3 World Radiocommunication Conference
2007
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11425/07 COM(07) 371
| Commission Communication: The ITU World Radiocommunication Conference 2007
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| Legal base | — |
| Document originated | 2 July 2007
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| Deposited in Parliament | 6 July 2007
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| Department | Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform
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| Basis of consideration | EM of 19 July 2007
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| Previous Committee Report | None: but see (28369) 6280/07: HC 41-xxi (2006-07), para 9 (9 May 2007)
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| To be discussed in Council | To be determined
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| Committee's assessment | Politically important
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| Committee's decision | Cleared; but further information requested
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Background
3.1 As the Commission notes, radio spectrum is a limited natural
resource with major social and economic impacts; it is economically
important for the provision of public and commercial services
based on wireless technology, scientific research, and establishing
international transport and communications networks. The value
of economic activities and the total value of spectrum-dependent
services in the EU is estimated at over €200 billion (£133.3
billion), i.e. between 2 % and 2.5 % of annual European gross
product — "why Europe as an economic area must give
importance to international negotiations affecting radio spectrum
usage".
3.2 The coordination of spectrum at a global level
is the responsibility of the International Telecommunications
Union (ITU), a United Nations agency whose job is to maintain
and extend international cooperation for the improvement and rational
use of telecommunications of all kinds. Every three to four years,
the ITU holds the World Radiocommunication Conference, with the
aim of adapting the ITU Radio Regulations (RR), which is the international
treaty coordinating spectrum usage globally. The next World Radiocommunication
Conference (WRC-07) will be held in Geneva from 22 October to
16 November 2007.
The Commission Communication
3.3 The Commission is participating in WRC-07 as
a non-voting sector member of ITU. In this capacity, the Commission
intends to support Member States' common positions ("European
Common Proposals") which are in line with and relevant to
Community policies. The Communication seeks to inform the European
Parliament and the Council about Community policies that could
be affected by the outcome of WRC-07, and to obtain their endorsement
of the policy objectives to be achieved and of the position to
be taken by Member States at the WRC-07 conference.
3.4 In his helpful 19 July 2007 Explanatory Memorandum,
the Minister of State for Competitiveness in the Department for
Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (Stephen Timms) explains
that EU Member States negotiate in the ITU as independent members,
but in practice work closely to develop their technical positions
together within European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications
Administrations (CEPT; an association of 47 national spectrum
and telecom authorities) before negotiating with the rest of the
world on the basis of consolidated European positions ("European
Common Proposals"); administrations participating in the
CEPT process agree to support, or at least not actively negotiate
against, such common positions.
3.5 With this in mind, the Commission tasked its
Radio Spectrum Policy Group (RSPG)[8]
to develop an advisory Opinion on the Community objectives for
WRC-07. This activity was supported by a public consultation and
two public workshops. The Commission's overall objective in the
WRC process is to ensure that decisions taken support Community
policies and initiatives.
OVERVIEW OF WRC-07 DECISIONS
3.6 The Commission highlights a number of EU objectives
that Member States negotiating at WRC-07 should achieve in its
opinion, including:
— accommodating
the spectrum demands of future terrestrial mobile systems by upgrading
the status of these services in the "UHF band" (470-862
MHz) and by identifying part of the "C band" (3.4 to
3.8 GHz) for these systems;
— ensuring the effective protection of
Earth Exploration and other scientific services from harmful interference;
— satisfying the necessary spectrum requirements
for digital radio broadcasting and for maritime services in the
4-10 MHz high frequency (HF) band;
— providing enough spectrum for aviation
applications; and
— preparing actions to support Community
policies for the next WRC Conference due in 2011, notably concerning
spectrum flexibility, climate change and the Single European Sky.[9]
THE UHF BAND
3.7 Due to its low frequency, the Ultra-High Frequency
(UHF) broadcasting band (470 to 862 MHz) is the best part of the
spectrum in terms of coverage and indoor penetration. Network
infrastructures in the UHF band could thus be significantly more
cost-effective than some existing systems and could facilitate
the deployment of mobile systems in sparsely-populated regions
and highly-built urban areas. Currently, the ITU Radio Regulations
grant broadcasting services a higher regulatory status (a "primary
allocation") in the UHF band in Europe. Since additional
spectrum for mobile services is being considered by WRC-07, a
first step in the direction of more flexibility could be taken
by upgrading the status of these services to the same status as
broadcasting services at this conference.
HIGHER FREQUENCIES
3.8 Among the relevant candidate bands at higher
frequencies than the spectrum currently available for mobile systems
in Europe is the so-called C-band (part of the Radio Spectrum
between 3.4 and 4.2 GHz). While this band is attractive for future
mobile systems in Europe, it is being used as a backbone broadband
network by satellite services, notably in developing countries.
