Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions - Transforming the digital dividend into social benefits and economic growth {SEC(2009) 1436} {SEC(2009) 1437}
Date: 2009-10-28
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: broadcasting, communications policy, digital technology, high-definition television, radio telecommunications, transmission network, waveband

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COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 28.10.2009 
COM(2009) 586 final 

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN 
PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL 
COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS 

Transforming the digital dividend into social benefits and economic growth 

{SEC(2009) 1436} 
{SEC(2009) 1437} 

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COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN 
PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL 
COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS 

Transforming the digital dividend into social benefits and economic growth 

(Text with EEA relevance) 

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

6. 

It is time for action at EU level on the digital dividend ............................................... 3 

Steps towards a common goal...................................................................................... 4 

Urgent action to unleash initial benefits....................................................................... 6 

Measures requiring a strategic decision ....................................................................... 7 

Looking forward to further improvements in the use of the digital dividend.............. 9 

Conclusion.................................................................................................................. 10 

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1. 

IT IS TIME FOR ACTION AT EU LEVEL ON THE DIGITAL DIVIDEND 

The switchover from analogue to digital terrestrial TV in Europe will free up highly valuable 
radio  frequencies  due  do  the  greater  efficiency  of  digital  broadcasting  transmission.  This 
‘digital dividend’ has great potential for the provision of a wide range of services, as the radio 
signals  in  this  range  travel  far  and  equipment  can  be  easily  used  indoors.  It  represents  a 
unique opportunity for Europe to meet the growing demand for radio spectrum, particularly to 
provide wireless broadband to rural areas, thereby bridging the digital divide, and to stimulate 
the take-up of new wireless services such as the next generation of mobile broadband, as well 
as  to  support  the  development  of  terrestrial  broadcasting.  It  can  therefore  contribute 
significantly to the Lisbon goals of competitiveness and economic growth and satisfy some of 
the important social, cultural and economic needs of European citizens. 

The digital  dividend spectrum1 will become available throughout Europe within a  relatively 
short space of time, as all Member States should complete the switch-off of analogue TV by 
2012  at  the  latest2.  It  is  essential  that  this  window  of  opportunity  is  used  to  ensure  an 
appropriate level of coordination in the European Union to reap the full social and economic 
benefits  possible  from  access  to  this  spectrum,  and  to  provide  a  clear  EU  roadmap  for 
Member  States  moving  ahead  at  different  speeds  as  a  result  of  differing  national 
circumstances. 

In this Communication, therefore, the Commission outlines a set of proposals for a common 
approach  to  the  digital  dividend  in  Europe,  so  that  immediate  progress  can  be  made  on  the 
urgent  challenges  while  allowing  for  adequate  preparation  for  the  key  strategic  and  longer-
term  issues  that  must  be  decided  together.  It  builds  on  the  Commission  Communication  of 
2007 on the digital dividend3, which set out the need for such a common approach, as well as 
the  Council  Conclusions4  and  the  European  Parliament  Resolution5  adopted  in  response  to 
that initial policy initiative. 

The economic crisis has clearly underlined the urgency of moving ahead on these proposals, 
in particular to make sufficient radio spectrum available for wireless communications. These 
technologies  and  services  currently  represent  the  most  vibrant  link  in  the  technological 
innovation chain, and are essential to achieve further efficiency gains and cost savings in the 
broader economy. They are thus a key driver for economic recovery.  

