Background: EU Telecoms market reform

If we want thriving businesses, better jobs and protection as consumers in the age of the information society, we should show interest in what the European Union is doing.

By way of introduction, here are two references to proposals by the European Commission to reform our common rules on telecoms markets. (They contain further links and references for those who want to take a closer look):



European Commission: Commission proposes a Single European Telecoms Market for 500 million consumers (13 November 2007).



Commission’s updated overview on the European Information Society pages: Legislative proposals.


Advancing from the background towards latest developments, here is a brief overview with some comparative reflections between Europe and the USA:



Harvard Law Record, Konstantinos Stylianou: U.S. can learn from EU telecoms reform (updated 6 December 2009).


Useful information, both press releases and speeches, can be found in the Newsroom of Viviane Reding, who is still Commissioner for information society and media.



In the Barroso II Commission, Reding would be Vice-President, responsible for justice, fundamental rights and citizenship. The current competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes would become Vice-President (there are seven of them), in charge of the EU’s digital agenda. Both the outgoing and the incoming Commissioner are known as capable and experienced, which underlines the importance of information society issues in the work of the European Commission.




Ralf Grahn



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