ОКОНЧАТЕЛЕН
A6-0155/2007
20.4.2007
***I
ДОКЛАД
относно предложението за регламент на Европейския парламент и на Съвета относно роуминга по обществени мобилни мрежи в рамките на Общността и за изменение на Директива 2002/21/ЕО относно общата регулаторна рамка за електронните съобщителни мрежи и услуги
(COM(2006)0382 – C6‑0244/2006 – 2006/0133(COD))
Комисия по промишленост, изследвания и енергетика
Докладчик:
Paul Rübig
Докладчик по становище(*):
Joseph Muscat , комисия по вътрешен пазар и защита на потребителите
(*) Засилено сътрудничество между комисиите - член 47 от Правилника за дейността на ЕП
PE 384.334v02-00
Легенда на използваните знаци
* Процедура на консултация
мнозинство от подадените гласове
**I Процедура на сътрудничество (първо четене)
мнозинство от подадените гласове
**II Процедура на сътрудничество (второ четене)
мнозинство от подадените гласове за одобряване на общата позиция
мнозинство от всички членове на Парламента за отхвърляне или изменение на общата позиция
*** Одобрение
мнозинство от всички депутати, освен в случаите по членове 105, 107, 161 и 300 от Договора за ЕО и член 7 от Договора за ЕС
***I Процедура на съвместно решение (първо четене)
мнозинство от подадените гласове
***II Процедура на съвместно решение (второ четене)
мнозинство от подадените гласове за одобряване на общата позиция
мнозинство от всички членове на Парламента за отхвърляне или изменение на общата позиция
***III Процедура на съвместно решение (трето четене)
мнозинство от подадените гласове за одобрение на съвместния проект
(Посочената процедура се базира на правната основа, предложена от Комисията.)
Изменения на законодателен текст
Измененията, внесени от Парламента, са отбелязани с потъмняване и курсив . Отбелязването с курсив без потъмняване е предназначено за техническите служби и се отнася до частите от законодателния текст, за които е предложена поправка с оглед изготвяне на окончателния текст (например очевидни грешни или липсващи части в дадена езикова версия). Предложенията за поправка подлежат на съгласуване със засегнатите технически служби.
СЪДЪРЖАНИЕ
ЗАКОНОДАТЕЛНА ПРОЕКТОРЕЗОЛЮЦИЯ НА ЕВРОПЕЙСКИЯ ПАРЛАМЕНТ.........4
EXPLANATORY STATEMENT..............................................................................................34
OPINION of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs ............38
OPINION of the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (*) 53
OPINION of the Committee on Culture and Education ................................86
ПРОЦЕДУРА...........................................................................................................................97
(*) Засилено сътрудничество между комисиите - член 47 от Правилника за дейността на ЕП
ЗАКОНОДАТЕЛНА ПРОЕКТОРЕЗОЛЮЦИЯ НА ЕВРОПЕЙСКИЯ ПАРЛАМЕНТ
относно предложението за регламент на Европейския парламент и на Съвета относно роуминга по обществени мобилни мрежи в рамките на Общността и за изменение на Директива 2002/21/ЕО относно общата регулаторна рамка за електронните съобщителни мрежи и услуги
( COM(2006)0382 – C6‑0244/2006 – 2006/0133(COD) )
(Процедура на съвместно вземане на решение: първо четене)
Европейският парламент ,
– като взе предвид предложението на Комисията до Европейския парламент и до Съвета ( COM(2006)0382 )
Все още непубликувано в ОВ. ,
– като взе предвид становището на Европейския икономически и социален комитет,
– като взе предвид член 251, параграф 2 и член 95 от Договора за ЕО, съгласно които предложението му е представено от Комисията ( C6‑0244/2006 ),
– като взе предвид член 51 от своя правилник,
– като взе предвид доклада на комисията по промишленост, изследвания и енергетика и становищата на комисията по икономически и парични въпроси, комисията по вътрешен пазар и защита на потребителите и комисията по култура и образование ( A6‑0155/2007 ),
1. одобрява предложението на Комисията във вида, в който е изменено;
2. призовава Комисията да се отнесе до него отново, в случай че възнамерява да внесе съществени изменения в своето предложение или да го замени с друг текст;
3. възлага на своя председател да предаде позицията на Парламента на Съвета и на Комисията.
