RE-EXAMINED PROPOSAL FOR A COUNCIL DIRECTIVE ON THE FREQUENCY BANDS TO BE RESERVED FOR THE COORDINATED INTRODUCTION OF PAN-EUROPEAN LAND-BASED PUBLIC RADIO PAGING IN THE COMMUNITY
Date: 1990-08-28
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: European Movement, approximation of laws, electronic mail, telecommunications, transmission network, waveband

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN  COMMUNITIES 

COM(90)405  final - SYN 193 

Brussels.28 August  1990 

Re-examined proposal for a 

COUNCIL  DIRECTIVE 

on the frequency bands to be reserved 
for the coordinated  introduction 
of pan-European land-based public radio paging 
in the Corarnunity 

(presented by the Commission  pursuant  to Article  149.2(d) 
of the EEC treaty) 

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Re-examined proposal for a 

Council Directive 

on the frequency bands to be reserved 

for the coordinated introduction 

of pan-European land-based public radio paging 

in the Community 

I. 

BACKGROUND 

1.  The Oommission suixnitted a proposal for a Directive to the Council 

on 12 Hay 1989.1 

2.  The Economic and Social Committee adopted an opinion (favourable) 

on 27 September 1989. 

3.  The European Parliament adopted its amendments to the draft 

Directive on 13 December 1989.2 

4.  Pursuant to Article 149(3) of the Treaty, the Commission adopted a 

revised draft on 9 February 1990, incorporating virtually all 
Parliament's amendments.3 

5.  The Council adopted a common position on 7 May 1990.4 

6.  The European Parliament proceeded to the second reading on 9 July 

1990 and adopted an amendment.5 

1  OJ C 193, 31.07.1989, p. 13. 

2  OJ C 15, 22.01.1990, p. 82. 

3  OJ C 43, 23.02.1990, p. 11. 

4  Council document 5527/90, 07.05.1990. 

5  E.P. 143.503, Minutes 22 II, 11.07.1990, p. 37. 

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II. 

THE AMENDMENT ADOPTED BV THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT CN SECOND READING 

The Commission agrees with the substance of the amendment adopted by the 
European Parliament on 11 July 1990. Hie Commission is of the opinion that 
the essence of the idea underlying the amendment of ensuring that the 
deadlines are respected was correctly incorporated into the common position 
following Parliament's first reading (by reducing from 18 to 12 months the 
period between notification of the Directive and the taking of measures to 
make frequencies available). Consequently, the amendment has already been 
taken into account and there is no need to amend the Directive. 
Furthermore, the proposed amendment would create difficulties for 
telecommunications administrations with regard to the availability of 
frequencies on 1 January 1991, whereas the equipment would only arrive on 
the market two years later. 

Therefore, the Commission is unable to accept amendment No 2 adopted by 
Parliament. 

The amendment and the Commission's position are given below: 

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Common position 

Member States shall bring into 
force the laws, regulations and 
administrative provisions necessary 
to comply with this Directive not 
later than twelve months following 
the date of notification of this 
Directive. They shall forthwith 
inform the Commission thereof. 

Reasons: 

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Member States shall bring into 
force the laws, regulations and 
administrative provisions necessary 
to comply with this Directive noi 
later than  ], January 1991- They 
shall forthwith inform the 
Commission thereof. 

The Commission shares the opinion of the European Parliament with regard to 
the need to make frequencies available for public radio paging. It was for 
this reason that the Commission incorporated the European Parliament's 
underlying idea by reducing the period during which telecommunications 
administrations were to make frequencies avail able from 18 to 12 months. 

However, the European Parliament's proposal that the frequencies be made 
available by 1 January 1991 seems too excessive for two reasons: 

it does not give administrations the time needed to inform current 
users of these frequencies (generally private radioooraraunications 
systems used by taxis, ambulances, etc.) and to enable them to make 
technical adjustments to their equipment in order to use other 
frequencies than those referred to in the public radio paging 
Directive; 

it makes the frequencies available two years before the 
introduction of pan-European public radio paging equipment; such a 
period of time is unnecessary. 

Consequently, the Commission agrees with the European Parliament's 
objective of making frequencies available for public radio paging. However, 
it cannot accept the amendment adopted by Parliament on second reading for 
the abovementioned reasons. 

III. 

OONCLCJSION 

As the Commission is unable to accept the amendment adopted on second 
reading, the text of the Directive following reexamination is identical to 
the text of the common position (attached). 

'* 

ISSN 0254-1475 

COM(90) 405 final 

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ISBN 92-77-63821-4 

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