclusion of radio equipment; - a set of new definitions making the Directive future-proof by taking into account the liberalization of infrastructures and competition between operators; - a development of the concept of telecommunications-specific essential requirements to take into account technological trends; - a flexible decision-making process whereby future network infrastructures and systems can readily be covered; - a simplified conformity assessment regime based upon the principle of manufacturer's declarations. �

Documents

• Legislative proposal published: COM(1997)0257
• Debate in Council: 2054
• Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading: A4-0023/1998
• Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
• Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading: T4-0051/1998
• Modified legislative proposal published: COM(1998)0176
• Council position published: 06507/1/1998
• Committee recommendation tabled for plenary, 2nd reading: A4-0337/1998
• Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
• Decision by Parliament, 2nd reading: T4-0541/1998
• Joint text approved by Conciliation Committee co-chairs: 3635/1998
• Report tabled for plenary, 3rd reading: A4-0055/1999
• Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
• Decision by Parliament, 3rd reading: T4-0091/1999
• : Directive 1999/5
• : OJ L 091 07.04.1999, p. 0010

History

(these mark the time of scraping, not the official date of the change)