2008 Telecoms Package

Introduction

The Telecoms Package is a proposal from EU Commission to reform the EU’s regulatory framework for electronic communications networks and services with a view to completing the internal market for electronic communications. This package includes:

• a proposal for directive (COD/2007/0247) that amends 3 previous directives:
  • Access Directive (2002/19/EC)
  • Authorisation Directive (2002/20/EC)
  • Framework Directive (2002/21/EC)
• a proposal for a directive (COD/2007/0248) that amends 2 previous directives:
  • Universal Service Directive (2002/22/EC)
  • Personal Data and Protection of Privacy Directive (ePrivacy) (2002/58/EC)
• a proposal for a Regulation creating a new European Electronic Communications Market Authority (COD/2007/0249)

The three-strikes approach should be out of the scope of these legislative proposals. Nevertheless some amendments have been introduced to include the three-strikes approach in the proposals for directives of the Telecoms Package. Therefore, La Quadrature du Net is alerting about dangers of such an inclusion.

Note that the proposal for a Regulation creating a new European Electronic Communications Market Authority (COD/2007/0249) does not include anything related to three-strikes approach, so it won't be discussed further here.

Timeline

• 09/02/2009 Council of EU Common Position Directives 2002/21/EC, 2002/19/EC, 2002/20/EC - 2007/0247 (COD) and 2002/22/EC, 2002/58/EC and Regulation (EC) No 2006/2004 - 2007/0248 (COD)
• 20/11/2008 French Presidency Compromise Proposal Agreed by COREPER Access Directive 2002/19/EC COD/2007/0247Authorisation Directive 2002/20/EC COD/2007/0247Framework Directive 2002/21/EC COD/2007/0247Universal Service Directive 2002/22/EC COD/2007/0248
• 20/11/2008 ePrivacy Directive 2002/58/EC amended by proposal COD/2007/0248
• 07/11/2008 European Commission amended propal
• 24/09/2008 Vote in Plenary (COD/2007/0248)
• 24/09/2008 Vote in Plenary (COD/2007/0247)
• 02/09/2008 Speeches in Plenary
• 07/07/2008 ITRE Adoption of draft report (COD/2007/0247 item 3)
• 07/07/2008 IMCO Adoption of draft report (COD/2007/0248 item 3)
• 26/06/2008 ITRE Consideration of amendments for draft report (COD/2007/0247 item 12)
• 23/06/2008 IMCO Consideration of amendments for draft report (COD/2007/0248 item 19)
• 28/05/2008 ITRE Adoption of draft opinion (COD/2007/0248 item 12)
• 26/05/2008 IMCO Consideration of draft report (COD/2007/0248 item 23) and amenments for opinion (COD/2007/0247 item 24)
• 24/06/2008 LIBE Adoption of draft opinion (COD/2007/0248 item 8) (Adopted: [69, 76, 77)
• 16/06/2008 IMCO Adoption of draft opinion (COD/2007/0247 item 6)
• 09/06/2008 LIBE Consideration of amendments for opinion (COD/2007/0248 item 4)
• 03/06/2008 ECON Adoption of draft opinions (COD/2007/0247 item 20, COD/2007/0248 item 21)
• 02/06/2008 IMCO Adoption of draft opinion (COD/2007/0247 item 10)
• 02/06/2008 CULT Adoption of draft opinions (COD/2007/0247 item 12, COD/2007/0248 item 10)
• 29/05/2008 JURI Adoption of draft opinions (COD/2007/0247 item 29, COD/2007/0248 item 30)
• 29/05/2008 LIBE Adoption of draft opinion (COD/2007/0247 item 19)
• 28/05/2008 JURI Consideration of amendments for draft opinions (COD/2007/0247 item 5, COD/2007/0248 item 6)
• 19/05/2008 ECON Consideration of amendments for draft opinions (COD/2007/0247 item 8, COD/2007/0248 item 9)
• 06/05/2008 ITRE Consideration of amendments for draft opinion (COD/2007/0248 item 4) and draft report (COD/2007/0247 item 5)
• 06/05/2008 IMCO Exchange of views with experts and considerations for draft report (COD/2007/0248 item 11) and draft opinion (COD/2007/0247 item 13)
• 06/05/2008 ECON Consideration of draft opinions (COD/2007/0247 item 14, COD/2007/0248 item 15)
• 06/05/2008 CULT Consideration of draft opinions (COD/2007/0247 item 11, COD/2007/0248 item 10)
• 05/05/2008 LIBE Consideration of draft opinions (COD/2007/0247 item 8, COD/2997/0248 item 7)
• 08/04/2008 JURI Exchange of views (COD/2007/0247 item 5) and consideration of draft opinions (COD/2007/0248 item 6)
• 07/04/2008 ITRE Consideration of draft opinion (COD/2007/0248 item 4)
• 27/03/2008 JURI Consideration of working document for draft opinion (COD/2007/0247 item 13)
• 27/03/2008 LIBE First exchange of views for draft opinions (COD/2007/0247 item 25, COD/2997/0248 item 24)
• 26/03/2008 IMCO Exchange of views for draft report (COD/2007/0248 item 22) and draft opinion (COD/2007/0247 item 23)
• 06/03/2008 ITRE Exchange of views for draft report (COD/2007/0247 item 4) and draft opinion (COD/2007/0248 item 6)
• 28/02/2008 IMCO Exchange of views for draft report (COD/2007/0248 item 22) and draft opinion (COD/2007/0247 item 23)
• 27/02/2008 ITRE Public hearing on Telecom Package (item 5)