Technical sharing solutions accommodating mobile requirements,
while adequately protecting satellite interests in the C-band
at minimal cost for the satellite operators, is being sought as
a matter of priority.
FUTURE MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS
3.9 An important focus of the World Radio Conference
will be in the area of future mobile communication systems. A
clear demand for additional spectrum to be identified globally
for these systems has been demonstrated in the preparations for
WRC-07. In order to satisfy this additional demand, spectrum bands
in frequencies both below and above the frequencies currently
used by mobile systems in Europe are being considered.
SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS
3.10 WRC-07 is to review some of the ITU rules pertaining
to satellite systems. Satellite communications are recognised
as an integral part of the Information Society and as one of the
main pillars of the EU's space policy. Satellites are an important
alternative platform for electronic communication services, providing
capabilities for pan-European coverage of new services, including
broadband data, thus helping bridge any 'digital divide' developing
in the rural and remote areas of Europe.
MORE FLEXIBILITY IN THE GLOBAL SPECTRUM REGULATORY
FRAMEWORK
3.11 The Commission believes that Community interests
would be best served by a global framework which supports the
removal of undue regulatory restrictions to the use of the radio
spectrum, thereby enhancing its flexible and efficient use and
introducing more competition between different radio infrastructures.
UK INPUT
3.12 Ofcom is the regulator for the UK communications
industries, with responsibilities across television, radio, telecommunications
and wireless communications services. The Communications Act 2003
imposes a duty on Ofcom to secure the optimal use of the radio
spectrum and to provide representation on behalf of Government
at international meetings about communications, in accordance
with such general or specific directions as may be given to them
by the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (now to be read
as the Secretary of State, Department for Business, Enterprise
& Regulatory Reform).
3.13 The Minister notes that a specific direction
was made in December 2003 requiring Ofcom to represent the United
Kingdom in, inter alia, the EU spectrum committees, i.e., the
Radio Spectrum Committee and the Radio Spectrum Policy Group;
that the Secretaries of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Defence,
the Home Office, Transport and Environment, Food and Rural Affairs,
and other departments and agencies, also have an interest in the
management of the radio spectrum; and that their views are coordinated
formally through the Cabinet Office UK Spectrum Strategy Committee,
which Ofcom attends. Although there has been no specific consultation
on this Communication, "there has been substantial dialogue
in the UK on the majority of issues flagged in the Commission
text, given that they are common to those on the WRC-07 agenda".
The Government's view
3.14 The Minister welcomes the Communication and
the work that has been carried out by Member States and the Commission.
He "broadly supports the Commission's emphasis on the need
for a market-based approach to spectrum management, and the proposed
future actions" and continues as follows:
"However, the UK notes the importance of ensuring
that Community action provides benefit and does not stifle national
innovation. The UK welcomes a less constrained approach to spectrum
management, but would not want to be held back in its own pace
of implementation.
"In particular the UK is very supportive of
the Commission's view on the need to look carefully at the use
of UHF band for non-broadcasting services; and we would thus endorse
their view that at WRC-07 primary allocation is secured in this
Band for mobile services. This would not affect any policy decisions
the UK may wish to take with respect to the digital dividend but
would send a strong signal to the market that the Community are
in favour of a more flexible use of this important part of the
spectrum. A common EU position on this issue will be important
in securing the backing for a change in primary allocation of
spectrum in the Band at WRC-07."
TIMETABLE
3.15 The Minister says that "it is anticipated
that Council Conclusions will be adopted under the Portuguese
Presidency soon after the summer break. The UK, as a member State
participates in the WRC discussions in its own right. Conclusions
of European Council do not legally bind positions that might be
taken."
Conclusions
3.16 Our consideration of the Commission Communication
6280/07 "Rapid access to spectrum for wireless electronic
communications services through more flexibility" illustrated
the importance of continuing a flexible, market-based approach
to radio spectrum management.[10]
3.17 We accordingly ask the Minister to let us
have his assessment, in due course, of the extent to which the
outcomes of the WRC-07 fulfil UK and EU objectives, particularly
with regard to a flexible, innovation-encouraging approach to
spectrum management.
3.18 We now clear the document.
8 The Radio Spectrum Policy Group (RSPG) was set up
as part of the July 2003 regulatory framework for electronic communications,
to enable Member States, the Commission and stakeholders to coordinate
the use of radio spectrum. The members of the Group are representatives
of the Member States and of the Commission. Ofcom represents the
UK in the RSPG. See http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/doc/factsheets/022-radio-spectum-policy-en.pdf
for full details. Back
9
The Single European Sky initiative is aimed at restructuring European
airspace as a function of air traffic flows, rather than according
to national borders; creating additional capacity; and increasing
the overall efficiency of the air traffic management system. See
http://www.eurocontrol.int/ses/public/standard_page/sk_ses.html
for full details. Back
10
See headnote. Back
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