The Spanish EU Presidency intends to focus on the future European digital agenda ‘action plan’. With this in mind, Madrid has recommended three priorities: broadband internet, the deployment of new networks and universal service. One example is access to the European emergency number 112 to basic telecoms services such as the directory and telephone booths, although there is also a debate on whether or not these services will be offered in broadband.

In short, Spain will try and move forward with those dossiers that have progressed little, or not at all, since the recent revision of the telecoms directives (‘telecoms package’). “The telecoms package is almost dead,” says a Presidency spokesperson. “The most important thing at the moment is that the Council approve the digital agenda for 2010-2015,” he adds. EU telecoms ministers will meet in Brussels on 11 March to vote on a resolution on the subject. Thereafter, the ‘Granada Declaration’ on digital strategy will be adopted during the informal Council scheduled for 19 April in Andalusia. The agenda will determine the short, medium and long term projects to help end the crisis (economic and financial), explains a Spanish source.

Information and communication technologies (ICT) will therefore be the first economic sector to establish an action plan under the new Commission, although the Presidency is not expecting it to introduce any legislative proposals in this area, mainly because the commissioner involved – Neelie Kroes, from the Netherlands – will not be up and running before February.

In January, the Presidency will invite all industries in the sector (operators, manufacturers and broadcasters) to decide on a common position. The document will then be used in compiling an action plan which the Commission will propose.

During the Council meeting on 31 May, EU telecoms ministers will focus on broadband internet access. “We are waiting for the Commission to present a document on a broadband internet strategy,” the Presidency explains. Other priorities will also be tackled such as cyber-security and access to data on the internet. The Parliament, meanwhile, is expected to organise a large conference on the radio frequency spectrum and its liberalisation at European level in mid March.

KROES’ MANDATE

These priorities are to be found among the tasks assigned to the former competition commissioner as part of the digital agenda. President José Manuel Barroso is expecting Kroes to prepare the 2010-2015 strategy with the aim of promoting the internal market for new technologies and to boost supply and demand in the sector for both services and content. More specifically, Kroes will have to stimulate investment in broadband networks (a recommendation on this subject has been expected for a long time) and to introduce a European policy for managing radio frequencies.

As commissioner, she will also be responsible for the correct application of the telecoms package, notably examining projects regulated by national regulators. She will monitor the work done by the European network and information security agency (ENISA) based in Crete and that by the Body of European Regulators on regulations (BEREC) which is to replace and strengthen the existing Group of European Regulators in Brussels. Although Kroes no longer has media and cinema as part of her portfolio (they now fall under Culture and Education), she has gained the European harmonisation policy, a key question in the technology sector.

Dates to remember

11 March: Telecoms Council in Brussels

19 April: Informal telecoms ministers Council in Granada

31 May: Telecoms Council in Brussels