The  Commission  has  recognised  the  importance  of  high-speed  broadband  infrastructure  for 
many  of  the  developments  that  are  crucial  to  the  transition  to  a  knowledge-intensive,  low-
carbon digital economy6. Already, the Economic Recovery Plan7, which has been endorsed by 
the Council, has set a target of 100 % broadband coverage to be achieved between 2010 and 
20138. In this process, wireless applications have a key role to play, in particular in providing 

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Arising in the part of the UHF band (470-862 MHz) where most terrestrial broadcasting is transmitted. 
Five  Member  States  have  already  switched  to  digital:  Germany,  Finland,  Luxembourg,  Sweden,  the 
Netherlands. Substantial parts of two other Member States have also done so: Belgium and Austria. 
COM(2007) 700 on ‘Reaping the full benefits of the digital dividend in Europe: A common approach to 
the use of the spectrum released by the digital switchover’. 
Council Conclusions, 12 June 2008. 
European Parliament Resolution, 24 September 2008 [2008/2099(INI)]. 
See for example, COM(2006) 129; Commission Communication on bridging the Broadband Gap. 
COM(2008) 800; see also Presidency Conclusions, European Council, Brussels, 12 December 2008. 
Competitiveness Council Key Issues Paper, March 2009. 

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wireless broadband services to rural areas where wired infrastructure is impractical, as well as 
in stimulating the take-up of mobile broadband among all categories of citizens. In practice, 
the necessary spectrum resources can only be mobilised by giving early access to the digital 
dividend,  as  this  is  the  best  and  largest  amount  of  spectrum  that  will  become  effectively 
available in Europe in the foreseeable future. 

The  opening  of  the  digital  dividend  spectrum  for  different  services  creates  an  opportunity 
particularly  for  wireless  broadband  network  operators  to  gain  valuable  radio  spectrum.  This 
would allow for more effective competition in the provision of broadband services.9 

Increasing  spectrum  resources  will  also  create  new  opportunities  for  innovation.  The  most 
obvious opportunities for innovation are in broadcasting, as the digital dividend offers large 
amounts  of  spectrum  for  broadcasters  to  develop  their  services.  There  will  also  be  ample 
opportunities  in  service-oriented  sectors,  providing  significant  social  benefits  such  as  health 
care, e-learning or e-government, e-accessibility and in areas where small and medium-sized 
enterprises can take advantage of better access to the economy.  
According to a recent Commission study10, appropriate European coordination of the digital 
dividend spectrum as a whole, if achieved before 2015, would increase its potential economic 
impact  by  an  additional  EUR  20  to  50  billion  over  15  years,  depending  principally  on  the 
actual  level  of  future  demand  for  services  such  as  advanced  terrestrial  broadcasting  and 
wireless broadband. 

Policy makers are now fully aware of the advantage of seizing this opportunity in a time of 
economic recovery. The debate in Europe on how to create synergies between Member States 
and how to ensure efficient spectrum coordination has accelerated over the last few months, 
and it is time to act together without delay. 

2. 

STEPS TOWARDS A COMMON GOAL  

2.1. 

Preparatory steps at EU policy level 

Early steps 

In 2005 the Commission identified the release of the digital dividend in Europe as a spectrum 
policy  priority,  in  its  Communication  on  the  ITU’s  Regional  Radiocommunication 
Conference  (RRC-06)11.  The  Commission  later  called  for  efforts  to  be  made  at  the  World 
Radiocommunication  Conference  (WRC-07)12  to  give  mobile  services  the  same  status  as 
broadcasting  services,  a  goal  that  was  partially  achieved13.  In  November  2007,  the 
Commission  followed  up  with  a  key  Communication  outlining  the  need  for,  and  possible 
approaches to, achieving appropriate EU coordination14. 

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The procedures for assignment of radio frequencies should be objective, transparent, non-discriminatory 
and proportionate to avoid competitive distortions, particularly from uneven spectrum allocation. 
Commission study ‘A European approach to the digital dividend’ September 2009, conducted by 
Analysys Mason, DotEcon and Hogan&Hartson. . http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/policy/
ecomm/radio_spectrum/documents/studies/index_en.htm#digitaldividend2009 
COM(2005)  461  on  EU  spectrum  policy  priorities  for  the  digital  switchover  in  the  context  of  the 
upcoming Regional Radiocommunication Conference 2006 (RRC-06). 
COM(2007) 371 on the preparation of the World Radio Conference 2007. 
Several Member States have made use of a mechanism allowing them to use the 790-862 MHz band for 
mobile communications services, in anticipation of a shared allocation with broadcasting services that 
will enter into force generally in 2015. 
COM(2007) 700. 

