WORLD TRADE GATS/SC/83/Suppl.3
11April 1997
ORGANIZATION(97-1485)
Trade inServices
SWITZERLAND
Schedule ofSpecific Commitments
Supplement 3
(This isauthentic inEnglish andFrench only)
_______________
Thistextsupplements theentries relating totelecommunications oftheCommunication Services
section contained onpages 25to28ofdocument GATS/SC/83.GATS/SC/83/Suppl.3
Page2SWITZERLAND -SCHEDULE OFSPECIFIC COMMITMENTS
Modes ofsupply: 1)Cross-border supply 2)Consumption abroad 3)Commercial presence 4)Presence ofnatural persons
Sector orSub-sector Limitations onMarket Access Limitations onNational Treatment Additional
Commitments
II. SECTORAL COMMITMENTS
2.C.Telecommunications Services
Telecommunication Services arethetransport ofelectro-magnetic signals -sound, data, image andcombinations thereof -excluding broadcasting.1
AllTelecommunications Sectors - TheFederal Lawon
Telecommunications ispresently under
review. TheGovernment hassubmitted
toParliament anewdraft lawby
mid-1996. Itprovides inparticular for
theremoval oftheremaining monopoly
rights oftheSwiss PTT regarding
network facilities andvoice telephone
services. TheParliament hasbegun
discussions ontheGovernment 's
proposal inthefallof1996 andis
expected tovoteonitinmid-1997.
Taking intoaccount a3months period
open forreferendum thenewlawcould
enter intoforce by1.1.1998. Following
thedecisions tobetaken bythe
Legislator, theSwiss Government will
improve thecommitments onbasic
telecommunications under theGATS
simultaneously withentering intoforce
ofthenewlaw.
1Broadcasting isdefined astheuninterrupted chain oftransmission required forthedistribution ofTVandradio programme signals tothegeneral public, butdoesnot
cover contribution links between operators.GATS/SC/83/Suppl.3
Page3Modes ofsupply: 1)Cross-border supply 2)Consumption abroad 3)Commercial presence 4)Presence ofnatural persons
Sector orSub-sector Limitations onMarket Access Limitations onNational Treatment Additional
Commitments
- Federal monopoly onnetwork
infrastructureAsannexed
a) Voice telephone services
(CPC 7521)
-forclosed usergroups ona
leased linebasis (single end
break out): aclosed user
group isdefined bySwiss
legislation asagroup of
persons withastable
common economic interest
typically based ona
contractual orlongterm
investment relationship(1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated inPartI(1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated inPartI
-other voice telephone
services(1) Swiss PTTisthesoleoperator
authorized toprovide voice telephone
services other thanservices forclosed
usergroups (definition above) ona
leased linebasis (single endbreak out)
(2) None(1) None
(2) NoneGATS/SC/83/Suppl.3
Page4Modes ofsupply: 1)Cross-border supply 2)Consumption abroad 3)Commercial presence 4)Presence ofnatural persons
Sector orSub-sector Limitations onMarket Access Limitations onNational Treatment Additional
Commitments
(3) Swiss PTTisthesoleoperator
authorized toprovide voice telephone
services other thanservices forclosed
usergroups (definition above) ona
leased linebasis (single endbreak out)
(4) Unbound except asindicated inPartI(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated inPartI
b) Packet-switched data
transmission (CPC 7523**)(1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated inPartI(1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated inPartI
c) Circuit-switched data
transmission (CPC 7523**)(1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated inPartI(1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated inPartI
d) Telex services (CPC 7523**) (1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated inPartI(1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated inPartIGATS/SC/83/Suppl.3
Page5Modes ofsupply: 1)Cross-border supply 2)Consumption abroad 3)Commercial presence 4)Presence ofnatural persons
Sector orSub-sector Limitations onMarket Access Limitations onNational Treatment Additional
Commitments
e) Telegraph services (CPC 7522) (1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated inPartI(1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated inPartI
f) Facsimile services
(CPC 7521**+7529**)(1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated inPartI(1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated inPartI
g) Private leased circuit services
(CPC 7522**+7523**)forthe
provision of:
-Voice telephone services
forclosed usergroups
(definition above) ona
leased linebasis (single end
break out)(1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated inPartI(1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated inPartIGATS/SC/83/Suppl.3
Page6Modes ofsupply: 1)Cross-border supply 2)Consumption abroad 3)Commercial presence 4)Presence ofnatural persons
Sector orSub-sector Limitations onMarket Access Limitations onNational Treatment Additional
Commitments
-Other voice telephone
services(1) Swiss PTTisthesoleoperator
authorized toprovide voice telephone
services other thanservices forclosed
usergroups (definition above) ona
leased linebasis (single endbreak out)
(2) None
(3) Swiss PTTisthesoleoperator
authorized toprovide voice telephone
services other thanservices forclosed
usergroups (definition above) ona
leased linebasis (single endbreak out)
(4) Unbound except asindicated inPartI(1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated inPartI
-Other private leased circuit
services(1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated inPartI(1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated inPartIGATS/SC/83/Suppl.3
Page7
Annex
Switzerland :Additional Commitments onBasic Telecommunications
Scope
Thefollowing aredefinitions andprinciples ontheregulatory framework forthebasic
telecommunications services.
