A meeting of the Council of Transport, Telecommunications and Energy (EU) was held on 11 and 12 December 2006. Among other subjects, the following sectoral matters were discussed:
Security in the information society in Europe
The Council adopted a resolution on this subject calling for Member-States to support training programmes and promote knowledge on information and network security, to give due attention to the combat and prevention of new threats and to increase cooperation amongst themselves within the scope of the strategic framework of the i2010 Union. It was also proposed that this subject should be one of the objectives of the review of the regulatory framework for electronic communications. The Council also appealed for raising the performance of the European Network and Information Security Agency (ENISA), at the same time pointing out the role that companies themselves have to play in this area.
Tariffs of international roaming services
This was the first opportunity for a ministerial level debate on the Regulation proposed by the Commission on international roaming. The Council concluded that there was a need for legal intervention in this area. This would moderate the costs of international roaming services and improve pricing transparency. However, it was considered that more debate was needed on the subject, with a view to ensuring that consumer interests are met and that the market remains competitive. Negotiations will be started with the European Parliament (EP) on a first accord on this matter, with a mini-hearing planned to take place in the Parliament on 23 January 2007.
Internal market of postal services
Based on the recently proposed directive that was presented by the Commission on the full opening up of the postal services market to competition by 2009, the Council debated this subject underlining the importance of maintaining basic postal services.
Emergency call technology in automobiles
The Commission presented a Communication to the Council on the need to re-launch an action plan, approved in 2005, on the implementation of emergency call technology in automobile vehicles (eCall). This plan proposed two parallel actions: forming a commitment among Member States on the subject by mid 2007, and the negotiation of an agreement with the industry by the end of 2007. Iceland signed the eCall Memorandum of Understanding, which has already been signed by Cyprus, Slovenia, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Norway and Switzerland.
Internet governance
The Finnish Presidency presented the main developments on this matter, highlighting the first meeting of the forum on internet governance, held in Athens, Greece from 31 October – 2 November 2006, as well as the progress made with respect to the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) and the dialogue between the EU and the United States about the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).
Reservation of telephone numbers starting “116” for services of social value
The Commission presented the progress made in this area, taking into account the proposed Decision on the reservation of telephone numbers starting “116” for services of a social nature in Europe and on setting up a special missing children hotline. This proposal will be presented shortly to the Communications Committee (Cocom) for an opinion and is expected to be approved by the Commission in February 2007.
Cooperation agreement with Morrocco on the Galileo system
The Council adopted a decision which approves the signatures of the cooperation agreement between the EU and Morocco on Galileo, the Civil Satellite Navigation System.
Annual i2010 Conference
The principle conclusions of this conference were presented. The conference, which is organised in partnership between the Finnish presidency of the EU and ENISA, took place in Espoo, Finland, on 28 September.
Consult:
- Conclusões do Conselho http://www.consilium.europa.eu/ueDocs/cms_Data/docs/pressData/en/trans/92120.pdf
Further information:
- press - Telecommunications Ministers discussed Roaming charges and postal services http://www.eu2006.fi/NEWS_AND_DOCUMENTS/EN_GB/NEWS_AND_DOCUMENTS/INDEX.HTM
- Memo - Telecom Council, Brussels, 11 December 2006 http://www.europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/06/476&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en
- Res Cons estratégia p/ sociedade da informação segura na Europa http://www.consilium.europa.eu/ueDocs/cms_Data/docs/pressData/en/trans/89954.pdf
- 688-Fighting spam, spyware and malicious software?, 15 November 2006 http://europa.eu.int/information_society/policy/ecomm/doc/info_centre/communic_reports/spam/com_2006_0688_f_en_acte.pdf
- 251-strategy for a Secure Information Society, 31 May 2006 http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/site/en/com/2006/com2006_0251en01.pdf
- Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions Bringing eCall back on track - Action Plan http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/site/en/com/2006/com2006_0723en01.pdf
- Cars that dial 112: An action plan for getting emergency calls back on track http://www.europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/06/1720&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en
- Com- Draft Commission Decision on reserving the number range beginning with ?116? for harmonised numbers for harmonised European services: revised draft http://forum.europa.eu.int/Public/irc/infso/cocom1/library?l=/public_documents_2006/cocom06-04_116pdf/_EN_1.0_&a=d
Related information on ANACOM's website:
- Commission to bring eCall back on track - Action Plan https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?contentId=431934
- EU - European Union https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?categoryId=66653
- Roaming https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?categoryId=188342
- Postal services https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?categoryId=4611
- Numbering https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?categoryId=36478