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Technical preparation under the auspices of the CEPT 

In  line  with  the  EU’s  policy  framework,  the  Commission  requested,  through  a  formal 
mandate, technical input from the Member States’  experts in  the  CEPT15. In its response to 
the  Commission,  the  CEPT  provided  the  essential  technical  elements  necessary  for  the  co-
existence  of  bidirectional  low/medium-power  networks  (e.g.  for  wireless  broadband)  and 
traditional  high-power  broadcasting  networks  in  the  digital  dividend  spectrum.  This  led  to 
further preparatory work on the technical harmonisation of the 790-862 MHz sub-band. 

Commission study on socio-economic aspects 

In order to understand the social and economic impact of the potential uses that can be made 
of  the  digital  dividend  under  different  scenarios,  the  Commission  conducted  a  large-scale 
study to analyse and evaluate the various social and economic aspects by applying appropriate 
economic models16. The results of the study have been a key input in the development of the 
proposals included in this Communication. 

Extensive consultations  

The Commission has consulted with a wide range of interested stakeholders in different ways, 
including  stakeholder  interviews  by  consultants,  a  formal  stakeholders’  hearing,  two 
dedicated  Member  State  workshops,  consultation  of  the  Radio  Spectrum  Policy  Group,  and 
finally a public consultation on the current proposals17. 

2.2. 

An EU roadmap as a practical way forward 

In  practical  terms,  it  is  proposed  to  achieve  the  necessary  coordination  by  agreeing  on  a 
common ‘EU roadmap’ for implementing a set of agreed actions. A large part of these actions 
should  concentrate  on  further  increasing  the  size  and  quality  of  the  digital  dividend  beyond 
what  can  be  achieved  individually  by  Member  States.  In  addition,  the  plans  need  to  be 
sufficiently flexible to accommodate national specificities, especially considering the different 
legacy  situations  with  respect  to  terrestrial  broadcasting.  At  the  same  time,  the  roadmap 
should  foster  long-term  convergence  between  different  national  approaches,  with  a  view  to 
supporting innovation, benefiting consumers, strengthening the single market, and increasing 
EU competitiveness. 

2.3. 

Endorsement by the European Parliament and Council 

Some of the important choices to be made in terms of EU priorities for the digital dividend are 
fundamentally  of  a  political  nature.  Therefore,  it  will  be  important  for  the  European 
Parliament and the Council to be fully involved in both the preparation and the main decisions 
concerning  the  strategic  parts  of  the  roadmap.  The  digital  dividend  spectrum  represents  a 
major  opportunity  to  introduce  a  more  flexible  spectrum  management  approach,  so  the 
proposals in this Communication will be an important input for the development of a strategic 
approach to spectrum policy.  

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Commission  mandate  to  CEPT  on  technical  considerations  regarding  harmonisation  options  for  the 
digital dividend in the European Union. 
More information can be found at http://www.analysysmason.com/EC_digital_dividend_study. 
Summary 
http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/policy/ecomm/radio_spectrum/topics/reorg/
pubcons_digdiv_200907/index_en.htm. 

available 

at: 

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The Commission intends to rely on the future radio spectrum policy programme, as set out in 
the  draft  reform  of  the  regulatory  framework  for  electronic  communications18,  which  is 
expected  to  be  adopted  in  the  coming  months,  as  the  means  to  secure  endorsement  by  the 
European Parliament and the Council of the main strategic elements in the future EU roadmap 
concerning the digital dividend. 