Текст, предложен от Комисията
Изменения, внесени от Парламента
Изменение 1
СЪОБРАЖЕНИЕ 1
1) Високото равнище на цените, които трябва да заплащат потребителите на обществени мобилни телефонни мрежи, когато използват клетъчните си телефони при пътуване в чужбина в рамките на Общността, е въпрос, който поражда загриженост от страна на националните регулаторни органи. На пленарното си заседание през м. май 2005 г. групата на европейските регулаторни органи отбеляза, наред с другото, че цените на дребно са изключително високи, без да има ясна обосновка за това; че това положение изглежда, че се дължи както на високите цени на едро, които се определят от оператора на чуждестранната приемаща мрежа, така и в много случаи на високите надценки върху цените на дребно, които се начисляват от оператора на мрежата на абоната; че намаленията при цените на едро често не намират отражение в цените на дребно за абоната; и че са налице силни връзки между пазарите в различните държави-членки.
1) Високото равнище на цените, които трябва да заплащат потребителите на обществени мобилни телефонни мрежи, например учащи се, лица, пътуващи по професионални причини, и туристи, когато използват клетъчните си телефони при пътуване в чужбина в рамките на Общността, е въпрос, който поражда загриженост от страна на националните регулаторни органи. На пленарното си заседание през м. май 2005 г. групата на европейските регулаторни органи отбеляза, наред с другото, че цените на дребно са изключително високи, без да има ясна обосновка за това; че това положение изглежда, че се дължи както на високите цени на едро, които се определят от оператора на чуждестранната приемаща мрежа, така и в много случаи на високите надценки върху цените на дребно, които се начисляват от оператора на мрежата на абоната; че намаленията при цените на едро често не намират отражение (не касае българската версия) в цените на дребно за абоната; и че са налице силни връзки между пазарите в различните държави-членки. Въпреки, че някои оператори наскоро въведоха тарифи за роуминг, които предлагат по-благоприятни условия на потребителите, продължават да са налице доказателства, че цените все още не отразяват правилно разходите.
Изменение
2
СЪОБРАЖЕНИЕ 1 А (ново)
1а) Вътрешният пазар предоставя повече пространство за мобилност, особено за работници, работодатели, учащи се, преподаватели и работещи стажанти, участващи в европейски програми, като например програмата за обучение през целия живот, програмата "Младеж" и програмата "Европа за гражданите". Следователно, "цената на мобилността" следва да не бъде прекомерно висока и възпираща за пътуващите.
Justification
The roaming prices should not be abusive and prohibitive for the travellers to use their mobile abroad.
Изменение
3
СЪОБРАЖЕНИЕ 1 Б (ново)
1б) Създаването на европейско социално, образователно и културно пространство, основаващо се мобилността на физическите лица, следва да улеснява общуването между хората, с цел изграждане на една истинска "Европа за гражданите".
Justification
Communication is one of the most important aspects of the European model. It is essential to be able to use the new technologies in order to facilitate communication among citizens.
Изменение
4
СЪОБРАЖЕНИЕ 4
4) В препоръката , като съответен пазар, на който се допуска предварително регулиране, се определя националният пазар на едро за международен роуминг по обществени мобилни мрежи. Въпреки това, от извършената работа от националните регулаторни органи (поотделно и в рамките на групата на европейските регулаторни органи) при анализа на националните пазари на едро за международен роуминг е видно, че национален регулаторен орган все още не може да се справи ефективно с високото равнище на цените на едро за международен роуминг , поради трудностите при установяването на предприятията със значителна пазарна мощ предвид специфичните характеристики на международния роуминг , в т.ч. неговия трансграничен характер.
4) В препоръката , като съответен пазар, на който се допуска предварително регулиране, се определя националният пазар на едро за международен роуминг по обществени мобилни мрежи. Въпреки това, от извършената работа от националните регулаторни органи (поотделно и в рамките на групата на европейските регулаторни органи) при анализа на националните пазари на едро за роуминг в рамките на Общността е видно, че национален регулаторен орган все още не може да се справи ефективно с високото равнище на цените на едро за роуминг в рамките на Общността , поради трудностите при установяването на предприятията със значителна пазарна мощ предвид специфичните характеристики на роуминга в рамките на Общността , в т.ч. неговия трансграничен характер. В тази връзка следва да се проучи необходимостта от създаване на общностен регулаторен орган.
