2008/671/EC: Commission Decision of 5 August 2008 on the harmonised use of radio spectrum in the 5875 - 5905 MHz frequency band for safety-related applications of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) (notified under document number C(2008) 4145) (Text with EEA relevance)
Date: 2008-08-05
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: European standard, data transmission, information technology, intelligent transport system, regulation of telecommunications, road safety, waveband

L 220/24

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

15.8.2008

COMMISSION

COMMISSION DECISION

of 5 August 2008

on the harmonised use of radio spectrum in the 5 875-5 905 MHz frequency band for safety-related
applications of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS)

(notified under document number C(2008) 4145)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2008/671/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

those objectives, communications between vehicles and
road infrastructure must be reliable and fast.

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

Having regard to the Treaty
Community,

establishing the European

Having regard to Decision No 676/2002/EC of the European
Parliament and of the Council of 7 March 2002 on a regulatory
in the European
framework for
Community (Radio Spectrum Decision) (1), and in particular
Article 4(3) thereof,

radio spectrum policy

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

The Council (2) and the European Parliament (3) have
stressed the importance of
increasing road safety in
Europe.
Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) are central
to an integrated approach in road safety (4) by adding
information and communication technologies (ICT) to
so as to avoid
transport
potentially dangerous
and reduce
number of accidents.

infrastructure and vehicles

situations

traffic

Effective and coherent use of radio spectrum is essential
for the development of new wireless equipment in the
Community (5).

ITS include cooperative systems based on vehicle-to-
and infrastructure-to-
vehicle, vehicle-to-infrastructure
time transfer of
vehicle communications for the real
systems potentially offer major
information. Those
improvements in transport system efficiency,
in safety
for all road users and in mobility comfort. To fulfil

(1) OJ L 108, 24.4.2002, p. 1.
(2) Council Conclusions 15101/03 of 5.12.2003 and Verona 2

Conclusions of 26.10.2004.

(3) OJ C 244 E, 18.10.2007, p. 220.
(4) COM(2006) 314.
(5) Council Conclusions 15530/04 and 15533/04 of 3.12.2004.

Given the mobility of vehicles and the need to ensure the
achievement of the internal market and the increase in
road safety throughout Europe, spectrum used by ITS
cooperative systems
should be made available in a
harmonised way throughout the European Union.

verify

(CEPT)

Pursuant to Article 4(2) of Decision No 676/2002/EC, on
5 July 2006 the Commission issued a mandate to the
European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications
spectrum
Administrations
to
in the
requirements
and to
context of
undertake
between
ITS applications and potentially affected
safety-critical
radio services in the frequency ranges under consi­
deration. CEPT was also requested to develop optimal
channel plans for the bands identified for ITS.

safety-critical
and cooperative
compatibility

applications
systems
studies

for
ITS
technical

the

The relevant results of the work carried out by CEPT
constitute the technical basis for this Decision.

appropriate

CEPT concluded in its report of 21 December 2007
in particular
(CEPT Report 20) that the 5 GHz band,
for
range 5 875-5 905 MHz, was
the
safety-related ITS applications, which improve
road
safety by increasing the information to the driver and
the vehicle on the environment, other vehicles and
other road users. Furthermore, ITS are compatible with
all the services studied in that band, and with all other
existing services studied below 5 850 MHz and above
5 925 MHz, as
they comply with certain
emission limits as defined in the CEPT Report. The
this band would also be in line with
selection of
spectrum use in other regions of the world and thus
foster global harmonisation. Moreover,
ITS could not
claim protection from fixed-satellite service (FSS) earth
stations and unwanted emissions from ITS equipment
need to be limited in order to protect FSS.

long as

15.8.2008

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 220/25

(8)

(9)

