Presidente. L'ordine del giorno reca la relazione presentata dall'on. Fiona Hall, a nome della commissione per l'industria, la ricerca e l'energia, "Verso una politica europea in materia di spettro radio" (2006/2212(INI)) (A6-0467/2006)

  Fiona Hall (ALDE), rapporteur. – Madam President, firstly I would like to thank all the people who shared their knowledge and expertise with me when I was preparing this report. I would particularly like to thank the Commission for its generous help, as well as my colleagues, the shadows from the other groups, for their very constructive and cooperative suggestions.

The basic theme of the report is that the current method of managing radio spectrum is no longer adequate in the face of constantly emerging new technologies. These new technologies need to make use of radio spectrum, but the quantity of radio spectrum will always be limited simply by the laws of physics, so we have to find ways of making sure that this precious resource is used as efficiently as possible.

Policy on radio spectrum may sound like an obscure matter of no interest to the citizen on the street, but the end result of that policy is of fundamental interest because it is a question of jobs and economic growth. If we fail to reform our approach to radio spectrum, we are failing European industry, which is poised to become a global leader in communications technology. All the innovation that the industry is coming forward with will fail to develop properly if no spectrum is available and if the industry is blocked from operating across the European market of 500 million people.

The Lisbon Agenda is the driving force behind the new approach to spectrum. But there is also the need for Europe to be forward looking in the way it makes services of public and general interest available. I will come back to that in a minute.

First, I should like to say a few words about the changes proposed. At present, spectrum is managed on an administrative command and control model whereby certain frequencies are allocated to certain specific uses. The report argues that this administrative model needs to be supplemented now by a more flexible approach which would include more unlicensed use of spectrum and the tool of spectrum trading.

An essential element of this more flexible approach is that spectrum should be made available without conditions being attached as to the service to be provided or the technology to be used. In other words, the market-based element of spectrum management would be service- and technology-neutral.

This freeing-up of spectrum would clearly raise issues for existing users, such as the question of potential interference. It is therefore very important that the changes take place within a clear legal framework and with pre-established dispute resolution mechanisms.

In several places, paragraphs 11, 13 and so on, the report emphasises the importance of maintaining services of public and general interest and supporting cultural and linguistic diversity. It is important not to get this political commitment mixed up with the technical issue of how such services ought to be delivered.

I believe it would be a big mistake to ring-fence the frequencies currently used by broadcasting services by insisting on their exclusion from any new approach to spectrum management. That is because we would actually be damaging our ability to support a broad range of socially useful services if we insisted that the delivery mechanism for providing those services remained exactly the same, frozen in time at the very period when all other uses of spectrum are evolving very rapidly.

To take one example, we face the challenge in the EU of stopping a rift opening up between the internet haves and the internet have-nots. One easy way to roll out internet access to the poorest regions of our poorest countries would be by way of wireless broadband, taking advantage of some of the broadcasting frequencies freed up by the switch from analogue to digital broadcasting, the digital dividend.

I use this as just one example of why we need to affirm our commitment to services of public and general interest, but also as an example of why we must not treat the frequencies currently used by broadcasting as somehow untouchable. We need to make the most of opportunities to provide services in new ways by new technologies and to more people than at present. And it is vital to support the growth of a knowledge-based economy in Europe. So, it is important to open up the possibility of more flexible use across the whole of the radio spectrum without ruling out certain frequencies.

Finally, I welcome the amendment tabled by the PSE Group, which serves as a balanced summary of the key issues at stake.

  Mariann Fischer Boel, Member of the Commission. Madam President, I have to compliment the European Parliament, in particular the rapporteur, Mrs Hall, for realising the importance of the choices Europe is about to make with regard to radio spectrum policy.

This is an area where political decisions have a direct impact on the quality of jobs and growth in the European economy. Services dependent on radio spectrum represent around 2 to 3% of Europe’s GDP. There have been studies for the World Bank and for the OECD which clearly link the development of electronic communication services to economic growth. An econometric study made for the Commission tentatively associated better spectrum break relation with 0.1% of extra GDP growth per year. This would quickly cumulate to deliver real benefits.

The urgency of the matter can be summed up in the word ‘convergence’. Practically all communications are quickly becoming digital and there is an increasing number of infrastructures competing to carry services. The old categories are disappearing and we need to respond with a regulation that permits the spectrum users to choose the mix of services and technologies that they prefer and that in many cases permits them to buy and sell spectrum rights to each other.

