WORLD TRADE GATS/SC/31/Suppl.3
11April 1997
ORGANIZATION(97-1526)
Trade inServices
EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES AND THEIR MEMBER STATES
Schedule ofSpecific Commitments
Supplement 3
(This isauthentic inEnglish, French andSpanish)
________________
Thistextsupplements theentries relating totheTelecommunications services section contained
indocuments GATS/SC/31, GATS/SC/7, GATS/SC/33 andGATS/SC/82.GATS/SC/31/Suppl.3
Page2THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES AND THEIR MEMBER STATES -SCHEDULE OFSPECIFIC COMMITMENTS
Modes ofsupply: 1) Cross-border supply 2) Consumption abroad 3) Commercial presence 4) Presence ofnatural persons
Sector orsubsector Limitations onmarket access Limitations onnational treatment Additional commitments
2.C Telecommunications
services
Telecommunications services
arethetransport ofelectro-
magnetic signals -sound, data
image andanycombinations
thereof, excluding
broadcasting1.Therefore,
commitments inthisschedule
donotcover theeconomic
activity consisting ofcontent
provision which require
telecommunications services
foritstransport. Theprovision
ofthatcontent, transported via
atelecommunications service,
issubject tothespecific
commitments undertaken by
theEuropean Communities
andtheir Member States in
other relevant sectors.
Allsub-sectors TheEuropean Communities
andtheir Member States
undertake additional
commitments ascontained in
theattachment, allparts of
which areequally binding.
1Broadcasting isdefined astheuninterrupted chain oftransmission required forthedistribution oftvandradio programme signals tothegeneral public, butdoesnotcover contribution linksbetween operators.GATS/SC/31/Suppl.3
Page3Modes ofsupply: 1) Cross-border supply 2) Consumption abroad 3) Commercial presence 4) Presence ofnatural persons
Sector orsubsector Limitations onmarket access Limitations onnational treatment Additional commitments
FIN:Thegeneral horizontal requirements
forlegal entities inGATS/SC/33 shall not
apply tothetelecommunications sector
except as:
-halfofthefounders, halfofthe
members oftheboard ofdirectors and
themanaging director must have
permanent residence intheEuropean
Economic Area. Ifthefounder isa
legal person, itmust have residence in
theEEA.FIN:Thegeneral horizontal requirements for
legal entities inGATS/SC/33 shall notapply to
thetelecommunications sector. Requirements
concerning theÅland islands shall continue to
apply.B:Licensing conditions may
address theneed toguarantee
universal service, including
through financing, ina
transparent,
non-discriminatory and
competitively neutral manner
andwillnotbemore
burdensome thannecessary.
1) None except for:
P:basic services canbesupplied onlyby
companies established inPortugal.
GR:access through S.A. andthecompany
must beexclusively engaged inthesupply
oftelecommunication services.1) None
2) None 2) NoneGATS/SC/31/Suppl.3
Page4Modes ofsupply: 1) Cross-border supply 2) Consumption abroad 3) Commercial presence 4) Presence ofnatural persons
Sector orsubsector Limitations onmarket access Limitations onnational treatment Additional commitments
3) None except for(*):
GR:access through S.A. andthecompany
must beexclusively engaged inthesupply
oftelecommunication services.
P:Thedirect orindirect participation of
natural persons, whoarenon-nationals of
ECMember States ornon-EC companies
orfirms inthecapital ofcompanies
supplying basic telecommunications
services cannot exceed 25%.
F:Indirect: none. Non-EC natural or
juridical persons maynotholddirectly
more than20% oftheshares orvoting
rights ofcompanies authorised toestablish
andoperate radio-based infrastructure for
theprovision oftelecommunications
services tothegeneral public. Forthe
application ofthisprovision, companies or
firms legally established according tothe
laws ofaMember State oftheECare
considered ECjuridical persons.
4) Unbound except asindicated inthe
horizontal section.3) None
4) Unbound except asindicated inthe
horizontal section.P:TheGovernment of
Portugal hastheintention of
presenting totheParliament
draft legislation aiming at
removing partially thepresent
limitations onforeign equity
participation inthecapital of
companies supplying basic
telecommunication services no
later thanin1998. Incaseof
approval, thenewlegislation
willbebound nolater thanin
1999.
(*)Footnote forclarification purposes: Some ECMember States maintain public participation incertain telecommunication operators. ECMember States reserve theirrights tomaintain suchpublic participation
inthefuture. Thisisnotamarket access limitation. InBelgium, government participation andvoting rights inBelgacom arefreely determined under legislative powers asispresently thecaseunder thelawof
21March 1991 onthereform ofgovernment-owned economic enterprises.GATS/SC/31/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
Domestic andinternational
Domestic andinternational
services provided using any
network technology, ona
facilities based orresale basis,
forpublic andnon-public use,
inthefollowing market
segments (these correspond to
thefollowing CPC numbers:
7521, 7522, 7523, 7524**,
7525, 7526 and7529**,
broadcasting isexcluded):
a. Voice telephone services
b. Packet switched data
transmission services
c. Circuit-switched data
transmissions services
d. Telex services
e. Telegraph services
f. Facsimile services1) None except for:2
E:none, except thattheliberalisation calendar
willbeasfollows: oneadditional nation-wide
licence inJanuary 1998; fullliberalisation as
from 30.11.19983.
