>From the EU and in several languages. En plusieurs langues<br clear="all"><a href="http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?language=EN&type=IM-PRESS&reference=20090504BKG54930">http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?language=EN&type=IM-PRESS&reference=20090504BKG54930</a><br>
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Telecoms package: more competition and improved consumer rights</div></td></tr></tbody></table><table class="spacetab" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" border="0" style="display: table; margin-bottom: 5px; ">
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<td width="50%"><font class="themeall" style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 0.68em; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: top; ">Information society</font><span class="dateseparator" style="font-size: 0.65em; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: top; "> - </span><font class="releasedate" style="font-size: 0.66em; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: text-top; ">05-05-2009</font><span class="dateseparator" style="font-size: 0.65em; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: top; "> - </span><font class="releasetime" style="font-size: 0.66em; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: top; ">15:07</font></td>
</tr></tbody></table><div class="chapo" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold; font-size: 0.8em; text-align: justify; ">The "telecoms package" seeks to strengthen consumer rights and privacy protection, boost investment in new high-speed communications infrastructure, ensure that regulatory measures are applied consistently across the EU and modernise radio spectrum use. MEPs will vote on the reform of the regulatory framework for electronic communications - including mobile and fixed telephones, broadcasting, wireless and fixed internet - following a political agreement reached with the Council.</div>
<br><div class="body" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 0.8em; text-align: justify; "><div><div align="justify"><span>The revised framework directive for electronic communications networks and services will ensure that radio spectrum management is better co-ordinated and harmonised across the EU, especially with a view to the switchover from analogue to digital TV by 2012, which will release a large range of frequencies currently reserved for broadcasting.</span></div>
<div align="justify"><span></span> </div><div align="justify"><span>The report drafted by Catherine Trautmann (PES, FR), also seeks to strengthen co-operation among national regulatory authorities, the new Body of European Regulators and the Commission to improve the application of the regulatory framework. The proposed new rules expand the tools available to national regulators to include, as "an exceptional measure", functional separation, i.e. a regulatory instrument requiring incumbent operators to separate their network infrastructure from business units offering services that use this infrastructure.</span></div>
<div align="justify"><span></span> </div><div align="justify"><span>To ensure that the regulatory framework is applied consistently, MEPs, led by rapporteur Pilar del Castillo (EPP-ED, ES) agreed with the Council to set up a European body bringing together all 27 national regulators - the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC).</span></div>
<div align="justify"><span><span></span></span> </div><div align="justify"><span><span>An important part of the package (report by Malcolm Harbour (EPP-ED, UK) aims to improve consumer rights, such as the obligation on operators to provide more transparent information on tariffs and contractual terms and easier access to e-services for users with disabilities. The aim is also to strengthen personal data and privacy protection, e.g. by requiring access providers to warn internet users of the risk of malicious use of their personal data or other illegal practices. A range of measures to enhance data protection were included in the initial proposal.</span></span></div>
<div align="justify"><span></span> </div><div align="justify"><span>This background note gives more detail on each section of the telecoms package.</span></div></div></div></td></tr><tr><td><ul class="square" style="list-style-type: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">
<li class="squarespace" style="padding-bottom: 0.5em; padding-top: 0.5em; "><img title="" alt="" border="0" height="10" width="10" src="http://www.europarl.europa.eu/img/cont/news/square_news.gif"><a href="http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?language=EN&type=IM-PRESS&reference=20090504BKG54930#title1" class="parttitle" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(104, 52, 101); font-size: 0.8em; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold; padding-top: 2px; padding-right: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; ">Respect fundamental rights of internet users</a></li>
<li class="squarespace" style="padding-bottom: 0.5em; padding-top: 0.5em; "><img title="" alt="" border="0" height="10" width="10" src="http://www.europarl.europa.eu/img/cont/news/square_news.gif"><a href="http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?language=EN&type=IM-PRESS&reference=20090504BKG54930#title2" class="parttitle" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(104, 52, 101); font-size: 0.8em; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold; padding-top: 2px; padding-right: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; ">Strengthen consumer rights to universal service</a></li>
<li class="squarespace" style="padding-bottom: 0.5em; padding-top: 0.5em; "><img title="" alt="" border="0" height="10" width="10" src="http://www.europarl.europa.eu/img/cont/news/square_news.gif"><a href="http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?language=EN&type=IM-PRESS&reference=20090504BKG54930#title3" class="parttitle" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(104, 52, 101); font-size: 0.8em; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold; padding-top: 2px; padding-right: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; ">Better privacy protection and action against illegal activity on the internet</a></li>
<li class="squarespace" style="padding-bottom: 0.5em; padding-top: 0.5em; "><img title="" alt="" border="0" height="10" width="10" src="http://www.europarl.europa.eu/img/cont/news/square_news.gif"><a href="http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?language=EN&type=IM-PRESS&reference=20090504BKG54930#title4" class="parttitle" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(104, 52, 101); font-size: 0.8em; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold; padding-top: 2px; padding-right: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; ">Reform spectrum management to boost new wireless services</a></li>
<li class="squarespace" style="padding-bottom: 0.5em; padding-top: 0.5em; "><img title="" alt="" border="0" height="10" width="10" src="http://www.europarl.europa.eu/img/cont/news/square_news.gif"><a href="http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?language=EN&type=IM-PRESS&reference=20090504BKG54930#title5" class="parttitle" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(104, 52, 101); font-size: 0.8em; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold; padding-top: 2px; padding-right: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; ">Expand the regulators' tool box</a></li>
<li class="squarespace" style="padding-bottom: 0.5em; padding-top: 0.5em; "><img title="" alt="" border="0" height="10" width="10" src="http://www.europarl.europa.eu/img/cont/news/square_news.gif"><a href="http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?language=EN&type=IM-PRESS&reference=20090504BKG54930#title6" class="parttitle" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(104, 52, 101); font-size: 0.8em; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold; padding-top: 2px; padding-right: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; ">Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications</a></li>
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<abbr title="Reference">REF.:</abbr> 20090504BKG54930</div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></span>