2.4.  Moving ahead — the Commission proposals for action 

The  Commission’s  proposals,  set  out  below,  distinguish  clearly  between  those  actions  for 
which  considerable  support  already  exists,  and  which  must  be  taken  now  to  address  the 
immediate  policy  objectives  of  economic  growth  and  bridging  the  digital  divide,  and  to 
provide  clarity  to  Member  States  in  the  vanguard  in  the  switch  to  digital,  and  those  actions 
that require discussion and agreement with the European Parliament and Council. 

3. 

URGENT ACTION TO UNLEASH INITIAL BENEFITS 

To  ensure  that  the  digital  dividend  can  contribute  effectively  and  in  a  timely  manner  to  the 
EU’s economic recovery efforts, and to maximise consumer benefits, two key actions should 
be undertaken  urgently. The  aim is  also  to prevent the emergence of a fragmented situation 
among  Member  States  that  would  hamper  the  establishment  of  a  single  market  for  services 
and equipment and the significant economies of scale that this represents, without prejudging 
the  outstanding  strategic  policy  decisions  that  should  be  taken  by  the  European  Parliament 
and  the  Council.  These  urgent  actions  are  the  subject  of  the  Commission  Recommendation 
‘Facilitating the release of the digital dividend in the European Union’19. 

3.1. 

Achieving complete switch-off of analogue TV by 2012 

The strategic decision to phase out analogue broadcasting has already been taken, but, despite 
previous  political  commitments  to  the  EU  target  date  of  2012,  the  actual  date  for  complete 
switch-off  in  Europe  remains  uncertain.  As  the  digital  dividend  will  only  become  fully 
available  after  the  switch-off  of  analogue  broadcasting,  it  is  crucial  to  ensure  the  timely 
completion of this process in all Member States. 

Member States which have not yet completed the digital switchover are requested to reaffirm 
their commitment to the effective switch-off of analogue TV broadcasting by accepting an EU 
target date of 1 January 2012, and to complete all the necessary preparatory measures. 

3.2. 

Providing  a  template  for  coherent  opening  of  the  790-862  MHz  sub-band  for 
electronic  communications  services  by  adopting  harmonised 
technical 
conditions of use 

A number of Member States20 are already, or will be shortly, in a position to decide to open 
the 790-862 MHz sub-band to electronic communications services. Given that Member States 
are  under  increasing  pressure  to  take  action,  failure  to  provide  a  Community  template  for  a 

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Article 8a(3) (provisional numbering) of the draft revised Framework Directive. 
Commission Recommendation adopted in conjunction with this Communication. 
At  the  last  count:  Austria,  the  Czech  Republic,  Finland,  France,  Germany,  Spain,  Sweden,  the 
Netherlands and the United Kingdom. 

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coordinated approach as a matter of urgency would risk fragmentation in the internal market 
and loss of the economies of scale that might otherwise be obtained. 

The Commission intends to submit to the Radio Spectrum Committee (RSC) pursuant to the 
Radio Spectrum Decision21 a draft EC decision on the technical harmonisation of the 790-862 
MHz  sub-band  for  regulatory  opinion  by  the  end  of  2009.  The  decision  would  not  oblige  a 
Member  State  to  open  the  sub-band  for  new  uses  other  than  broadcasting  uses,  but  if  and 
when  a  Member  State  so  decides,  it  would  then  have  to  follow  the  common  technical 
parameters.  

This is in line with the position of the Radio Spectrum Policy Group (RSPG), set out in detail 
in its Opinion on the digital dividend22, which recommends that the Commission act swiftly to 
support the availability of the upper part of the digital dividend (790-862 MHz sub-band) on a 
neutral  basis  for  electronic  communications  services.  The  RSPG  further  advises  that  the 
Commission  should  make  its  final  proposal  regarding  this  sub-band  at  the  latest  by  31 
October  2009  in  order  to  give  sufficient  time  to  stakeholders  to  plan  investments  and 
complete the necessary technical preparation before the actual analogue switch-off in 201223. 