Definitions
Users mean service consumers andservice suppliers.
Essential facilities mean facilities ofapublic telecommunications transport network orservice that
a) areexclusively orpredominantly provided byasingle orlimited number ofsuppliers;
and
b) cannot feasibly beeconomically ortechnically substituted inorder toprovide aservice.
Amajor supplier isasupplier which hastheability tomaterially affect theterms ofparticipation (having
regard toprice andsupply) intherelevant market forbasic telecommunications services asaresult
of:
a) control overessential facilities; or
b) useofitsposition inthemarket.
1.Competitive safeguards
1.1.Prevention ofanti-competitive practices intelecommunications
Appropriatemeasuresshallbemaintainedforthepurposeofpreventingsupplierswho,aloneortogether,
areamajor supplier from engaging inorcontinuing anti-competitive practices.
1.2.Safeguards
Theanti-competitive practices referred toabove shallinclude inparticular:
a) engaging inanti-competitive cross-subsidization;
b) using information obtained from competitors withanti-competitive results; and
c) notmaking available toother services suppliers onatimely basistechnical information
about essential facilities andcommercially relevant information which arenecessary
forthem toprovide services.
2.Interconnection
2.1.Thissectionappliestolinkingwithsuppliersprovidingpublictelecommunicationstransportnetworks
orservices inorder toallow theusers ofonesupplier tocommunicate withusers ofanother supplier
andtoaccess services provided byanother supplier, where specific commitments areundertaken.GATS/SC/83/Suppl.3
Page8
2.2.Interconnection tobeensured
Interconnection withamajor supplier willbeensured atanytechnically feasible point inthenetwork.
Such interconnection isprovided
a) under non-discriminatory terms, conditions (including technical standards and
specifications) andratesandofaquality nolessfavourable thanthatprovided forits
ownlikeservices orforlikeservices ofnon-affiliated service suppliers orforits
subsidiaries orother affiliates;
b) inatimely fashion, onterms, conditions (including technical standards and
specifications) andcost-oriented ratesthataretransparent, reasonable, having regard
toeconomic feasibility, andsufficiently unbundled sothatthesupplier neednotpay
fornetwork components orfacilities thatitdoesnotrequire fortheservice tobe
provided; and
c) upon request, atpoints inaddition tothenetwork termination points offered tothe
majority ofusers, subject tocharges thatreflect thecostofconstruction ofnecessary
additional facilities.
2.3.Public availability oftheprocedures forinterconnection negotiations
Theprocedures applicable forinterconnection toamajor supplier willbemade publicly available.
2.4.Transparency ofinterconnection arrangements
Itisensured thatanysupplier with amonopoly right willmake publicly available either its
interconnection agreements orareference interconnection offer.
2.5.Interconnection: dispute settlement
Aservice supplier requesting interconnection withamajor supplier willhaverecourse, either:
a) atanytimeor
b) afterareasonable period oftimewhich hasbeenmade publicly known
toanindependent domestic body, which maybearegulatory bodyasreferred toinparagraph 5below,
toresolve disputes regarding appropriate terms, conditions andrates forinterconnection within a
reasonable period oftime, totheextent thatthese havenotbeenestablished previously.
3.Universal service
AnyMember hastherighttodefine thekindofuniversal service obligation itwishes tomaintain. Such
obligations willnotberegarded asanti-competitive perse,provided theyareadministered ina
transparent, non-discriminatory andcompetitively neutral manner andarenotmore burdensome than
necessary forthekindofuniversal service defined bytheMember.GATS/SC/83/Suppl.3
Page9
4.Public availability oflicensing criteria
Where alicence isrequired, thefollowing willbemade publicly available:
a) allthelicensing criteria andtheperiod oftimenormally required toreach adecision
concerning anapplication foralicence and
b) theterms andconditions ofindividual licences.
Thereasons forthedenial ofalicence willbemade known totheapplicant upon request.
5.Independent regulators
Theregulatory bodyisseparate from, andnotaccountable to,anysupplier ofbasictelecommunications
services. Thedecisions ofandtheprocedures usedbyregulators shallbeimpartial withrespect toall
market participants.
6.Allocation anduseofscarce resources
Anyprocedures fortheallocation anduseofscarce resources, including frequencies, numbers and
rights ofway,willbecarried outinanobjective, timely, transparent andnon-discriminatory manner.
Thecurrent stateofallocated frequency bands willbemade publicly available, butdetailed identification
offrequencies allocated forspecific government usesisnotrequired.