WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3874/97 by Amedeo AMADEO to the Commission. Information society - rolling action plan
Date: 1997-12-05
Institutions: AMADEO, European Parliament
Subjects: action programme, free competition, information technology, new technology, telecommunications, telephone

C 174/148

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

8. 6. 98

The private sector will mobilise an additional ECU 90.5 million towards the cost of these investments. The body
responsible for managing the appropriations is currently signing contracts worth ECU 76 million to implement
26 projects selected out of a total of 68 proposals submitted under the first call for tenders. At the closing date for
the second call for tenders (31 October 1997), 120 proposals had been submitted, representing ECU 501 million.
These proposals are currently being assessed.

(98/C 174/221)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3874/97

by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Commission

(5 December 1997)

Subject: Information society › rolling action plan

The Commission has submitted a communication to the Council, the European Parliament, the Economic and
Social  Committee  and  the  Committee  of  the  Regions  on  (cid:145)Europe  at  the  Forefront  of  the  Global  Information
Society: Rolling Action Plan(cid:146) (COM(96) 607 final).

The liberalization of the telecommunications sector has been successfully launched and will be completed by
1 January 1998, hence triggering the development of new services and promoting their widespread uptake. The
stakes in terms of job creation and competitiveness are particularly high, since the ICT market had an appreciable
growth rate of 8% in 1995 and will grow even faster in the future.

In  preparation  for  the  1  January  1998  deadline,  will  the  Commission  define  a  clear  regulatory  framework  to
govern the process of liberalization, while ensuring competition and pluralism?

Answer given by Mr Bangemann on behalf of the Commission

(29 January 1998)

The Honourable Member highlights the importance of liberalisation in both the achievement of an information
society  in  Europe  and  in  the  creation  of  growth,  competitiveness  and  employment  within  that  society.  With
regard to the creation of a regulatory framework maximising the opportunities which liberalisation offers, the
Honourable Member will be aware of the detailed package of measures adopted over the last two years, partly by
the  Commission  under  the  competition  rules,  and  partly  by  the  Parliament  and  the  Council.  In  particular  the
harmonisation measures agreed provide a detailed framework for licensing, universal service, numbering and
interconnection. They also strengthen consumer rights in relation to the voice telephony service, data protection
and privacy. Finally, they strengthen the regulatory independence of the telecoms authorities which now exist in
every Member State. This represents a comprehensive framework to guarantee effective competition now that
the 1998 deadline has arrived.

(98/C 174/222)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3875/97

by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Commission

(5 December 1997)

Subject: Information society › rolling action plan

The Commission has submitted a communication to the Council, the European Parliament, the Economic and
Social  Committee  and  the  Committee  of  the  Regions  on  (cid:145)Europe  at  the  Forefront  of  the  Global  Information
Society: Rolling Action Plan(cid:146) (COM(96) 607 final).

Will the Commission take all the measures provided for in the rolling action plan to ensure proper management
of universal service, licencing and protection of privacy?