Assessing the electronic communications sector
Transcript of Assessing the electronic communications sector
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EBRD Communications Sector Assessment ConferenceTbilisi, Georgia, 29 May 2009 – Cindy van den Boogert
Assessing the electronic communications sector
The EU experience
Cindy van den Boogert
Information Society and Media DG
International Relations officer
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EBRD Communications Sector Assessment ConferenceTbilisi, Georgia, 29 May 2009 – Cindy van den Boogert
Agenda
• Background EU regulatory frameworkLiberalisation, competition, harmonisation
• Essential features-remove market entry barriers -rebalancing, cost orientation-competitive safeguards-independent regulatory authority-implementation monitoring
• EU successes-investments, innovation, consumers
• Co-operation• Conclusions
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EBRD Communications Sector Assessment ConferenceTbilisi, Georgia, 29 May 2009 – Cindy van den Boogert
Personal background
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EBRD Communications Sector Assessment ConferenceTbilisi, Georgia, 29 May 2009 – Cindy van den Boogert
EU regulatory framework
Timeline1998 - 2003 - 2009/10?
• Liberalisation: transition from monopoly to full competition: creating the conditions for effective competition market (level playing field), with benefits for the consumer
• Convergence of telecommunications, media and information technology, technology neutrality
• Application of competition law principles
• Increase level of harmonisation; predictability of rules
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EBRD Communications Sector Assessment ConferenceTbilisi, Georgia, 29 May 2009 – Cindy van den Boogert
Objectives
• EU-wide: recognition of the potential for growth, competitiveness and job creation of the shift to a digital knowledge- based economy (Lisbon
strategy, i2010 initiative) – economy
• Greater choice, better tariffs and innovative
services for users – consumer
• Harmonisation: similar rules with same objectives in all EU Member States: leading to legal certainty
and predictability – economy, consumer
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EBRD Communications Sector Assessment ConferenceTbilisi, Georgia, 29 May 2009 – Cindy van den Boogert
Essential features
• No market entry barriers
• Tariff rebalancing and tariff cost orientation
• Competitive safeguards
• Independence of regulatory authorities
• Implementation (monitoring)
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EBRD Communications Sector Assessment ConferenceTbilisi, Georgia, 29 May 2009 – Cindy van den Boogert
Market entry barriers
• Cross subsidisation
– >Tariff rebalancing needed
• competitive start for incumbent
• Fair competition for new entrants
• Individual licences
• High fees
• Unnecessary administrative burden
– > Move to authorisation or notification
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EBRD Communications Sector Assessment ConferenceTbilisi, Georgia, 29 May 2009 – Cindy van den Boogert
Competitive safeguards
• Cost orientation; efficient operator
• Network Access, interconnection (RIO), Carrier (pre-)selection, leased lines
• Significant market power, market definition/analysis
• Number portability
• Local loop unbundling
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EBRD Communications Sector Assessment ConferenceTbilisi, Georgia, 29 May 2009 – Cindy van den Boogert
National regulatory authority
• Independence;• Functional separation
• Sufficient Resources and expertise
• Free from political interference; ensuring impartiality, (legal) clarity, reliability and transparency
• Nomination procedures, salaries
• Pro-active approach
• Market Monitoring
• Transparency, Consultations
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EBRD Communications Sector Assessment ConferenceTbilisi, Georgia, 29 May 2009 – Cindy van den Boogert
Other ‘essentials’
• Ex-ante regulation
• ONP regulation for market opening (1998)
• Move to competition law concepts (2003)
• Co-operation between relevant national authorities
• Appeal procedures
• Universal service
• Consumer protection
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EBRD Communications Sector Assessment ConferenceTbilisi, Georgia, 29 May 2009 – Cindy van den Boogert
Implementation monitoring (I)
• EU Member States
– Infringement procedures
– Implementation report
• Regulatory developments and market data collection
• Future EU Member States
– Monitoring report
– Commitments in bilateral agreements
– Political pressure - assistance
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EBRD Communications Sector Assessment ConferenceTbilisi, Georgia, 29 May 2009 – Cindy van den Boogert
Implementation monitoring (II)
Monitoring report -future EU Member States
• Covering electronic communications and also information society services
• Market data, regulatory developments
• Enlargement countries (8)
• Reporting exercise – comparable to EU implementation report
• Comparative report (cross country tables, country chapters)
• 4 reports in 3 years
• Cullen International
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EBRD Communications Sector Assessment ConferenceTbilisi, Georgia, 29 May 2009 – Cindy van den Boogert
Implementation monitoring (III)
• Neighbourhood countries
– Through bilateral agreements with EU
– Through meetings
– Through assistance
• Co-operation with EBRD
– Similar objectives towards liberalisation and competition, mostly similar interests
– Working closely together, i.e. technical assistance
– Regular exchange of information between EBRD and EC on state of play countries of operations
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EBRD Communications Sector Assessment ConferenceTbilisi, Georgia, 29 May 2009 – Cindy van den Boogert
EU successes (I)
Policy (i2010 – ‘Lisbon’ strategy) and
legislation (regulatory framework) both in place and implemented - priority
• Putting EU in a globally competitive position –implementation competitive safeguards, NRA!
