Activites

• 2001/02/23 Final act published in Official Journal
• 2000/05/18 Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
  • T5-0232/2000 summary

    The European Parliament adopted the resolution drafted by Konstantinos ALYSSANDRAKIS (GUE/NGL, Greece) on the results of the public consultation on the Green Paper on radio spectrum policy. The Parliament sees the ultimate goal of spectrum policy as being the provision of high quality services to citizens. It opposed a purely market-driven approach to spectrum policy, but the commercial interest must be taken into account as this will guarantee a good use of scarce resources. Market pricing has an important part to play in securing the efficient use of spectrum and encouraging further technological developments. Member States and the Council and Commission are urged to seek a balance between the interests of commercial and non-commercial frequency users and to take sufficient account of the public interest. The Parliament does not support a pan-European regulatory framework at the present stage, since National Regulatory Authorities should retain sufficient flexibility to respond to national, local and regional needs, whilst also cooperating at a European level. It does advocate the drafting of rules empowering the Commission to require Member States to release the frequencies needed for pan-European services and applications decided upon by Council and Parliament. Parliament stated that the allocation of frequencies cannot be separated from the particular application that the bands are used for. In this context, the principles of spectrum pricing, auctioning and the introduction of a secondary market for radio spectrum can only be appropriate for commercial applications. Member States should harmonise their approach on whether to auction frequencies or grant licenses. Revenues should be invested in further development of the information society rather than be regarded as fiscal income.�

• 2000/05/17 Debate in Parliament
  • Debate in Parliament
• 2000/04/19 Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading
  • A5-0122/2000
• 2000/03/13 Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
• #2228
• 1999/11/30 Council Meeting
  • 2228
• 1999/11/10 Non-legislative basic document published
  • COM(1999)0538 summary

    PURPOSE : To contribute to the establishment of a Community framework for radio spectrum policy which is responsive to radio communications developments and which supports Europe's competitive position in the global market. CONTENT : This Communication details the results of the consultation on the Green Paper on radio spectrum policy. The Community mainly pursues its policy objectives with regard to radio spectrum in the spectrum management organisations of the CEPT (European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications administrations, an intergovernmental organisation) and the ITU (International Telecommunication Union, a UN body). The environment for radio spectrum policy is presently undergoing significant evolution, as a result of technological, market and regulatory developments. The main messages of the Green Paper consultation: - the need to address certain policy issues at Community level was recognised. - Community action with regard to radio spectrum was believed to be beneficial if taken within a clear regulatory framework. - political support was required to facilitate the achievements of community objectives to be achieved in the World Radiocommunications Conferences (WRC) of the ITU. Where the Community negotiates with third countries on the establishment of international radio networks, it would need to be ensured that due account is given to radio spectrum matters. Accordingly, the following Community action is deemed necessary in order to ensure that the Community's policy objectives with regard to radio spectrum are met: -A Spectrum Policy Expert Group should be established to address radio spectrum policy issues at Community level, taking economic, social, cultural andother factors into account in a balanced manner. The Group would comprise regulatory authorities and representatives from radio spectrum user communities. - A regulatory framework for radio spectrum policy should be established in order to ensure that the use of radio spectrum is harmonised where necessary to implement Community policies in the areas of telecommunications, broadcasting, transport and R&D. A proposal for a European Parliament and Council Decision will be drafted, which should simplify Community legislation and replace the S-PCS (on satellite personal communications services) and UMTS (on mobile telecommunications systems) Decisions when these expire. -In order to increase the effectiveness of the Community in the WRC negotiations, communications will be produced on the Community's policy objectives on the various WRC agenda items. Where these include items of particular importance in the context of Community policies, the Commission will invite the Council to endorse the European positions.�

  • DG [{'url': 'http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/connect/index_en.htm', 'title': 'Communications Networks, Content and Technology'}],

Documents

• Non-legislative basic document published: COM(1999)0538
• Debate in Council: 2228
• Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading: A5-0122/2000
• Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
• Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading: T5-0232/2000

History

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