On 11 September 2013, the European Commission (EC) adopted a plan to reform the telecommunications market, with the ultimate of goal of reinstating Europe as a digital world leader.
The ''Connected Continent'' legislative package is based on four pillars: mobile communications plans without roaming costs in the European Union (EU); simpler rules to help companies invest more and expand across borders; protection of net neutrality (guaranteeing an open Internet with identical conditions for all), and abolition of surcharges applicable to International telephone calls in Europe.
According to the Commission, this reform seeks to overcome current barriers to the creation of the single telecommunications market. As such, measures are to be adopted with the following objectives:
- simplification of EU rules applicable to telecommunications operators;
- elimination of roaming tariffs from the EU market (from 1 July 2014);
- elimination of surcharges applied to international calls in Europe;
- legal protection of the open Internet (network neutrality);
- new rights for consumers and harmonization in this area;
- coordinated allocation of spectrum;
- more security for investors.
Further information:
- Commission proposes major step forward for telecoms single market http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-13-828_en.htm
- Connected Continent: a single telecom market for growth & jobs https://ec.europa.eu/digital-agenda/en/connected-continent-single-telecom-market-growth-jobs
- Commission adopts regulatory proposals for a Connected Continent http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-13-779_en.htm
