DG Information Society argues that "creating a European Authority working in close co-operation with the national regulatory authorities (NRAs) and the Commission represents an effective means to address the problems". In a draft proposal for a regulation that EurActiv has seen and which is currently in the Commission's inter-service consultation procedure, the DG, led by Luxembourg Commissioner Viviane Reding, advocates "establishing the European Electronic Communications Market Authority".
According to the draft, the authority would be established as an agency based in Brussels. It would replace the European Regulators' Group (ERG) but would be working in close co-operation with national telecoms regulators as well as with the Commission. The new agency would serve three major purposes:
- Improving the consistency of regulation in the EU;
- reinforcing cooperation between the NRAs and the Commission, and;
- creating a centre of expertise for regulatory issues linked to market analysis and the provision of cross-Community services.
According to the draft, the authority's tasks will be to:
- Give its opinion when the Commission expresses "serious doubts about a measure proposed by an NRA;
- assist the Commission in analysing national markets where NRAs fail to do so;
- co-ordinate analysis of trans-national markets carried out by NRAs;
- administer the European telephone numbering space for pan-European services;
- assist the Commission with respect to allocating European radio spectrum;
- assist the Commission in identifying so-called cross-community services, which are "susceptible to EU or regional rather than national regulation";
- help select companies to carry out cross-community services, and;
- monitor regulatory compliance of cross-community services.
In addition, it will serve as a knowledge pool on telecoms regulation between member states, their NRAs and the Commission, including the publication of an annual report and keeping databases on cross-border issues such as radio-spectrum management and mobile roaming.