Изменение
5
СЪОБРАЖЕНИЕ 9
9) Въпреки че , въз основа на очевидни по онова време съображения, в нормативната уредба от 2002 г. за електронните съобщения се предвижда премахване на всички пречки за търговията в хармонизираната чрез тази уредба област, този факт не може да възпрепятства приспособяването на хармонизираните правила, като се изхожда и от други съображения, за да се намерят най- ефективните средства за постигане на висока степен на закрила на потребителите и същевременно подобряване на условията за функциониране на вътрешния пазар.
9) Въз основа на очевидни по онова време съображения, с нормативната уредба от 2002 г. за електронните съобщения се целеше премахване на всички пречки за търговията между държавите-членки в хармонизираната чрез тази уредба област, наред с другото, по отношение на мерките, които оказват въздействие върху потребителските цени в други държави-членки . Все пак, това не следва да възпрепятства приспособяването на хармонизираните правила, когато опитът показва необходимост от такова приспособяване, с оглед подобряване функционирането на вътрешния пазар и същевременно осигуряване на по- ефективни средства за постигане на висока степен на закрила на потребителите.
Justification
To highlight the impact of the proposal on the functioning of internal market and on consumer protection.
Изменение
6
СЪОБРАЖЕНИЕ 10
10) Поради това е необходимо да се измени нормативната уредба от 2002 г. за електронните съобщения, за да се допуска отклонение от иначе приложимите правила, а именно, че цените в предложенията за услуги следва да се определят чрез търговски договор при отсъствие на значителна пазарна мощ, и по този начин да се предостави възможност за въвеждането на допълнителни нормативни задължения, отразяващи специфичните характеристики на услугите по международен роуминг .
10) Нормативна та уредба от 2002 г. за електронните съобщения следва съответно да се допълни със специфични правила относно услугите по роуминг в рамките на Общността . Тези специфични правила следва да включват допълнителни нормативни задължения, отразяващи особените характеристики на услугите по роуминг в рамките на Общността .
Justification
See justification to recital 9.
Изменение
7
СЪОБРАЖЕНИЕ 12
12) За да се защитават интересите на абонатите, ползващи услугата роуминг, следва да се наложат нормативни задължения както на дребно, така и на едро, тъй като опитът е показал, че намаленията в цените на едро за услуги по международен роуминг не се отразяват непременно в по-ниски цени на дребно за роуминг, поради отсъствието на стимули за това. От друга страна, предприемането на действия за понижаване на равнището на цените на дребно, без да се държи сметка за равнището на разходите на едро, свързани с предоставянето на тези услуги, рискува да доведе до смущения в правилното функциониране на вътрешния пазар на услугите по международен роуминг .
12) За да се защитават интересите на абонатите, ползващи услугата роуминг, следва да се наложат нормативни задължения както на дребно, така и на едро, тъй като опитът е показал, че намаленията в цените на едро за услуги по роуминг в рамките на Общността не се отразяват непременно в по-ниски цени на дребно за роуминг, поради отсъствието на стимули за това. От друга страна, предприемането на действия за понижаване на равнището на цените на дребно, без да се държи сметка за равнището на разходите на едро, свързани с предоставянето на тези услуги, рискува да доведе до смущения в правилното функциониране на вътрешния пазар на услугите по роуминг в рамките на Общността. С цел предприемане на своевременни и подходящи действия, в случай, че се установи злоупотреба, следва да се обърне особено внимание на опасността от предлагане на условия за предоставяне на услуги по роуминг на по-малки, независими или скоро започнали дейността си оператори, от такъв характер, че да се възпрепятства тяхната конкурентоспособност. Комисията следва да анализира действието на настоящия регламент върху конкурентното положение на по-малките, независими или скоро започнали дейността си оператори.
Изменение 8
СЪОБРАЖЕНИЕ 13
13) Произтичащите от това задължения следва да влязат в сила възможно най-скоро и да се прилагат пряко във всички държави-членки, като същевременно на заинтересованите оператори се предостави разумен срок за привеждане на техните цени и предложения за услуги в съответствие с тези задължения.
13) Произтичащите от това задължения следва да влязат в сила незабавно след влизането в сила на настоящия регламент, като същевременно на заинтересованите оператори се предостави едномесечен срок за привеждане на техните цени и предложения за услуги в съответствие и да се прилагат пряко във всички държави-членки.
