The European Commission has announced the adoption of a legislative package for a “Connected Continent: Building a Telecoms Single Market”.
The package proposes a range of reforms to be rolled out over the next 3 years, subject to approval by the European Parliament. Global Media and Communications Watch will feature a longer post shortly but key elements include:
- A single authorisation for telecoms operators across the EU
- An increase in the legal threshold for telecoms sub-markets regulation, with the aim of reducing the number of sub-markets
- A more coherent framework for 4G spectrum assignment to facilitate cross-border investment by operators
- A degree of legal protection for net neutrality
- New consumer rights with regards to contracts with telecoms providers
- Changes to mobile phone call and text charges which would abolish, for most intra-EU movements, incoming call charges from July 2014 and roaming premiums by July 2016.