Introduction to the Telecoms section[fr] 

"The telecoms package will adapt the existing framework to the Internet-driven convergence between telecom, computers and the media."- Information Society Commissioner Erkki Liikanen

Welcome to EurActiv's Telecoms section. This is a new 'section in progress' being developed and open to input. Every EurActiv Section consists of news, LinksDossiers, policy positions by EU Actors and analysis, discussion forums, and a topic-specific Update E-mail. This section will in first instance mainly focus on the following issues:

• Telecoms Liberalisation: focussing on the new telecommunications framework;
• Unbundling of the local loop: focussing on liberalisation of the 'the last mile' of the telecoms network, the copper cables that run from customers premises to the telephone exchange;
• Broadband: access is no longer enough, it's the quality of the access;
• 3G Mobile: third generation mobile telephones;
• Information Society Technologies (IST): focussing on the EU project;
• Convergence: policy-related challenges following the convergence of telecom technologies;

Further developments will of course depend on the EU policy agenda and user demand. To view policy dossiers and overviews of more content related and e-commerce related issues in the Information Society policy, see our Media & eCommerce section.

"Competition is essential in the field of telecommunications"- Competition Commissioner Mario Monti

Short historical overview
The launch of the EU policy telecom policy dates back to 1987 and still remains the main building block of the EU's Information Society policy. Its three original core objectives remain:

• Liberalisation of the market segments under monopoly;
• Harmonisation of the European market through common rules;
• Strict application of EU competition rules to liberalised segments of the market.

So far, the EU telecom market still remains fragmented along national lines, e.g. illustrated by incoherence in the licensing process for next-generation mobile services. To overcome these obstacles, the Commission in July 2000 tabled a telecoms package for a new regulatory framework for electronic communications, adopted at the end of 2001 with the exception of the Directive on data privacy.