Analysis by La Quadrature

• Telecoms Package 2nd Reading ITRE IMCO Amendments
• How French Presidency Hides a Political Laundering Inside EU Telecoms Package
• Proposed letter to ministers of EU Council
• Reaction after vote in plenary
• Analysis of plenary amendements
• Voting list for plenary
• Letter to MEPs before first reading vote
• Analysis of some compromise amendments for vote in plenary
• Who wants to jeopardize network neutrality? Alerting document before speeches in plenary
• Analysis of IMCO final "compromise amendments"
• Alerting document about Telecoms Package, before votes in ITRE & IMCO
• Analysis of the Mavrommatis (PE 404.747) and Guardans (PE 404.775) reports (English
• Analyse des rapports Mavrommatis (PE 404.747) et Guardans (PE 404.775) (français)

Campaigns by La Quadrature

• Mobilisation for 2nd reading votes on ITRE and IMCO
• Save amendment 138 and Internet Freedom from Council of EU
• Mobilisation for 1st reading plenary vote
• Main campaign page
• Summer Postcards Action
• Advices before votes on ITRE and IMCO (English, français, Deutsch)
• Replies from MEPs
• Compromise amendments for votes on ITRE and IMCO
• Other amendments for votes on ITRE and IMCO

European Parliament

The Lawtracks facility enables a comparison of the different versions of the Telecoms Package texts.

COD/2007/0247

• Procedure file on European Parliament website

Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directives 2002/21/EC on a common regulatory framework for electronic communications networks and services (Framework Directive), 2002/19/EC on access to, and interconnection of, electronic communications networks and services (Access Directive), and 2002/20/EC on the authorisation of electronic communications networks and services (Authorisation Directive)

Responsible committee: Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE), Rapporteur: Catherine TRAUTMANN (PSE, France)

First Reading

• Draft report (Amendments 1-85)
• Amendments 86-202
• Amendments 203-317
• Amendments 318-459
• Amendments 460-602
• Amendments 603-716
• Amendments 717-830

• Final report

Committees for Opinion

• Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON), draftsman: Karsten Friedrich HOPPENSTEDT (PSE, Germany): Opinion
• Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO), draftsman: Marian ZLOTEA (EPP-ED, Romania): Opinion
• Culture and Education (CULT), draftsman: Ignasi GUARDANS CAMBÓ (ALDE, Spain): Opinion
• Legal Affairs (JURI), draftsman: Manuel MEDINA ORTEGA (PSE, Spain): Opinion
• Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE), draftsman: Syed KAMALL (EPP-ED, United Kingdom): Opinion

COD/2007/0248

• Procedure file on European Parliament website

Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2002/22/EC on universal service and users’ rights relating to electronic communications networks (Universal Service Directive), Directive 2002/58/EC concerning the processing of personal data and the protection of privacy in the electronic communications sector (Directive on Privacy and electronic communications) and Regulation (EC) No 2006/2004 on consumer protection cooperation

Responsible committee: Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO), Rapporteur: Malcolm HARBOUR (EPP-ED, United Kingdom)

First Reading

• Draft report (Amendments 1-60)
• Amendments 61-292
• Final report

Committees for Opinion

• Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON), draftswoman: Sophia in 't VELD (ALDE, Netherlands): Opinion
• Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE), draftsman: Reino PAASILINNA (PSE, Finland): Opinion
• Culture and Education (CULT), draftsman: Manolis MAVROMMATIS (EPP-ED, Greece): Opinion
• Legal Affairs (JURI), draftswoman: Lidia Joanna GERINGER de OEDENBERG (PSE, Poland): Opinion
• Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE), draftsman: Alexander ALVARO (ALDE, Germany): Opinion

Original versions (2002) of Directives Amended by Telecoms Package

The Lawtracks facility enables a comparison of the different versions of the Telecoms Package texts.

