The New ICT Ecosystem: Implications for Policy and Regulation by Martin Fransman

Author:Martin Fransman
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Industrial, Business & Management, Professional & Technical, Business & Investing, Business & Finance, Engineering, Computer Science, Management & Leadership, Popular Economics, Manager's Guides to Computing, Computers & Technology, Telecommunications
ISBN: 9780521171205
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Published: 2010-04-25T18:30:00+00:00

Cambridge Books Online

http://ebooks.cambridge.org/

The New ICT Ecosystem

Implications for Policy and Regulation

Martin Fransman

Book DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511676130

Online ISBN: 9780511676130

Hardback ISBN: 9780521191319

Paperback ISBN: 9780521171205

Chapter

2 - European regulation of electronic communications, 1987–2003 pp. 13

8-157

Chapter DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511676130.011

Cambridge University Press

Appendix 2: European regulation of

electronic communications, 1987–2003

The aim of this appendix is to examine the making of the European

New Regulatory Framework up to its implementation in 2003, showing

the main concerns that have shaped this framework. The final section

highlights these concerns and discusses some of the problems that have

arisen.

The vision for telecoms

Until 1987, generally speaking, very little attention was paid at EU

level to telecoms services which tended to be left to member states.

From 1987, however – with the liberalisation of telecoms having been

put firmly on the agenda by the substantial liberalisations occurring in

the mid-1980s in Japan, the USA and the UK – the EU itself began to

take a far closer interest in telecoms services.1 Exhibit A2.1 provides a

detailed periodisation of the main EU policies that were adopted in the

telecoms field services.

The old regulatory framework

As noted in exhibit A2.1, with the full liberalisation of services and

infrastructure provision achieved formally from January 1998, discussion

began on a New Regulatory Framework that would establish an appro-

priate context for the development of telecoms into the twenty-first

1 It is important to note that this section is primarily concerned with telecoms

services. In a parallel but largely unrelated set of activities undertaken by

different parts of the European Commission, steps were taken by the EU aimed

at strengthening European electronics companies, some of which were also the

producers of telecoms equipment. The R&D programmes that were established

in this area included the European Strategic Programme for R&D in Information Technologies (Esprit) and R&D for Advanced Communications in Europe

(Race) programmes.

138

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EU regulation of electronic communications, 1987–2003

139

Exhibit A2.1. Periodisation of the main EU policies for telecoms services

Until 1987 Generally, until 1987 little attention was paid at the EU level to

telecoms regulation and liberalisation. In 1987 the Green

Paper was published on telecoms regulatory issues.

1990–9

In 1990, with the adoption of rules on open access (contained in

the open network provision (ONP) Framework Directive),

a comprehensive regulatory framework was introduced for

the liberalisation of the telecoms market and the achievement

of a single market for telecoms services and equipment.

Liberalisation was achieved in three steps. Step 1 involved the

partial liberalisation of telecoms services through the

harmonisation of network interfaces and rules on open

access. In Step 2, partial liberalisation of infrastructures was

implemented, involving mobile communications networks

and cable television networks. Full liberalisation came with

Step 3, introduced from 1 January 1998. This included the

liberalisation of all services, including voice telephony, and all

infrastructure provision.

1999–2003 With the full liberalisation of services and infrastructure

provision achieved formally from January 1998, discussion

began on a New Regulatory Framework that would

establish an appropriate context for the development of

telecoms in the EU and for achieving EU objectives in this area.

On 10 November 1999 the Commission presented the 1999

Communications Review to the European Parliament. On

26 April 2000 the Commission presented a communication to the

European Parliament on the results of the public consultation

on the 1999 Communications Review.

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