Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2009-05-05-Speech-2-012"
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"en.20090505.3.2-012"2
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"Madam President, this was a real model of cooperation between the different parties represented here, between the shadows, the rapporteurs, the Czech Presidency and all our collaborators, and I congratulate them on their great work.
I have to make two declarations in response to points raised by parliamentarians. The first one clarifies that the Commission will promote a wide debate on the scope of universal service and will come forward with early proposals as necessary. The second states that the Commission will start work without delay to consult widely and make proposals relating to the extension of data breach notification requirements in other sectors.
The other document on the table is the GSM Directive. Here the Commission can fully support the changes aimed at clarifying the frequency bands to be covered by the amending directive. I just want to underline that this directive alone leads to cutback savings of up to EUR 1.6 billion for the mobile sector, which shows very clearly that Parliament is managing to put on the table an equilibrium of decisions – decisions for the sake of the economy, decisions for the sake of the industry, decisions for the sake of the consumers. All this together is a very good package in the interests of Europe.
The Commission takes note of the text of recital (3a) agreed by the European Parliament and the Council.
The Commission wishes in this context to reaffirm that, as stated in its Communication COM (2008) 572 of 25 September 2008 on the scope of universal service in electronic communications networks and services, it will in the course of 2009 promote an extensive debate at EU level that will examine a wide range of alternative approaches and allow all interested parties to express their views.
The Commission will summarise the debate in a Communication addressed to the European Parliament and Council and will bring forward by 1 May 2010 such proposals in regard to the Universal Service Directive as may be necessary.
The reform of the Regulatory Framework for Electronic Communications introduces a new concept to EU data protection and privacy rules: a mandatory notification of personal data breaches by providers of electronic communications services and networks. It is an important step towards enhanced security and privacy protection, although at this stage it remains limited to the electronic communications sector.
The Commission takes note of the will of the European Parliament that an obligation to notify personal data breaches should not be limited to the electronic communications sector but also apply to entities such as providers of information society services. Such an approach would be fully aligned with the overall public policy goal of enhancing the protection of EU citizens’ personal data, and their ability to take action in the event of such data being compromised.
That great work is a result of the agreement that is on the table today after the Commission put the package on the table in 2007. The results include new consumer rights, such as the right to switch phone operators in one working day, the establishment of a European telecoms authority, more interdependence for national telecom regulators, measures to ensure that Europeans can be connected to broadband Internet, the opening of radio spectrum for use by new wireless services, the new instrument of functional separation to boost competition and broaden consumer choice, a clear pro-competitive rule for investment in high-speed broadband networks, better rights and new guarantees for consumers, mechanisms to address data breaches, and so on and so forth. Those are very important new measures for a sector that is worth more than EUR 300 billion in revenues and that is leading Europe’s global lead in mobile phones and high-speed Internet.
In this context, the Commission wishes to reaffirm its view, as stated in the course of the negotiations on the reform of the Regulatory Framework, that the obligation for providers of publicly available electronic communications services to notify personal data breaches makes it appropriate to extend the debate to generally applicable breach notification requirements.
The Commission will, therefore, without delay initiate the appropriate preparatory work, including consultation with stakeholders by 2011, with a view to presenting proposals in this area, as appropriate. In addition, the Commission will consult with the Article 29 Working Party and the European Data Protection Supervisor on the potential for the application in other sectors of the principles embodied in the data breach notification rules in Directive 2002/58/EC, regardless of the sector or type of data concerned.
I would like to underline that if Parliament votes for this package it has to be implemented into national law by 2010 and the new telecoms authority will come into existence by this summer. The vote of the European Parliament is very good news for consumers all over Europe. With roaming we have provided a remedy for a symptom resulting from the lack of a single European telecoms market. Now the reform goes to the heart of the problem; it paves the way for a true single market for telecoms operators and consumers alike. It is very important for our industry.
The legislative text will provide a stable legal framework, which supports investment and innovation and provides the regulatory consistency the industry needs to plan business strategies for the future. This is very important at a time of economic turmoil because here, at this time, we have to maximise the contribution of this sector to the productivity and growth of the economy as a whole. I must say very clearly that Parliament has not shirked its responsibilities in the face of this challenge.
The economy is very important also for consumers. Therefore, I just want to say that access to emergency services, fewer barriers to switching operators in one day, privacy, where personal data is concerned – all this has found a solution.
I welcome Parliament’s strengthening of the rules concerning the use of cookies and similar devices. Not only will Internet users be better informed about what happens to their personal data but it will also become easier for them to exercise control over their personal information in practice. I welcome the endorsement for the mandatory notification of personal data breaches. This is the first time an obligation of this kind has been introduced at European level.
I welcome also – and Parliament has always supported this – the fact that disabled people will have a stronger position. I welcome most of all that now consumers will benefit from guarantees in relation to privacy, freedom of expression and access to information. All of this together – whether through the adoption of harmonisation measures or through greater supervision of remedies chosen by national regulators – will ensure greater consistency in the internal market and will help the new authority which will play a key role in this process, bringing together the expertise and the experience of 27 national regulators and breaking down the remaining obstacles of a truly borderless Europe.
I am very glad that Parliament has played an important role in enhancing the role of the multiannual spectrum policy programmes, which will be proposed by the Commission, and for the first time Parliament will have a say in this. For this purpose, we will, before the Better Regulation Directive comes into practice, modify the Commission decisions on the Radio Spectrum Policy Group in order to allow this policy group to report directly to the Council and to Parliament.
I also welcome Parliament’s support for the principles of technology and service neutrality and for agreeing to the possibility of harmonising the frequency bands where usage rights can be traded. All this will be essential for the investment in the next-generation networks and for the return on investment, taking due account of the risks involved. This will be very important also to guide the Commission when it comes out with more detailed regulatory guidance on the next-generation access."@en1
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"Commission declaration"1
"on data breach notification (Article 2(h) and 4(3) - ePrivacy Directive)"1
"on universal service (Recital 3a)"1
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