WRITTEN QUESTION E-1092/01

by Paul Rübig (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(6 April 2001)

Subject: Licensing of SSB radio equipment

According to the Nederlands Staatscourant (Netherlands Official Gazette) No 236, the sale and use of AM/FM/SSB/CB radio equipment is authorised in the Netherlands with effect from 1 March. The authorisation will cover 40-channel sets with AM, FM and SSB modulation. The maximum output power will be 4 Watts.

We are not as yet in possession of any further information. What will the effects of this be on the Austrian market, Austrian manufacturers and Austrian consumers?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(14 June 2001)

The regulations in the Community on the use of the Citizens Band (CB) have not been harmonised and vary amongst Member States both in the amount of allocated channels and on the modulation techniques, which are allowed in the frequency band.

The Commission is of the opinion, that the changes in the regulations in the Netherlands will not have negative consequences for Austrian citizens or manufacturers. The regulations have become less restrictive on the modulation techniques that are allowed implying that Austrian manufacturers can continue to market their products in the Netherlands without modification and will have a larger market for equipment with Amplitude Modulation (AM) and Single Side Band (SSB) modulation. Austrian visitors can continue to use their CB equipment in the Netherlands under the same conditions as before.

The Commission is aware of the fact, that Austria does not allow SSB transmissions in the CB band and might fear increased interference from Dutch citizens travelling to Austria and using their CB equipment in SSB mode. This risk exists but is not unique to equipment designed for operation in the frequency spectrum of the Netherlands. Such interference can also be caused by equipment designed for spectrums of other Member States, which are not compatible with the Austrian frequency spectrum. As an example it is probably known to the Honourable Member that Germany has allocated 40 channels to the CB which are not available in Austria, whereas SSB is also allowed in some other Member States.

The use of SSB or the operation in non-allocated frequency bands in Austria would be illegal. Since tourists can travel into Austria without being checked at the borders, it is impossible to physically prevent CB equipment from entering Austria. It is imperative that users are informed of any restrictions of use of their CB equipment within the Community. The attention of the Honourable Member is drawn to Directive 1999/5/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 9 March 1999 on radio equipment and telecommunications terminal equipment and the mutual recognition of their conformity(1), which obliges manufacturers to inform users of such restrictions on the packaging and in the users manual. These provisions will limit the illegal use of CB equipment in Austria.

Only by harmonising the use of the radio frequency spectrum in and beyond the Community can these problems be completely avoided. The Commission has brought the issue of CB to the attention of the Member States and to the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications administrations (CEPT), which are responsible for taking decisions on the harmonisation of the use of radio frequencies. However, the CEPT, which comprises the Member States and 27 other European countries, has not concluded on the matter. Subject to the adoption of the Commission's proposal for a Radio Spectrum Decision(2), which is currently under negotiation in the Council and in the European Parliament, further Community action on the issue can be considered.

(1) OJ L 91, 7.4.1999.

(2) OJ C 365 E, 19.12.2000.