• Harmonisation, consumer protection
• Ensure investment and innovation
• Broadband development
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EBRD Communications Sector Assessment ConferenceTbilisi, Georgia, 29 May 2009 – Cindy van den Boogert
EU successes (II)
• Consumers have choice
• Tariffs have come down
• Innovative services
• Increased investments!
EU Member States with most successes in terms of investments:
• Policy priority
• Good regulation
• Pro-active independent NRA
• Focus on infrastructure investment (in long run)
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EBRD Communications Sector Assessment ConferenceTbilisi, Georgia, 29 May 2009 – Cindy van den Boogert
Regional co-operation between regulators (I)
• European Regulators Group (ERG): to ensure a harmonised approach within EU
• The EU encourages regional co-operation and integration to promote the introduction of pro-competitive and harmonised legislation
• Enlargement countries:
• Contacts within reporting exercise
• Candidate countries are observers to ERG and committees
• Regional assistance, i.e. workshops to prepare region for implementation of EU regulatory framework: working together with interested EU Member State regulatory authorities
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EBRD Communications Sector Assessment ConferenceTbilisi, Georgia, 29 May 2009 – Cindy van den Boogert
Regional co-operation between regulators (II)
The EU encourages regulatory co-operation in the
following regions:
• Very successful common projects carried out by the Latin American regulators (REGULATEL) and ERG since 2001
• EMERG – the Euromed Group of Regulators (EMERG): 6 ERG Members and 9 Mediterranean Partners joined forces by setting up a network in 2008 that aims to facilitate the sharing of information and experience
• EU/ITU support under preparation for several African networks of regulators 2010-2013
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EBRD Communications Sector Assessment ConferenceTbilisi, Georgia, 29 May 2009 – Cindy van den Boogert
Regional co-operation between regulators (III)
In the context of the Eastern Partnership Initiative (EaP,May 2009, covering AR, AZ, BE, GE, MD, UKR)
• Proposal for discussion: the creation of a Group of Regulators from ERG Members and EaP Countries
• Potential objectives:- to promote the adoption of regulations harmonised with the EU framework- to facilitate exchange of information and expertise by benchmarking studies, regional workshops, a common website, etc-encourage the use of bilateral assistance mechanisms (Twinning, TAIEX workshops)
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EBRD Communications Sector Assessment ConferenceTbilisi, Georgia, 29 May 2009 – Cindy van den Boogert
Conclusions (I)
Key to success:
– Independent regulatory authority
– Good regulation and a pro-active competitive ands predictable approach to implementation
– Co-operation, harmonisation
> Market players will have interest andconfidence – favourable investment climate> Consumers will benefit
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EBRD Communications Sector Assessment ConferenceTbilisi, Georgia, 29 May 2009 – Cindy van den Boogert
Conclusions (II)
• In short: the EU experience supports the main conclusions of the EBRD communications sector assessment report:
1. The legal and regulatory environment is an important determinant of overall investment and market effectiveness
2. A sector specific regulatory authority can add to that success
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EBRD Communications Sector Assessment ConferenceTbilisi, Georgia, 29 May 2009 – Cindy van den Boogert
Thank you
Cindy van den Boogert
European Commission
Information society and Media DG
+32 2 2992646
cindy.van-den-boogert@
ec.europa.eu