As the Deputy is aware the deadline for liberalisation of telecommunications services in most member states is 1 January 1998. Ireland, Greece, Spain, Portugal and Luxembourg were given the opportunity to avail of derogations from this timetable.
Agreement has now been reached with the Commission on the date of 1 January 2000 for full liberalisation of the telecommunications sector in Ireland. This will be achieved on a phased basis with alternative infrastructure being liberalised on 1 July 1997, international interconnection of mobile networks being opened up on 1 January 1999 and full liberalisation on 1 January 2000 when voice telephony will be liberalised. This is in line with the Government's decision on the liberalisation timetable.
At European level the Council and Parliament are examining a series of Commission proposals which together constitute the regulatory framework for a liberalised market.
The measures which remain to be adopted by Council and Parliament and their current status is as follows:
Licensing of telecommunications services
Political agreement was reached at the September Council on a common position on the draft Directive on a common framework for general authorisations and individual licences in the field of telecommunications services. The purpose of this Directive is to ensure a harmonised approach to licensing throughout the European Union and in particular to preclude the use of licensing procedures as a barrier to market entry.
Satellite Personal Communications Services
Political agreement was reached at the September Council on a common position on the draft Decision on action at Union level in the field of satellite personal communications services in the European Union. This draft decision concerns the licensing of systems based on emerging technologies to enable the provision of handheld, mobile satellite telephone services. The objective is to ensure that the same systems are licensed throughout the European Union in order to enable pan-European operability for individual users of such telephones.
Open Network Provision — Framework and Leased Lines Directives