Belgian Telecoms Act - Competition Law - Lecture Slides, Slides of Competition Law and Policy

Download Belgian Telecoms Act - Competition Law - Lecture Slides and more Slides Competition Law and Policy in PDF only on Docsity! The New Belgian Telecoms Act Implementing the European directives Docsity.com Agenda 1. Context and European overview 2. Current regulatory landscape - transmission 3. “New” electronic communications act 4. Future initiatives Docsity.com 2. Regulatory landscape - transmission Europe El ec tr on ic c om m un ic at io ns Federal state: telecommunications in Belgium Flemish community: broadcasting in Flanders Belgium French community: broadcasting in French com. German speaking community: broadcasting in German com. Federal autority: broadcasting in Brussels Docsity.com 2. Regulatory landscape - transmission • Federal state: – “Wetsontwerp betreffende de elektronische communicatie” – “Wetsontwerp betreffende sommige juridische bepalingen inzake elektronische communicatie” – “Wet met betrekking tot het statuut van de regulator van de Belgische post- en telecommunicatiesector“, January 17th, 2003 (B.S. 24th January 2003) – “Wet betreffende de rechtsmiddelen en de geschillenbehandeling naar aanleiding van de Wet van 17 januari 2003 met betrekking tot het statuut v/d regulator v/d Belgische post- en telecommunicatiesector“, January 17th, (B.S. 24th January 2003) • Flemish community: – “Decreten betreffende de radio-omroep en de televisie”, coordinated version of 4th March 2005 (B.S. 8th April 2005) – Draft: “Decreet houdende de oprichting van het publiekrechtelijke vormgegeven extern verzelfstandigd agentschap Vlaamse Regulator voor de Media en houdende wijziging van sommige bepalingen van de decreten betreffende de radio en televisie” • French community: – “Décret sur la radiodiffusion”, February 27th, 2003 (B.S. 17th April 2003) • German speaking community: – “Mediendekret”, 26th April 1999 (B.S. 17th July 1999) – Draft: “Dekret über den Rundfunk und die Kinovorstellungen” • Brussels region: – “Wet van 30 maart 1995 betreffende de netten voor distributie voor omroepuitzendingen en de uitoefening van televisieomroepactiviteiten in het tweetalig gebied Brussel-Hoofdstad”, B.S. 22 February 1996) – Draft: modifying this act + protocol on cooperation between regulators!! Docsity.com 3. New electronic communications acts “Wetsontwerp betreffende de elektronische communicatie” • Federal transposition of European directives • Not yet final, approved by Chamber (doc nr. 1425–1426)  current acts of 1991 and 1979 still in place • However: • BIPT can “prepare the application” (dec. 2003) • direct effect of the directives (25th July 2003)? cf. Authorisation directive & “Circulaires” Docsity.com “Operator” (11°) EC service (5°) PTS (22°) Public telephony network (21°) Definitions – article 2 Docsity.com Scope – article 2 European directives Federal act Equipment Radioequipment Cryptography “Frequencies” … “Telecom” - networks - services “Broadcast” - networks - services Docsity.com Title II : Access to the market • Chapter I : Networks and services (9 – 10) • Chapter II: Use of numbers and radiofrequencies • Numbers (11) • Radiofrequencies (12 – 17 and 18 – 24) • Chapter III: Shared use of sites (25 – 28) Previously: “Installation of facilities” (24 - 32) • Chapter IV: Taxes and retributions (29 – 31) • Chapter V : Equipment (32 – 38) • Chapter VI : Radio-equipment (39 – 44) • Chapter VII : Telephone directories & inquiry services (45-47) • Chapter VIII: Cryptography (48) • Chapter IX : Other activities (49) Docsity.com Title III : Fair competition • collaboration BIPT and NCA: two procedures • art. 55 §4: “consultation”-procedure • art. 55 §5: “binding advice”-procedure • market definition: cf. art. 54: no collaboration • market analysis: cf. art. 55, §1, §2 and §3 • imposing of obligations: • non-discrimination: cf. art. 58: consultation • transparency: cf. art. 59: consultation • accounting separation: cf. art. 60: consultation (!: “King as NRA”) • access obligations: cf. art. 61: consultation • cost orientation: cf. art. 62 §1 al. 1: consultation • (ex ante) wholesale price control: art. 62 §1 al. 1: binding advice • (ex ante) retail price control: art. 64: binding advice • CS & CPS (art. 63) : automatic obligation! • leased lines (art. 65): consultation Docsity.com Title IV : Interests of society and users • Chapter I : Universal service (68 – 107) access to fixed network (70 – 73) social tariffs (74) public phones (75 – 78) universal inquiry service (79 – 85) universal directory (86 – 91) - Definition - Designation - Financing - USO fund: 92-95 - contribute: 96-99 - reimburs: 100-102 • Financing USO: every operator has to contribute based on the turnover for the provision of public telephone services; no exception for “small operators”; no evaluation of reasonableness of charge; • Providing USO: open procedures, BUT: national coverage (EXCEPTION: social element: art. 74: obligation for every operator (incl. mobile); separate fund; Docsity.com Title IV : Interests of society and users • Chapter II: Additional services (105 – 107) : I-line! • Chapter III: Protection of users (108 – 136) • Section 1: general provisions (contract, quality, …) • art. 108 §3: tariff increase: 1 month notification period • art. 110 §2: detailed invoices • art. 110 §4: most advantageous tariff scheme • art. 111 §2: “tariff simulator” on BIPT-website • art. 112: conditional sale (only for tiple play?) • art. 114: “network security” (anti-virus software) • art. 120: free call barring • Section 2: Telecommunications secrecy and privacy Docsity.com