The third meeting of the RSPG’s European Electronic Communications Code (RSPG EECC) working group (WG) was held last 30 August in Maisons-Alfort, France. This WG co-chaired by France (ANFR – Agence Nationale des Fréquences), Hungary (NMHH – National Media and Infocommunications Authority) and Germany (Ministry of Transportation and Digital Infrastructure) was set up early in the year to identify new tasks the RSPG should perform and propose actions needed to achieve them (for example, changes to the rules of procedure (RoP) and the decision establishing the RSPG, determination of new items to include in the working programme and adjustment of the peer review (PR) to the rules envisaged in the Code).
The group’s composition was kept very similar to that of its predecessor, tasked with following matters concerning spectrum in the scope of the review of the new regulatory framework, preparing the RSPG’s positions and fostering debate in the technical area with a view to coordinating positions at Council of the European Union (EU) level. The participants in this meeting included representatives from the European Commission (EC) and delegates from nine member states, among them Portugal (ANACOM).
At this third meeting, and based on the version of the Code agreed on at political level by the European Parliament and the Council in the trialogue last 5 June, the group continued to study the Code’s impact on the RSPG, namely the extension of its mandate.
Due to that work:
- thorough analysis of the Code’s articles which impact the RSPG was continued, the aim being to identify new tasks and the consequent need to modify the Commission decision creating the RSPG and/or this group’s RoP. Standing out among the new tasks are those concerning the strengthening of the good offices (cross-border coordination) and peer review (workshop for analysis by peers applicable to allocation processes for bands harmonised for mobile broadband);
- although subject to confirmation by the plenary meeting, it was decided that this analysis will be submitted to the next RSPG meeting in the form of a draft report (it could otherwise be in opinion form), by which that group will be asked for indications regarding certain open aspects. To help the EC in its task of reviewing the group’s decision and RoP, the final report on the subject must be finished in time for it to be approved at the RSPG plenary meeting in January 2019.
The next RSPG EECC meeting has been scheduled for this coming 6 November in Budapest. A videoconference meeting is to be held this 13 September to finish the draft report so it can be presented at the RSPG plenary meeting in October.
