CELEX: 51997PC0101
Language: en
Date: 1997-03-05
Title: AMENDED PROPOSAL FOR A DECISION ON A COORDINATED AUTHORIZATION APPROACH IN THE FIELD OF SATELLITE PERSONAL-COMMUNICATION SERVICES IN THE COMMUNITY DIRECTIVE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
                                       Brussels, 05.03.1997
                                       COM(97)101 final
                                       95/0274 (COD)
            OPINION OF THE COMMISSION
    pursuant to Article 189 b (2) (d) of the EC Treaty,
         on the European Parliament's amendments
     to the Council's common position regarding the
                       proposal for a
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND COUNCIL DECISION
                    ON A COORDINATED
    AUTHORIZATION APPROACH IN THE FIELD OF SATELLITE
  PERSONAL-COMMUNICATION SERVICES IN THE COMMUNITY
 AMENDING THE PROPOSAL OF THE COMMISSION
      pursuant to Article 189 a (2) of the EC Treaty
 ---pagebreak---  ---pagebreak---  1.      BACKGROUND
On 8 November 1995 the Commission adopted a proposal for a European Parliament
and Council Decision on an action at a Union level in the field of
satellite personal communications services in the European Union (COM(95)529),
which was formally transmitted to the EP and the Council on 10 November 1995.
The Economic and Social Committee gave its opinion on 25 April 19961. The
European Parliament adopted a favourable opinion in its resolution at its first reading
on 19 June 1996, and proposed 22 amendments to the Commission proposal2.
On 14 October 1996 the Commission adopted a modified proposal in conformity with
Article 189A, paragraph 2 of the Treaty, incorporating most of the EP amendments
(COM(96)467)3.
On 9 December 1996 the Council, acting in accordance with Article 189 B, paragraph
2 of the Treaty, adopted a common position on the proposed Decision4. This common
position is based on a compromise proposal from the Presidency and deviates
substantially from the original Commission proposal.
In second reading, the European Parliament adopted on 20 February 1997 one
amendment to the common position.
2.       PURPOSE OF THE COMMISSION PROPOSAL
Within 2-4 years, a new generation of satellite systems will become operational,
offering mobile telecommunication services around the globe. The decision aims at
ensuring in a timely fashion the introduction of satellite personal communications
services (S-PCS) in the European Union by means of a co-ordinated action at a Union
level between Member States.
The proposal included the selection, where necessary, of satellite personal
communications space segment operators; adoption of common conditions to be
attached to authorisations for S-PCS space segment operators; the harmonisation of
1
     TRA/303, 18.4.96
2
    A4-0179/96, PV 19.06.96
3   Amended proposal fora EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND COUNCIL DECISION on a common
    framework fot the harmonised development of satellite personal communications services in the
    European Union /* COM/96/0467 FINAL - COD 95/0274 */ OFFICIAL JOURNAL NO. C 350 ,
    21/1 1/1996 P. 0014
    COMMON POSITION (EC) No 6/97 adopted by the Council on 9 December 1996 with a view
    to the adoption of Decision No .../97/EC of ... of the European Parliament and of the Council on
    a coordinated authorization approach in the field of satellite personal communication services in
    the Community OFFICIAL JOURNAL NO. C 041 , 10/02/1997 P. 0037
 ---pagebreak--- where required, appropriate measures for equipment circulation and use; and the
establishment of a dialogue and, where appropriate, negotiations between the
European Union and third countries in order to establish international co-operation to
promote the development of S-PCS and remove obstacles to their development.
3.       OPINION OF THE COMMISSION ON THE AMENDMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN
         PARLIAMENT
The Commission can accept, without changes, the amendment adopted by the
Parliament in second reading.
• The amendment proposes a realistic time schedule to avoid that adoption of the
   Decision would be later than finalisation of activities decided upon in the Decision
4.       MODIFIED PROPOSAL
On 9 December 1996 the Commission has adopted its opinion on the Common
Position of the Council with a view to the adoption of a decision of the European
Parliament and of the Council on a coordinated authorization approach in the field of
satellite personal-communication services in the community, by which it accepted the
revised text for the proposed Decision.
Following the second reading of the draft Decision by the European Parliament, the
Commission herewith modifies its proposal for a Decision including the amendment
which was adopted by the European Parliament on 20 February 1997.
 ---pagebreak---                         AMENDED PROPOSAL FOR
  A DECISION ON A COORDINATED AUTHORIZATION APPROACH IN THE FIELD OF
SATELLITE PERSONAL-COMMUNICATION SERVICES IN THE COMMUNITY DIRECTIVE
             OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL
                                 H
 ---pagebreak---                                                        Timetable
                                                (following amendment)
1997                                         1997
March/April Work on mandates on July                       Work on mandates on
            harmonization       for     the                 harmonization        for     the
            1.6/2.4 GHz                and                  1.6/2.4 GHz                 and
            1.9/2.1 GHz         frequency                   1.9/2.1 GHz          frequency
            bands                                           bands
March       One-stop-shopping                July           One-stop-shopping
            procedure     for     services                  procedure      for     services
            planning to operate in the                      planning to operate in the
            1.6/2.4 GHz                and                  1.6/2.4 GHz                 and
            1.9/2.1 GHz         frequency                   1.9/2.1 GHz          frequency
            bands                                           bands
March       Determination whether the July                  Determination whether the
            scarcity of frequencies in                      scarcity of frequencies in
            the     1.6/2.4 GHz        and                  the      1.6/2.4 GHz        and
            1.9/2.1 GHz         frequency                   1.9/2.1 GHz          frequency
            bands       represents         a                bands        represents         a
            constraint on the number                        constraint on the number
            of                     satellite                of                      satellite
            personal-communications                         personal-communications
            services which can be                           services which can be
            provided in those bands in                      provided in those bands in
            the Community                                   the Community
July        Harmonization                 of September      Harmonization             " of
            procedures        for       the                 procedures         for       the
            authorization of systems                        authorization of systems
            planning to operate in the                      planning to operate in the
            1.6/2.4 GHz                and                  1.6/2.4 GHz                 and
            1.9/2.1 GHz         frequency                    1.9/2.1 GHz         frequency
            bands.                                          bands.
 ---pagebreak---  ---pagebreak---                                                                   ISSN 0254-1475
                                                           C0M(97) 101 final
                                              DOCUMENTS
EN                                                                  15 06 10
                                    Catalogue number : CB-CO-97-085-EN-C
                                                             ISBN 92-78-16616-2
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