Mobile and personal communications in the European Union. Green paper

This Green Paper on a common approach in the field of mobile and personal communications in the European Union aimed to define the broad guidelines of the policy to be implemented in this sector at European level. After having analysed the developments in technology, market trends, the European environment and the global context, the Commission recommended that the principles of the European policy on telecommunications be extended to the sector of mobile and personal communications. In concrete terms, this extension would include: - the abolition of exclusive and special rights that existed in the sector, subject, where necessary, to the creation of adequate conditions for the granting of licences; - the removal of any restrictions to the provision of mobile services both by independent service providers and via the direct provision of services by mobile network operators; - complete freedom for mobile network operators to use and develop their networks for the purposes set out in their licence or authorisation; - an unlimited combined supply of services via fixed and mobile networks within the framework of the overall timetable laid down by the Council resolution of 22 July 1993 with a view to the full liberalisation of public voice telephony services via the fixed network; - the extension, where possible, of the principles developed with regard to mutual recognition and granting of licences; - rapid and accelerated mutual recognition of type approval of mobile terminal equipment; - enhancement of the coordinated approach in the Union on frequencies and numbering, on the basis of the existing European framework; - extension of the principles of interconnection of mobile communications in the sector; - the development of mobile networks that ensured safety, protection of privacy and the environment, and compliance with the political objectives. In its communication of 23 November 1993, the Commission set out the results of the consultation process on the Green Paper and proposed specific actions with a view to implementing the resulting conclusions: 1). Priority measures for specific actions by sector: - introduction of competition: all special and exclusive rights should be abolished by 1 January 1996 and the rules on competition should apply in full to the sector; - preparation of a code of conduct for service providers; - guaranteeing access to the market for service providers; - promoting the availability of the necessary frequencies for the new digital services and promoting targeted programmes to support the entry into the market of new mobile technologies; - after 1 January 1998, enabling mobile network operators to provide public voice communication services through the fixed network and enabling fixed network operators to use radio-based technologies; - establishing at European level a licence for satellite-based personal communications services; 2). Priority actions for mobile and personal communications linked to the general telecommunications reform: - removal of restrictions on the use of alternative infrastructures within mobile networks, in accordance with the policy agreed in the context of the Green Paper on infrastructure; - regulation of interconnection through the rules in the Treaty on ONP and competition, within the framework of a directive on interconnection and proposals for the future adaptation of ONP, planned for 1 January 1998; - definition/amendment of the rules with a view to ensuring mutual recognition of equipment, licences and the protection of personal data and privacy, within the framework of the current proposals; 3). Additional actions required for the development of the general regulatory and technological environment: - establishment of timetables for standardisation, numbering and frequencies, and for the binding decisions concerning implementation by the Member States; - establishing an action programme covering issues such as the impact of mobile communication on health and safety and on employment trends and re-training; - actively supporting through Community research programmes, the development of advanced mobile communications systems, particularly the move towards a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS); - creating a European forum for mobile and personal communications services. �