The reasons for regulation are still strong. We have to manage interference. We need to ensure that the rights to use spectrum are clearly defined and we need to ensure a level playing field. The report that we are debating tonight is in most aspects in line with this policy vision and I want to thank the rapporteur for her efforts.

One area of divergence concerns including spectrum for terrestrial broadcasting distribution in the planned reforms. We are not questioning the importance of the television companies’ public service function, nor their contribution to cultural and linguistic diversity. We should, however, think very carefully before we privilege one specific form of broadcasting distribution without regard to the costs to our society in terms of opportunity.

A case in point: the report quite rightly highlights wireless broadband as a tool for rural development and for breaching the digital divide. This requires tough choices about the balance between broadcasting and other services. There are necessary decisions to be made to safeguard the resources and functioning of public service broadcasting, but we should not use spectrum policy as a substitute for real debate. The amendment gives a more balanced approach by mentioning the need to secure stability and security for media services and the importance of a level playing field for new entrants and new technologies.

I have one final point to make: on the basis of the full analysis, the choice of the national regulators is to award spectrum to broadcasters. These users must also have the same obligation as any other users to be good stewards of a public resource and use it as effectively as possible. We think that our reform proposal would help to implement this principle.

  Etelka Barsi-Pataky, a PPE-DE képviselőcsoport nevében. – A technikai innováció kézzelfogható, új lehetőséget nyit meg Európa számára. A digitális technológiára való áttérés az eddig szűkösen rendelkezésre álló frekvencia területén többletet eredményez. Helyénvaló tehát és szükséges, hogy a többlet egy részét további, új technológiák használhassák, ezzel is dinamikus teret nyitva az európai információs és kommunikációs ipar számára.

Az ehhez szükséges szabályozást úgy kell megalkotnunk, hogy a tradicionális, az engedély nélküli és a frekvenciajog-kereskedelem része legyen a hatékony spektrumgazdálkodásnak. Világos szabályok kellenek, amelyek arra vonatkoznak, hogy a frekvenciakereskedelem területén mit és mennyit engedünk meg.

A Néppártnak az a véleménye, hogy a spektrumkereskedelmet magát, ennek irányadó feltételeit hamarosan egyértelművé kell tenni. Itt különös gondossággal kell eljárnunk a műsorszóró frekvenciákkal. Ügyelni kell arra, hogy ne lehessen frekvenciát felhalmozni, és ne alakuljanak ki monopóliumok. Elő kell segítenünk az új technológiák elterjedését a kevésbé fejlett régiókban, vidéki területeken, de olyan módon, hogy ennek az árát ne fizettessük meg velük.

A Néppártnak határozottan az a véleménye, hogy a szabályozásnál a társadalmi, kulturális és politikai megfontolásokra figyelemmel kell lennünk, hogy előmozdítsuk a kulturális és nyelvi sokszínűség kifejeződését. A jelentés készítése során újra és újra felvetettem az új tagállamok néhány specialitását, amelyet majd a jogszabályalkotáskor figyelembe kell venni. Ezért örültem Catherine Trautmann ide vonatkozó indítványának és támogatom azt. Végezetül, a tagállamoknak frekvenciát kell megnyitniuk a páneurópai műszaki harmonizáció céljára, és ennek konszenzusos megállapodással kell történnie.

  Catherine Trautmann, au nom du groupe PSE. – Madame la Présidente, Madame la Commissaire, Madame la rapporteur, chers collègues, nous sommes appelés à nous prononcer sur la réaffectation des radiofréquences.

Ce dossier est tout à fait important et les raisons qui amènent la Commission à vouloir une proposition visant à optimiser, ou maximiser, les bénéfices de cette ressource tiennent bien entendu à l'évolution des technologies, à l'existence du dividende numérique et à la volonté clairement affirmée dans les objectifs de Lisbonne de pouvoir assurer l'accès de tous aux nouveaux services, qu'il s'agisse d'Internet, de la téléphonie mobile ou de bien d'autres encore.

On vient de parler, en particulier, de la large bande, qui pourrait permettre de réduire la fracture numérique dont souffre l'Union, tout spécialement dans les zones rurales et les zones peu peuplées. Nous devons donc chercher à assurer un usage rationnel des fréquences propre à garantir une couverture universelle dans les vingt-sept pays de l'Union, dans une optique d'aménagement durable des territoires.

