Concern over Commission’s telecoms plan

Sharp criticism from the MEP drafting the Parliament’s response.

The European Commission’s proposal to create a single market for telecoms faces an uphill struggle in the European Parliament, after sharp criticism from the MEP drafting the Parliament’s response.

Pilar del Castillo Vera, a centre-right Spanish MEP, says in her draft report that important elements need “a deeper, structured public consultation and thorough ex-ante assessment”. In particular, the Commission’s proposal for a single authorisation for telecoms operators in the EU was “a massively complex edifice” that required further consultation.

Her report, dated 15 November, expresses support for the Commission’s proposals on regulating spectrum auctions and on net neutrality. But her suggested amendments and deletions include a rejection of changes to the Body of European Regulators of Electronic Communications that aim at creating a permanent chair and a selection process heavily influenced by the Commission.

She also opposes encouragement for telecoms operators to form cross-border “roaming alliances”, and makes a counter-proposal for banning retail roaming charges from 1 July 2016. Tomorrow (22 November), the Parliament’s committee on industry, research and energy will hold a hearing on the Commission’s proposal.

The Commission has at least been spared from a threat made by several national parliaments under the consultation procedures introduced by the Lisbon treaty.

The Swedish, Irish, Maltese and Austrian parliaments had argued that the package infringed the EU principle of subsidiarity, and were seeking to oblige the Commission to review the proposal. But they did not muster sufficient opposition among other national parliaments to reach a blocking threshold.

Nicholas Hirst