Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-05-17-Speech-3-263"
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"en.20000517.12.3-263"2
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"Commissioner Liikanen, ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of my Group, I would like to comment on the Alyssandrakis report on the Commission communication concerning radio spectrum policy. This communication and the report on the communication are amongst Parliament’s reports on the telecommunications sector, and they are all very closely linked. I could mention the report by Mrs Thors, which we are to vote on in the near future, and the reports by Mr van Velzen and Mr Paasilinna, who has just spoken, as well as that of Mr Alyssandrakis.
I would like to take this opportunity to again express my sincere thanks to the rapporteurs, shadow rapporteurs and those responsible within the groups, for the inter-group cooperation in this matter. Unlike grid-bound infrastructure, frequencies cannot be multiplied ad infinitum. As such, they should be treated as a special case. Radio spectrum policy is gaining in importance within the European Union, but also worldwide, in connection with new technologies – UMTS has been mentioned – but also in connection with the famous ‘making it through the last mile’, so as to create some movement in charges for local phone calls.
The granting of licences – whether by auction or by ‘beauty contest’ – is regulated, and as previous speakers have mentioned, the United Kingdom has had first experience of this and results are now available. Mr Paasilinna and Mr Alyssandrakis made reference to this. Auctions can lead to high prices. It is also suspected in Germany that high prices are achieved at auction. Several of my colleagues in my Group are concerned because they suspect that the high figures achieved at auctions, plus the investment that has to be made in this sector, will inevitably lead to the overall cost being passed on to consumers. This may well be the case. However, one thing I would point out is that even when the average weighted rate of VAT was introduced, the first mobile phones were expensive, and the charges were very high. However, increasing market penetration brought the prices down.
I believe we should appeal to the national governments to use the proceeds from the auctions held in these sectors for the implementation of the information society and for broadening the basis thereof in the Member States. This is a cue for me to mention the ‘Schools on-line’ or ‘Public administration and libraries on-line’ programme that we have called for repeatedly. I feel that the average EU citizen interested in using the Internet is bound to continue using PCs at home, in the library or in the office. I do not think they will be clamouring to be the first to use the UMTS equipment.
In addition, the proceeds from the auctions will be able to ease the burden on Member States’ budgets, which will – and I am digressing slightly from our specialist technical subject now – give politics renewed power to act. As such, I believe the governments are quite justified in receiving the proceeds. I hope that my fellow delegates will endorse Amendment No 8 tabled by my Group. Unfortunately, we are unable to support any of the others."@en1
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