The following measures have been adopted and it is proposed that they be noted: COM (2007) 582, COM (2007) 583, COM (2007) 590, COM (2008) 4 and COM (2008) 24. Is that agreed? Agreed.
It is recommended that the following proposals require no further scrutiny and that they be noted: COM (2007) 593, COM (2007) 855, COM (2007) 858, COM (2007) 872, COM (2008) 1, COM (2008) 3, COM (2008) 22, COM (2008) 23, COM (2008) 25, COM (2008) 27, COM (2008) 28, COM (2008) 29, COM (2008) 34, COM (2008) 51, COM (2008) 75, COM (2008) 76, COM (2008) 83 and COM (2008) 84. Is that agreed? Agreed.
There are no proposals to be sent to sectoral committees for their information.
The next item is CFSP (2008) 81. It is proposed to note this measure. Is that agreed? Agreed. There are no Title IV measures. The next item is an early warning note, EWN C88-10. It is proposed that this notification does not currently warrant further scrutiny. Is that agreed? Agreed.
No. 7 is proposals for further scrutiny. COM (2007) 697 is a proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council, amending EU Directives 2002/21/EC, on a common regulatory framework for electronic communications networks and services; 2002/19/EC on the access to and interconnection of electronic communications networks and services; and 2002/20/EC on the authorisation of electronic communication networks and services.
COM (2007) 698 is a proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2002/22/EC on the universal services and users' rights relating to electronic communications networks, Directive 2002/58/EC concerning the processing of personal data and the protection of privacy in the electronic communication sector and Regulation 2006/2004 on consumer protection co-operation.
COM (2007) 699 is a proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the European electronic communications market authority. On 13 November 2007 the Commission published a major package aimed at making far-reaching reforms to the European telecommunications market. The European telecommunications market has been regulated by the EU since 1998 but problems persist as regards competition, particularly in the important broadband market, key to the EU and Ireland's economic competitiveness. The reform package proposes the replacement of four current directives and a regulation regulating the telecommunications market with two new directives and a regulation.
The four main broad objectives of the reform are to regulate less but more effectively; to strengthen the independence of the national telecoms watchdogs or regulators, which is ComReg in Ireland's case, from operators and Governments; to preserve and enhance consumer protection and user rights and, in particular, focus on users with disabilities and the elderly; to enhance the security and reliability of Europe's communications and to create the right conditions for moving to a true single market in telecommunications by fostering pan-European markets and ensuring EU rules are applied consistently across the EU.
The proposal will introduce new rules for the management of spectrum. The switch-over from traditional analogue broadcasting to digital, due to take place by 2012, will free up this very valuable bandwidth or radio spectrum. The effective use of the spectrum can offer opportunities for the use of wireless access to broadband communications. Wireless solutions are often the best way to bring broadband to remote and rural areas. Currently regulation and allocation of spectrum, a key economic resource, take place nationally. The Commission believes this hinders investment and is an inefficient way of managing spectrum. While the right to sell or auction a radio spectrum will remain with the individual member state which owns it, the proposal will establish EU-level rules to support secondary spectrum trading. This would allow operators who have already acquired usage rights to sell those rights if they no longer need them. The Department's note indicates that it has concerns regarding the proposed compliance with the principle of subsidiarity. While the Commission argues that the principle has been respected, it could be argued that the proposed rules which allow the Commission to intervene when it believes that actions of a national regulator are ineffective, and which would introduce secondary spectrum trading, go too far in shifting powers and responsibility from member states to the Commission. The role of the proposed European telecoms market authority would also need to be clarified in this context.
Given the importance of the telecoms market to the economic competitiveness of Ireland, especially with regard to broadband, and the concerns that this far-reaching reform package may have implications for the control of this very important economic resource, and in order to assess properly the costs and benefits of the package, it is recommended that these proposals, taken together, warrant further scrutiny. Is that agreed? Agreed.
It is also recommended, in order to assist the committee in its detailed examination of the proposal, that the following should be invited to attend the committee to offer their views. These are, from the regulator and Government point of view, the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources and the Commission for Communications Regulation, ComReg. The industry and providers perspective will be provided by Eircom, service provider and network owner; and the Irish Cellular Industry Association, representing Vodafone, O2, Meteor and 3. Is that agreed? Agreed.
COM (2008) 9 deals with the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and Council on the safety of toys. The Commission undertook a major review of toy safety controls in autumn 2007 following a series of high-profile toy recalls. The new directive aims at enhancing the safety of toys while ensuring the free movement of toys within the European Union by replacing and modernising the 20 year old toys Directive 88/378/EEC. The new directive proposes to enhance the safety requirements to cope with recently identified hazards regarding, in particular, chemicals in toys, choking dangers and toys associated with food. More efficient enforcement of the directive in member states is necessary.
The Department indicates in its information note that this proposal is of more significance. In view of the importance of ensuring that adequate measures are enforced to regulate toy safety in the Irish market, and in light of the major products recall in 2007, it is recommended that this proposal warrants further scrutiny and that it be included in the upcoming agenda. Is that agreed? Agreed.
It is also recommended that in order to assist the committee in its detailed examination of this proposal, the following should be invited to attend before the committee to offer their views. These are the Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment to comment on Government policy and the National Consumer Agency as the market surveillance authority representative of toy retailers in Ireland. Is that agreed? Agreed.
There are no proposals for observations or detailed scrutiny to be forwarded to the sectoral committees.