14 June, 2013

ETNO to participate at Public Information Session on the Telecoms Single Market by DG Connect

On Monday 17th June 2013, ETNO will participate at a Public Information Session on the Telecoms Single Market, organised by DG Connect (http://ec.europa.eu/digital-agenda/en/news/background-paper-public-information-session-telecoms-single-market).  Vice President Neelie Kroes and Mr Roberto Viola, Deputy Director-General of DG Connect, will oversee this high level meeting which includes the participation of Mr Göran Marby (PTS / BEREC Chair 2014), Mr Stephen Howard (Head of Telecoms Research HSBC), Mr Ulf Ewaldsson (Ericsson CTO) and Presidents/Directors from the main telecoms associations in Brussels.

Mr Luigi Gambardella, ETNO Executive Board Chairman, will speak on an interactive panel chaired by Mr Ben Verwaayen, entitled "Connectivity the lifeblood of a digital economy: Why Europe needs a Single market for telecoms?". Mr Gambardella noted "The current regulatory rules of the telecoms sector have worked well to deliver a vibrant broadband market in the EU. However, we now face changing market and technological conditions which are reshaping the competitive landscape of our sector. Now is the time for an EU-wide debate around future EU telecom policies, which must be grounded upon the key objective of fostering economic growth and citizens’ welfare".

ETNO has been actively contributing to the Telecoms Single Market debate, recognising it to be the key to unlock much needed investments in ultra-fast broadband, a need reflected in the recently published Digital Agenda Scorecard for 2013. "ETNO welcomes the Commission's initiative to bring together the relevant policy and business representatives in Brussels on Monday, to provide input to this important issue. ETNO's key call for action is for a deregulatory approach to avoid distortion of competition caused by current regulation and we will elaborate further at the meeting" continued Mr Gambardella.