asked the Minister for Finance if there are proposals for a common market in telecommunications.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Telecommunications Common Market.
38.
In March, 1971, the EEC Commission presented to the Council of Ministers a proposal for a draft directive on the co-ordination of procedures for the award of public supply contracts including contracts for telecommunications equipment. The proposed directive provides that most Government and certain other public supply contracts exceeding 100,000 units of account, that is about £40,000, must be advertised in the Official Journal of the European Communities. The directive lays down objective criteria in accordance with which contracts must be awarded regardless of nationality.
Since October, 1973, discussions on the directive have been held between member states under the aegis of the EEC Council Secretariat. There has as yet been no agreement on the inclusion of telecommunications equipment.
I am not in a position to say when the directive is likely to be issued.