Liikanen fine tunes EU radio spectrum policy

Date: 09/03/2000

By Peter Chapman

Information Society Commissioner Erkki Liikanen is set to unveil proposals aimed at taking control of a crucial area of the emerging telecoms revolution out of the hands of technocrats.

Experts say the move is aimed at ensuring political realities are taken into account when key decisions are made in the EU on the use of scarce, but increasingly valuable, radio spectrum.

It reflects concern that the process of deciding who should get spectrum for a host of competing uses from mobile phones and amateur radio to astronomy has until now been dominated by a handful of experts in member states, with scant regard for political priorities.

"Spectrum is now big money with big global players. Just look at the auctions that are now under way in some member states for third-generation mobile licences," said a Liikanen aide.

"But we need to fill a gap at Community level allowing spectrum to be dealt with in political terms. For example, if services are in competition for spectrum, someone has to decide. We think it should be a political decision - not made by technicians."

Among Liikanen's proposals are plans to establish a new 'spectrum policy expert group' made up of member state and industry representatives to ensure that all factors - "economic, social and cultural" - are taken into account before the Union agrees to harmonise the use of spectrum for a certain set of services.

Liikanen will also unveil plans for a 'regulatory framework' setting out the Commission's general strategy for tackling spectrum issues in "all areas of communications, broadcasting, transport and research and development". This would replace the existing "piecemeal" approach towards specific technologies such as satellite communications and third-generation mobile phone systems.

Crucially, the Commissioner will also announce plans to increase the EU's say "in the international arena". As part of this, he will stress the need to ensure member states reach common positions on key issues before events such as May's World Radio communications Conference in Turkey and in organisations such as the 43-country European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT).

The WRC event is the key international forum for deciding in general how radio spectrum is carved up between for competing services on a global scale. But the Union has in the past struggled to keep up with more concerted US lobbying to secure spectrum for American projects.

Information Society Commissioner Erkki Liikanen is set to unveil proposals aimed at taking control of a crucial area of the emerging telecoms revolution out of the hands of technocrats. Experts say the move is aimed at ensuring political realities are taken into account when key decisions are made in the EU on the use of scarce, but increasingly valuable, radio spectrum.