It is essential that Member States support regulatory efforts towards harmonised conditions of 
use  of  the  790-862  MHz  sub-band  and  refrain  from  any  action  that  would  hinder  the 
application of the technical harmonisation measure being planned at EU level. 

The  necessary  technical  preparations  for  making  the  sub-band  available  should  include 
appropriate  arrangements  to  avoid  disruption  to  existing  services  and  the  operation  of 
equipment. 

4. 

MEASURES REQUIRING A STRATEGIC DECISION 

Certain measures necessary to reap the full benefits of the digital dividend involve important 
political rather than technical choices, and therefore require that the European Parliament and 
the  Council  are  fully  involved  in  setting  the  required  strategic  orientations.  This  can  be 
achieved  through  the  framework  provided  by  the  forthcoming  spectrum  policy  programme 
that should also be an integral part of the future European Digital Agenda24.  

4.1. 

Adoption of a common EU position with a view to more effective cross-border 
coordination with non-EU countries 

The  future  use  of  the  UHF  band  in  third  countries  bordering  the  EU  is  of  fundamental 
importance  as  it  will  influence  the  way  the  digital  dividend  can  be  used  in  Member  States 
affected  by  cross-border  interference.  It  will  also  influence  other  Member  States  through  a 
‘knock-on’ effect. Action by neighbouring third countries will also have an impact in terms of 

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on 

Opinion 

Decision  No  676/2002/EC  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  of  7  March  2002  on  a 
regulatory framework for radio spectrum policy in the European Community. 
RSPG 
http://rspg.groups.eu.int/rspg_opinions/index_en.htm 
This  includes coordination  to  free  the  sub-band  of  its  current  use for  high-power broadcasting  and  to 
organise its assignment so as to ensure proper conditions conducive to innovative uses, such as wireless 
broadband. 
See President J.M. Barroso (2009) "Political Guidelines for the Next Commission" 
http://ec.europa.eu/commission_barroso/president/pdf/press_20090903_EN.pdf 

September 

dividend, 

digital 

2009. 

the 

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the  economies  of  scale  and  scope  that  can  be  achieved  in  the  wider  region  with  regard  to 
future innovative services. 

Against this background, the forthcoming World Radio Conference (WRC) in early 2012 will 
be decisive in terms of influencing future strategic directions to be taken in third countries. It 
is therefore important that Member States show commitment to the digital dividend policy at 
international level by defending a common EU position on key objectives. 

The adoption of a common EU position on key aspects of the digital dividend for the WRC 
negotiations, supported by the European Parliament and Council, would greatly improve the 
EU’s effectiveness in ensuring support for its standpoint. 

In addition, the Commission could provide assistance to Member States in their negotiations 
with non-EU countries on a bilateral or multilateral basis25. 

4.2. 

Achieving  the  EU-wide  opening  of  the  790-862  MHz  sub-band  to  electronic 
communications services 

The  Commission  study  analysed  how  economic  outcomes  and  costs/benefits  vary  under  a 
combination of scenarios for spectrum supply and demand26 over a period of 15 years, starting 
in 2012. This showed that opening up one part of the digital dividend — the 790-862 MHz 
sub-band — to wireless broadband services by 2015, in all Member States and under common 
conditions of use, would generate an added value27 compared to individual national initiatives 
of at least EUR 17 billion and up to EUR 44 billion depending on the pace of development of 
wireless broadband services in this sub-band28. 

For  this  reason,  the  study  identified  the  opening  of  the  790-862  MHz  sub-band,  which  is 
already  under  consideration  in  several  Member  States,  as  the  most  pragmatic  way  to  gain 
immediate benefits from the digital dividend. It is also why the Commission is proposing to 
adopt  an  urgent  technical  measure  on  that  particular  sub-band.  However,  this  technical 
harmonisation decision will not oblige Member States to withdraw high-power broadcasting 
transmitters or to open up the sub-band to electronic communications services, due to the need 
to  take  account  of  the  differing  situations  regarding  terrestrial  broadcasting  in  the  Member 
States. 