Harmonised standard EN 302 571 is being finalised by
European Telecommunications Standard Institute (ETSI)
in line with the CEPT compatibility studies in order to
give presumption of conformity to Article 3(2) of
the European Parliament and
Directive 1999/5/EC of
the Council of 9 March 1999 on radio equipment and
telecommunications terminal equipment and the mutual
thus ensuring that
recognition of
compliant ITS equipment avoids causing harmful inter­
ference. ITS transmitters are expected to maximise the
use of
transmitted
power
to use the spectrum
allocated to ITS effectively so as to avoid harmful inter­
ference.

the spectrum and control
to the minimum level

their conformity (1),

their

For the above reason, the standard foresees that a trans­
mitter power control (TPC) is implemented with a range
of at least 30 dB with regard to the maximum total
transmit power of 33 dBm mean e.i.r.p. If some manu­
facturers chose not to use the techniques identified in
alternative methods would be
this
required to provide at least an equivalent level of inter­
ference mitigation as that provided by the standard.

standard,

any

(10) Harmonisation under this Decision should not exclude
the possibility for a Member State to apply, where
justified, transitional periods or radio spectrum-sharing
arrangements.

(11)

for

the

frequency

vehicle-to-vehicle

It is expected that Member States will make the spectrum
available
ITS communications
within the six-month period during which they are to
designate
band 5 875-5 905 MHz
according to this Decision. However, for infrastructure-
to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure ITS communi­
cations, it may prove difficult for some Member States
to finalise an appropriate licensing framework or a coor­
dination mechanism for roadside infrastructure instal­
lation of different ITS operators within this timeframe.
Any delays in making the spectrum available beyond this
period may impact negatively on the wide take-up of
safety-related ITS applications in the European Union
and should therefore be limited and duly justified.

(12)

Considering the market developments and evolution of
technologies, the scope and application of this Decision
may need to be reviewed in the future, based in
particular on information on such developments and
evolution provided by the Member States.

(1) OJ L 91, 7.4.1999, p. 10. Directive as last amended by Regulation

(EC) No 1882/2003 (OJ L 284, 31.10.2003, p. 1).

(13)

The measures provided for
accordance with the opinion of
Committee,

in this Decision are in
the Radio Spectrum

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

The purpose of this Decision is to harmonise the conditions for
the availability and efficient use of the frequency band 5 875-
Intelligent
5 905 MHz for
Transport Systems (ITS) in the Community.

safety related applications of

Article 2

For the purposes of this Decision, the following definitions shall
apply:

1.

‘Intelligent Transport Systems’ mean a range of systems and
services, based on Information and Communications tech­
nologies, including processing, control, positioning, commu­
nication and electronics, that are applied to a road transpor­
tation system;

2.

‘mean equivalent isotropically radiated power (e.i.r.p)’ means
e.i.r.p. during the transmission burst which corresponds to
the highest power, if power control is implemented.

Article 3

1. Member States shall, not later than six months after entry
into force of this Decision, designate the frequency band 5 875-
5 905 MHz for Intelligent Transport Systems and, as soon as
reasonably practicable following such designation, make that
frequency band available on a non-exclusive basis.

Such designation shall be in compliance with the parameters set
out in the Annex.

2.
By way of derogation from paragraph 1, Member States
may request transitional periods and/or radio spectrum-sharing
arrangements, pursuant to Article 4(5) of the Radio Spectrum
Decision.

Article 4

Member States shall keep the use of the 5 875-5 905 MHz
band under
to the
and report
Commission to allow for a review of this Decision if necessary.

findings

scrutiny

their

L 220/26

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

15.8.2008

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Article 5

Done at Brussels, 5 August 2008.

For the Commission

Viviane REDING
Member of the Commission

ANNEX

Technical parameters for safety related applications of Intelligent Transport Systems in the 5 875-5 905 MHz
band

Parameter

Value

Maximum spectral power density (mean e.i.r.p.)

23 dBm/MHz

Maximum total transmit power (mean e.i.r.p.)

33 dBm

Channel access and occupation rules

Techniques to mitigate interference that provide at least
equivalent performance to the techniques described in
harmonised standards adopted under Directive 1999/5/EC
must be used. These require a transmitter power control
(TPC) range of at least 30 dB.