Electronic communications: common regulatory framework for networks and services. Framework Directive

The committee adopted the report by Reino PAASILINNA (PES, FIN) amending the Council's common position under the codecision procedure (2nd reading). The committee emphasised the need for EU legislators to promote competition in national telecoms markets and said that the Commission must have regulatory powers over key areas. It voted in favour of giving the Commission the power to define a relevant market, define significant market power and decide by what procedures companies should be selected to operate in a market. On the thorny issue of the relative powers to be given to the National Telecom Regulatory Authorities (NRAs) and the Commission, the report amended the common position - which would give ultimate power over the market to the NRAs - so as to give the Commission the right to decide that an NRA should amend or withdraw a draft measure if the Commission considered that this measure would create a barrier to the single European market or infringe Community law. However, the committee would still give NRAs more flexibility, allowing them to conduct their own assessment of market positions and decide whether and how a given market needed to be regulated.