Les fréquences représentent en effet une ressource, un bien public, commun, stratégique pour l'Union, et nous devons parvenir à l'efficacité spectrale durable. De la même façon que nous parlons de l'efficience énergétique, je crois que nous pouvons aussi parler de l'efficience du spectre radioélectrique.

Je voudrais saluer les efforts de la Commission qui a voulu donner une dimension européenne nouvelle à l'utilisation de ce dividende numérique et éviter que se reproduise le véritable problème que nous avons connu et qui a été considéré comme tel par les entreprises, lorsque des réseaux UMTS ont été mis en vente. Elle nous propose de créer un marché. Nous devons pouvoir trouver le moyen d'assurer une plus grande flexibilité, d'éviter la spéculation et les monopoles et de rendre les fréquences accessibles à de nouveaux services et à de nouveaux entrants.

Je crois que cette volonté est juste. Nous devons y trouver de nouvelles possibilités d'innovation, mais nous devons être prudents dans la manière d'établir cette nouvelle commercialisation, qu'il s'agisse de licences, d'enchères, de délégations, notamment de services publics ou d'accès libre, d'accès gratuit, fût-ce à titre temporaire. Il reste encore à définir ces différentes modalités.

Nous avons eu un débat au sein de notre commission à propos de la place des radiodiffuseurs, et je voudrais dire, ici, très fortement, que j'ai toujours défendu, en ce qui me concerne, la particularité des émissions d'information, des émissions culturelles qu'assurent les radiodiffuseurs, et en particulier les radiodiffuseurs publics, qui n'ont pas les capitaux privés nécessaires pour pouvoir se payer un accès au marché dans les mêmes conditions que les entreprises, disons, ordinaires.

Par conséquent si nous devons tenir compte de cette situation en nous montrant justes et équitables; c'est la raison pour laquelle le groupe socialiste a déposé un amendement visant à prendre en compte l'efficience du spectre radioélectrique, l'équilibre entre le respect des émissions publiques et le respect des émissions des États sur la sécurité, le rôle également des régulateurs et le rôle des entreprises.

  Rebecca Harms, im Namen der Verts/ALE-Fraktion. – Frau Präsidentin! Ich mache es ganz kurz. Für meine Fraktion, die den Ansatz der Kommission im Grundsatz begrüßt, sind fünf Punkte wichtig. Wir wollen, dass der neue Ansatz, den die Kommission vorschlägt, nicht zur Bildung von Oligopolen führt. Wir haben bei der Versteigerung von UMTS-Lizenzen in Deutschland negative Erfahrungen gemacht. Wir wollen, dass Vielfalt sichernde Dienste unbedingt Vorrang genießen. Ich schließe an Frau Trautmann an: Rundfunkveranstalter sollen immer mit besonderem Respekt für ihre Aufgaben, für unsere Gesellschaften und die Öffentlichkeit behandelt werden. Wir wollen, dass Technologieneutralität und Interoperabilität gewährleistet werden. Wir wollen, dass tatsächlich eine flächendeckende Versorgung gewährleistet wird. Das ist auch für Sie als Kommissarin, die für den ländlichen Raum mit zuständig ist, wichtig. Wir wollen im ländlichen Raum nicht weiter benachteiligt werden und wollen auch Zugang zu schnellen Internetangeboten haben. Auch sollen in Zukunft, wenn es denn zu Versteigerungen kommt, die Verfahren komplett transparent und nachvollziehbar gehandhabt werden.

  Mariann Fischer Boel, Member of the Commission. Madam President, I presume an answer would be expected from the Commission, but I promise I shall keep it short.

I share the appreciation of Parliament regarding the vital role played by public service television and other media for democracy, diversity and for the encouragement for a public debate. It is necessary that future regulations continue to ensure that this programming can be distributed to the citizens in accordance with the public service obligations assumed by those broadcasters. However, assuming that these goals can be satisfied and keeping in mind the reality of convergence, we should carefully assess the need for the spectrum required to offer a public broadcasting service and to ensure its efficient use. In consequence, we need to provide broadcasters with the means and the flexibility to continue to develop their offer to the benefit of our society.

We have listened carefully and your comments will be taken into account during the revision of the telecommunication regulation, which will be proposed by the second half of 2007.

  Presidente. La discussione è chiusa.

La votazione si svolgerà mercoledì, alle 12.00