Изменение
9
СЪОБРАЖЕНИЕ 14
14) Целесъобразно е да се използва общ механизъм, наречен "подход на европейския вътрешен пазар", за да се гарантира, че при пътуване в рамките на Общността потребителите на обществени мобилни телефонни мрежи не заплащат прекомерни цени за услуги по международния гласов роуминг , когато осъществяват или получават гласови повиквания, като по този начин се постигне висока степен на защита на потребителите и същевременно се запази конкуренцията между операторите на мобилни мрежи. Предвид трансграничния характер на разглежданите услуги, е необходим общ механизъм, така че операторите на мобилни мрежи да трябва да спазват една последователна нормативна уредба, основаваща се на обективно установени критерии.
14) Целесъобразно е да се използва общ механизъм, наречен "подход на европейския вътрешен пазар", за да се гарантира, че при пътуване в рамките на Общността потребителите на обществени мобилни телефонни мрежи не заплащат прекомерни цени за услуги по гласов роуминг в рамките на Общността и услуги за пренос на данни , когато осъществяват или получават гласови повиквания, или използват услуги за пренос на данни като по този начин се постигне висока степен на защита на потребителите и същевременно се запази конкуренцията между операторите на мобилни мрежи. Предвид трансграничния характер на разглежданите услуги, е необходим общ механизъм, така че операторите на мобилни мрежи да трябва да спазват една последователна нормативна уредба, основаваща се на обективно установени критерии. За осигуряване на ефективна конкуренция на пазара на дребно и гарантиране, че всички оператори на мобилни мрежи в Общността са способни да се конкурират ефективно, операторите на мобилни мрежи са задължени, при поискване, да предоставят услуги по роуминг в рамките на Общността на едро на всички други оператори, разположени в Общността.
Обосновка
In order to compete effectively mobile operators should be obliged to provide wholesale Community-wide roaming services to all other operators. This will ensure no operator is excluded from access to wholesale roaming services.
Изменение
10
СЪОБРАЖЕНИЕ 15
15) Определянето на равнището на Общността на максимални тарифи на минута както при цените на дребно, така и при цените на едро, е най-ефективният и съразмерен механизъм за регулиране на равнището на цените за осъществяване на повиквания чрез международен роуминг в съответствие с гореизложените съображения.
15) Определянето на равнището на Общността на максимални тарифи на минута при цените на едро, е най-ефективният и съразмерен механизъм за регулиране на равнището на цените за осъществяване и приемане на гласови повиквания чрез роуминг в рамките на Общността в съответствие с гореизложените съображения. При цените на дребно е целесъобразно да се въведе евротарифа, която операторите са задължени да предлагат на абонатите си. Тази тарифа следва да се превърне в стандарт, с който се сравняват другите оферти за цени на дребно, като по този начин ще се осигури справедливо ценообразуване за потребителите. Тази максимална евротарифа следва да бъде установена на равнище, което осигурява достатъчна свобода на операторите и насърчава конкуренцията между оферти за роуминг на по-ниски цени. По отношение на услуги за пренос на данни, с оглед темпа на технологичните промени и нарастващата роля на кратките текстови съобщения (SMS) и мултимедийните съобщения (MMS), националните регулаторни органи и Комисията упражняват надзор над цените на едро и дребно на преноса на информация, включително тарифите за SMS и MMS, и ги включват в бъдещия преглед на законодателната рамка при положение, че цените не спаднат.
Изменение
11
СЪОБРАЖЕНИЕ 16
16) Този общ механизъм следва да гарантира, че тарифите на дребно за международен роуминг представляват по-разумно отражение на разходите за предоставяне на услугата в сравнение с досегашното положение, при което на операторите се предоставя свобода да се конкурират чрез диференциация на предложенията и приспособяване на тарифните им структури към пазарните условия и предпочитанията на потребителите.
16) Този общ механизъм следва да гарантира, че тарифите на дребно за роуминг в рамките на Общността представляват по-разумно отражение на разходите за предоставяне на услугата в сравнение с досегашното положение, евротарифата , която се предлага на всички потребители и осигурява разумен резерв спрямо разходите за предоставяне на роуминг на едро , при което на операторите се предоставя свобода да се конкурират чрез диференциация на предложенията и приспособяване на тарифните им структури към пазарните условия и предпочитанията на потребителите.
Изменение 12
СЪОБРАЖЕНИЕ 18
18) Максималните предели на цените следва да отчитат различните елементи, които участват в осъществяването на повикване чрез международен роуминг (в т.ч. режийни разходи, сигнализиране, възникване, транзитно преминаване и завършване на повикване), и различията в разходите за предоставяне на услуги по международен роуминг по отношение на повикванията до номера в посещаваната страна, от една страна, и, от друга страна, повикванията до номера в страната на произход на абоната или в трета страна в рамките на Общността .