IRL: None except forpublic voice telephony and
facilities-based services where none asof
1January 2000.
P:None, except forpublic voice telephony,
telex andtelegraph where none asfrom 1
January 2000, andfacilities-based services where
none asfrom 1July1999.
GR:None except forpublic voice telephony and
facilities-based services where none asof
1January 2003.1) None
2Luxembourg hasrequested adelayed datefortheliberalisation oftelecommunications until1.1.2000. TheECdecision onthisrequest isstillpending.
3Applications forfurther licences tobereceived asfrom 1August 98.GATS/SC/31/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
g. Leased circuit services 2) None
3) None except for:42) None
3) None
E:none, except thattheliberalisation
calendar willbeasfollows: oneadditional
nation wide licence inJanuary 1998; full
liberalisation asfrom 30.11.19985.
IRL: None except forpublic voice
telephony andfacilities-based services
where none asof1January 2000.
P:None, except forpublic voice
telephony, telex andtelegraph where none
asfrom 1January 2000 andfacilities-based
services where none asfrom 1July1999.
GR:None except forpublic voice
telephony andfacilities-based services
where none asof1January 2003.
4) Unbound except asindicated inthe
horizontal section.4) Unbound except asindicated inthe
horizontal section.
4Luxembourg hasrequested adelayed datefortheliberalisation oftelecommunications until1.1.2000. TheECdecision onthisrequest isstillpending.
5Applications forfurther licences tobereceived asfrom 1August 98.GATS/SC/31/Suppl.3
Page7Modes 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
o. Other services:
Mobile andpersonal
communications services
andsystems1) None except for:
IRL, P:international interconnection of
mobile networks withother mobile orfixed
networks where none asof1.1.1999.1) None
2) None 2) None
3) None except for:
IRL, P:international interconnection of
mobile networks withother mobile orfixed
networks where none asof1.1.1999.3) None
4) Unbound except asindicated inthe
horizontal section.4) Unbound except asindicated inthe
horizontal section.GATS/SC/31/Suppl.3
Page8
ADDITIONAL COMMITMENT BYTHE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
AND THEIR MEMBER STATES
SCOPE:
Thefollowingaredefinitionsandprinciplesontheregulatoryframeworkforthebasictelecommunications
services underpinning themarket access commitments bytheEuropean Communities andtheirMember
States.
DEFINITIONS:
Usermean service consumer andservice suppliers.
Essential facilities mean facilities ofapublic telecommunications transport network andservice 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
essentialfacilitiesandcommerciallyrelevantinformationwhicharenecessaryforthemtoprovide
services.
2. INTERCONNECTION:
2.1. Thissection applies tolinking withsuppliers providing public telecommunications transport
networks orservices inorder toallow theusers ofonesupplier tocommunicate withusers ofanother
supplier andtoaccess services provided byanother supplier.GATS/SC/31/Suppl.3
Page9
2.2. Interconnection tobeensured:
Within thelimits ofpermitted market access, interconnection withamajor supplier willbeensured
atanytechnically feasible point inthenetwork. Such interconnection isprovided6:
a) under non-discriminatory terms, conditions (including technical standards andspecifications)
andratesandofaquality nolessfavourable thanthatprovided foritsownlikeservices or
forlikeservices ofnon-affiliated service suppliers orforitssubsidiaries orother affiliates7;
b) inatimely fashion, onterms, conditions (including technical standards andspecifications) and
cost-oriented ratesthataretransparent, reasonable, having regard toeconomic feasibility, and
sufficiently unbundled sothatthesupplier neednotpayfornetwork components orfacilities
thatitdoesnotrequire fortheservice tobeprovided; and
c) upon request, atpoints inaddition tothenetwork termination points offered tothemajority
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 thatamajor supplier willmake publicly available either itsinterconnection 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
disputesregardingappropriateterms,conditionsandratesforinterconnectionwithinareasonable
period oftime, totheextent thatthese havenotbeenestablished previously.
6Suppliers ofservices ornetworks notgenerally available tothepublic, suchasclosed usergroups, haveguaranteed rights toconnect
withthepublic telecommunications transport network orservices onterms, conditions andrateswhich arenon-discriminatory, transparent
andcost-oriented. Such terms, conditions andratesmay, however, varyfromtheterms, conditions andratesapplicable tointerconnection
between public telecommunications networks orservices.
7Different terms, conditions andrates maybesetintheCommunity foroperators indifferent market segments, onthebasis of
non-discriminatory andtransparent national licensing provisions, where suchdifferences canbeobjectively justified because these services
arenotconsidered "like services".GATS/SC/31/Suppl.3
Page10
3. UNIVERSAL SERVICE:
AnyMember hastheright todefine thekindofuniversal service obligation itwishes tomaintain.
Such obligations willnotberegarded asanti-competitive perse,provided theyareadministered in
atransparent, non-discriminatory andcompetitively neutral manner andarenotmore burdensome than
necessary forthekindofuniversal service defined bytheMember.
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 to
allmarket participants.
6. ALLOCATION AND USEOFSCARCE 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.