To  realise  the  full  benefits  of  EU  harmonisation,  the  Commission  could  propose  to  the 
European Parliament and Council that Member States cease using the 790-862 MHz sub-band 
for  high-power  broadcasting  services  and  fully  implement  the  EU  technical  harmonisation 
decision by a certain date to be agreed at EU level. 

Another benefit of setting a deadline for making the sub-band available to new services is that 
it  would  avoid  a  situation  where  Member  States  that  have  not  cleared  the  sub-band  of 

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See  also  the  RSPG  Opinion  on  ‘Spectrum  issues  at  outer  EU  borders’,  RSPG08-232  19  June  2008. 
http://rspg.ec.europa.eu/_documents/documents/meeting/rspg16/rspg08232_finalopinion_outereuborders.pdf 
Three  spectrum  supply  and  six  spectrum  demand  scenarios  (with  varying  forecasts  for  demand  for 
broadcasting  and  wireless  broadband  services  over  time)  were  compared  to  a  reference  scenario 
representing the outcome in the absence of European-level coordination. 
Net incremental private value (net present value accrued over 15 years). 
These figures represent part of the estimated incremental value of coordinated EU action in the whole 
digital  dividend  spectrum  —  for  broadcasting  and  wireless  broadband  —  referred  to  in  Chapter  1. 
Details can be found in the Impact Assessment document, Section 5.4. 

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broadcasting transmissions hinder the effective deployment of new services in others due to 
cross-border interference, thus preventing full coverage of wireless broadband applications. 

4.3. 

Applying  a  minimum  level  of  spectrum  efficiency  regarding  future  uses  of  the 
digital dividend 

Digital dividend spectrum is a scarce and valuable public resource serving cultural, economic 
and social needs. Therefore it is important that all potential users have an incentive to ensure 
its  efficient  use,  although  it  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  this  may  entail  additional  costs  for 
investing in efficient technologies. This process could be greatly facilitated by agreeing on a 
minimum  level  for  the  efficient  use  of  spectrum  to  be  reached  by  any  user  of  the  digital 
dividend.  

To ensure that the best possible use is made of the digital dividend, and to create a coherent 
framework  for  specific  technical  measures  on  spectrum  efficiency,  common  minimum 
requirements  for  the  efficient  use  of  the  digital  dividend  across  all  applications  could  be 
adopted at EU level. 

In these times of severe financial constraints, achieving this goal will require a clear political 
commitment,  to  convince  all  interested  parties  of  the  collective  advantage  of  such  an 
initiative, as well as a clear plan for implementation. 

5. 

LOOKING  FORWARD  TO  FURTHER  IMPROVEMENTS  IN  THE  USE  OF  THE  DIGITAL 
DIVIDEND 

Dealing with the evolving nature of the digital dividend is a ‘dynamic’ process: developments 
in  technology,  services,  market  demand  and  societal  requirements  will  require  the  actions 
established under the roadmap to evolve in parallel. Besides the urgent and strategic actions 
that  are  presented  above,  there  are  also  more  forward-looking  initiatives  that  could  lead  to 
further  increases  in  the  potential  size  and  usability  of  the  digital  dividend  in  the  long  term. 
The  additional  capacity  that  could  be  obtained  would  allow  the  EU  to  face  up  to  future 
challenges,  such  as  a  sudden  increase  in  demand  for  spectrum  for  new,  and  by  definition 
unforeseen, applications. The long spectrum planning cycles demand that such initiatives be 
agreed well before they produce effects (typically 5 to 10 years ahead), and be preceded by an 
appropriate impact assessment as well as an analysis of their potential competitive impact. 

Among the most promising initiatives identified in the Commission study are: 

(1) 

(2) 

Promoting  collaboration  between  Member  States  to  share  future  broadcasting 
network  deployment  plans  (e.g.  migration  to  MPEG-4  or  DVB-T2).  EU 
cooperation  could  aim  to  set  target  dates  for  the  migration  of  networks  to  more 
spectrum-efficient standards and to produce common guidelines for implementation. 

