#NetCompetition wants an improved Electronic Communications Code
Today, on 13 March 2017, #NetCompetition, an alliance of consumer organisations, service providers and network operators, digital rights organisations and online content providers, adopted its position paper on the European Commission’s proposal for a European Electronic Communications Code.
Despite some general positive aspects, we have concluded that the proposed Directive to establish a European Electronic Communications Code could severely damage competition within EU broadband markets. It is thanks to the strong pro-competitive safeguards provided by today’s EU network access regulation that citizens and businesses have so far had access to top class connectivity at affordable prices.
our paper reads. Pro-competitive regulation is one of Europe’s biggest success stories.
#NetCompetition alliance members share the opinion of the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC) that investment will not be incentivised through deregulation. This is shown by experience over the last fifteen years. Effective and sustainable competition has been the driving force of success of the European liberalisation process in the telecoms sector. Therefore, the #NetCompetition allies urge the Council and the European Parliament to amend the Commission’s proposal “to re-establish and indeed strengthen the current successful pro-competitive approach”. In addition, #NetCompetition urges the EU co-legislators to continue ensuring BEREC’s independence in the proposed reform of that organisation.
The issues mentioned in this position paper are also relevant for the European Parliament’s upcoming Own-Initiative Report on the Gigabit Society and 5G. In addition, EDRi made recommendations to the draft report in order to promote the openness of the internet and reflect the full legal framework under which the Gigabit society and the deployment of 5G will be developed.
EDRi’s view is that competition, independence of the regulators, respect and enforcement of good EU net neutrality and privacy rules (which give practical application to the Charter of Fundamental Rights), should be the driving force of the Telecoms Review package.
The #NetCompetition alliance was set up on 16 November 2015 to promote the on-going availability and better affordable internet access through healthy competition.
NetCompetition
http://savenetcompetition.eu/
NetCompetition principles
http://savenetcompetition.eu/NetCompPrinciples.pdf
#NetCompetition position paper on the European Commission’s proposal for a European Electronic Communications Code
https://edri.org/files/netcompetitionalliance_position_electroniccommunicationscode_20170308.pdf