• Access Directive 2002/19/EC
• Authorisation Directive 2002/20/EC
• Framework Directive 2002/21/EC
• Universal Service Directive 2002/22/EC
• ePrivacy Directive 2002/58/EC

Commission Proposals

The Lawtracks facility enables a comparison of the different versions of the Telecoms Package texts.

Commission Amended Proposals (06/11/2008)

• COD/2007/0247 amending 2002/19/EC (Authorization Directive), 2002/20/EC (Access Directive) and 2002/21/EC (Framework Directive)
• COD/2007/0248 amending 2002/22/EC (Universal Service Directive) and 2002/58/EC (ePrivacy Directive)

Commission Initial Proposals (13/11/2007)

• COD/2007/0247 amending 2002/19/EC (Authorization Directive), 2002/20/EC (Access Directive) and 2002/21/EC (Framework Directive)
• COD/2007/0248 amending 2002/22/EC (Universal Service Directive) and 2002/58/EC (ePrivacy Directive)

Council of EU Common Position

The Lawtracks facility enables a comparison of the different versions of the Telecoms Package texts.

• Directives 2002/21/EC, 2002/19/EC and 2002/20/EC - 2007/0247 (COD)
• Directives 2002/22/EC, 2002/58/EC and Regulation (EC) No 2006/2004 on consumer protection cooperation - 2007/0248 (COD)

French Presidency Compromise Proposal Agreed by COREPER (20/11/2008)

• Access Directive 2002/19/EC amended by proposal COD/2007/0247
• Authorisation Directive 2002/20/EC amended by proposal COD/2007/0247
• Framework Directive 2002/21/EC amended by proposal COD/2007/0247
• Universal Service Directive 2002/22/EC amended by proposal COD/2007/0248
• ePrivacy Directive 2002/58/EC amended by proposal COD/2007/0248

French Presidency Proposal to Working Party (6,10,23/10/2008)

• Framework Directive 2002/21/EC amended by proposal COD/2007/0247
• Universal Service Directive 2002/22/EC amended by proposal COD/2007/0248
• Privacy Directive 2002/58/EC amended by proposal COD/2007/0248

Other Official EU Resources

• European Commission's press release to present new legislative texts to pave the way for compromise between Parliament and Council
• European Commission's press release to announce telecoms reform
• Legislative proposals on DG "Information Society"
• Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions – Report on the outcome of the Review of the EU regulatory framework for electronic communications networks and services in accordance with Directive 2002/21/EC and Summary of the 2007 Reform Proposals - COM (2007) 696 final)
• http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/file.jsp?id=5563982 Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the European Electronic Communications Market Authority - COM(2007)699 final - 2007/0249(COD) - ITRE, del Castillo
• http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/file.jsp?id=5625242 Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions – Reaping the full benefits of the digital dividend in Europe: A common approach to the use of the spectrum released by the digital switchover - COM(2007)700 final - 2008/2099(INI) - ITRE
• Commission Recommendation on relevant product and service markets within the electronic communications sector susceptible to ex ante regulation in accordance with directive 2002/21/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on a common regulatory framework for electronic communications networks and services (C(2007)5406/3; SEC(2007) 1483/2

Other Miscellaneous Resources

• Monica Horten (PhD student in Westminster Univ.): A copyright enforcement package for Europe
• The Open Rights Group: Council of Ministers move to delete vital safeguards from EU Telecoms Package
• Comments from European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS)
• Analysis of some “telecom package” amendments by François Pellegrini
• The “Telecoms Package” Should Focus on Optimising Networks and Service Provision, Not on Content, Opinion from BEUC, the European Consumers’ Organisation
• Un article en Français par Laurence Cour, sur le site du CEJEM
• Paquet télécom : les députés inquiets - 30-01-2008
• Exemple de lettre à son député européen
• European Broadcasting Union (EBU)'s page on Telecoms Package
• Coordonnées des eurodéputés des commissions ITRE et IMCO anti-riposte graduée
• Note about Telecoms Package by Monica Horten, PhD researcher in European communications policy at University of Westminster, Communications and Media Research Institute
• Analysis of "graduated response" implemented the IMCO report on the Telecoms Package by Monica Horten, University of Westminster, Communications and Media Research Institute (CAMRI) - 21 July 2008

See also a press release from Kathy Sinnot, Irish MEP