Requiring that all digital TV receivers sold in the EU after a certain date (to be 
defined) are ready to operate with a digital transmission compression standard of 
the  new  generation  such  as  the  H264/MPEG-4  AVC  standard.  Such  equipment 
would also have to be ‘backward compatible’ with older standards to ensure continued 
reception  of  transmissions  using  the  legacy  standards.  Such  an  ambitious  measure, 
already  pioneered  in  France  and  planned  in  Spain,  would  generate  a  critical  mass  of 
high-performance  TV  equipment  in  Europe  and  accelerate  the  deployment  of  the 
related network infrastructures. 

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(3) 

(4) 

(5) 

(6) 

(7) 

Setting  a  minimum  standard  for  the  ability  of  digital  TV  receivers  to  resist 
interference  (immunity  to  interference).  Equipment  manufacturers  and  operators 
have been addressing for some time the need to ensure that electronic communications 
terminals and television receivers do not interfere with each other. While the technical 
parameters  governing  the  use  of  part  of  the  UHF  band  for  wireless  communications 
will prevent harmful interference to TV signals, a minimum standard for the ability of 
receivers to resist possible interference will guarantee a better quality of reception for 
consumers as well as reduce the cost of any interference protection measures that may 
be required of equipment operating in adjacent frequency bands.  

Considering  wider  deployment  of  Single  Frequency  Networks  (SFNs).  These 
networks  are  significantly  more  spectrum-efficient  as  they  can  cover  larger 
geographical areas without changing carrier frequencies, but their actual performance 
still needs to be assessed in practice. Member States could be requested to exchange 
their  experiences  with  SFN  deployment,  with  the  assistance  of  the  Radio  Spectrum 
Committee to gather and assess the information. 

Supporting research into ‘frequency-agile’ mobile communications systems. The 
development  of  such  systems  would  require  significant  investments  that  are  very 
challenging for individual manufacturers, but which could probably be achieved on a 
cooperative basis, possibly using Community funding. 

Ensuring  the  continuity  of  wireless  microphone  and  similar  applications  by 
identifying future harmonised frequencies. The objective would be to determine the 
best strategy to ensure an efficient ‘migration path’ for current users and producers of 
devices using the respective frequency bands, and could include further technical work 
by the CEPT29 under a mandate from the European Commission. 

Adopting  a  common  position  on  the  potential  use  of  the  ‘white  spaces’  as  a 
possible  digital  dividend.  Member  States  would  be  invited  to  cooperate  with  the 
Commission  in  examining  the  possibility  of  opening  up  the  ‘white  spaces’,  or 
interleaved  spectrum  unused  between  broadcasting  coverage  areas,  for  use  by 
cognitive radio equipment30 on the basis of a common set of technical requirements in 
Europe. 

6. 

CONCLUSION 

The Commission invites the European Parliament and the Council to give their views on these 
policy  proposals  for  a  coordinated  approach  to  the  digital  dividend.  After  having  taken  due 
account of the input from both institutions, the Commission intends to integrate elements of 
the  proposals  into  the  wider  spectrum  action  programme  to  be  submitted  in  2010  to  the 
European Parliament and the Council for adoption. 

In addition, and as a matter of urgency, the Commission will submit to the Radio Spectrum 
Committee for regulatory opinion its proposal for the technical harmonisation of the 790-862 
MHz sub-band for electronic communications services. 

29 
30 

European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations. 
Cognitive radio technologies allow radio equipment to identify frequencies that are not occupied by a 
primary user at a given moment, and to exploit them temporarily. 

EN 

10 

   EN 

                                                 
Finally, Member States will also be invited to report to the Commission, by mid-2010, on the 
progress made towards the timely switch-off of analogue broadcasting. 

EN 

11 

   EN