18) Максималните тарифи следва да отчитат съответните елементи, които участват в осъществяването и приемането на повикване чрез роуминг в рамките на Общността (в т.ч. режийни разходи, сигнализиране, възникване, транзитно преминаване и завършване на повикване). Тъй като различията в разходите за предоставяне на услуги по роуминг в рамките на Общността за осъществявани или приемани повиквания в рамките на посещаваната територия до или от страната на произход на потребителя или до/от трета страна изглеждат незначителни, за изчисляване на максималната тарифа на едро следва да се използва единен коефициент за умножение.
Изменение 13
СЪОБРАЖЕНИЕ 20
20) Максималният предел на цените на дребно следва да гарантира на клиентите, ползващи услуги по роуминг, че при осъществяване на регулирано повикване чрез роуминг няма да им се таксува прекомерно висока цена, като същевременно на оператори те в страната на произход се остави достатъчна свобода за диференциране на продуктите, които предлагат на потребителите.
20) Евротарифата , приложима на равнище "цени на дребно", следва да гарантира на клиентите, ползващи услуги по роуминг, че при осъществяване или приемане на регулирано повикване чрез роуминг няма да им се таксува прекомерно висока цена, като същевременно на операторите в страната на произход се остави достатъчна свобода за диференциране на продуктите, които предлагат на потребителите.
Изменение
14
СЪОБРАЖЕНИЕ 21
21) Доставчиците на услуги по международен роуминг във връзка с уредените с настоящия регламент повиквания, осъществявани в чужбина, следва да разполагат със срок, в който доброволно да коригират цените си на дребно, за да ги преведат в съответствие с предвидените в настоящия регламент максимални предели. За целта е целесъобразно да се предостави срок от шест месеца, в който стопанските субекти да могат да извършат необходимите корекции
заличава се
Изменение 1
5
СЪОБРАЖЕНИЕ 23
23) Настоящият регламент не накърнява възможността за отправяне на новаторски предложения към потребителите, които са по-благоприятни от определените в настоящия регламент максимални тарифи на минута.
23) Настоящият регламент не накърнява възможността за отправяне на новаторски предложения към потребителите, които са по-благоприятни от определената в настоящия регламент евротарифа, но в действителност следва да насърчава отправянето на новаторски предложения към потребителите на услугата роуминг на цени под максималната евротарифа. Настоящият регламент не изисква тарифите за роуминг да бъдат отново въведени в случаите, когато е възможно те да са били премахнати изцяло (например в рамките на съществуващия пазар, който обхваща цялата островна територия на Република Ирландия и Северна Ирландия), нито, от друга страна, изисква съществуващите тарифи за роуминг да бъдат запазени.
Изменение
16
СЪОБРАЖЕНИЕ 23 а (ново)
23а) Техниките за управление на трафика могат да способстват за предоставянето на гаранции, че потребителите винаги заплащат най-ниската съществуваща цена за роуминг, но същевременно биха могли и да ограничават избора на потребителя. Потребителят следва винаги да може ръчно да избира предпочитана посещавана мрежа.
Изменение
17
СЪОБРАЖЕНИЕ 24
24) Ценовите изисквания, предвидени в настоящия регламент, следва да се прилагат независимо от това дали ползващите роуминг потребители са подписали с доставчика в страната на произход договор за предплатена услуга или за абонамент, за да се гарантира, че всички потребители на гласова телефония по мобилна мрежа могат да се ползват от разпоредбите на регламента.
24) Ценовите изисквания, предвидени в настоящия регламент, следва да се прилагат независимо от това дали ползващите роуминг потребители са подписали с доставчика в страната на произход договор за предплатена услуга или за абонамент и независимо от това дали доставчикът в страната на произход е или не е препродавач на мобилни гласови услуги , за да се гарантира, че всички потребители на гласова телефония по мобилна мрежа могат да се ползват от разпоредбите на регламента.
Justification
Clarifies that the Regulation applies also to so called mobile virtual network operators.
Изменение 1
8
СЪОБРАЖЕНИЕ 26
26) За да се повиши прозрачността на цените на дребно за осъществяване и приемане на повиквания чрез роуминг в рамките на Общността, и за да се улесняват потребителите на роуминг при вземането на решения относно използването на клетъчните им телефони, докато се намират в чужбина, доставчиците на телефонни услуги чрез мобилни мрежи следва да предоставят на клиентите си, ползващи роуминг, възможност лесно да получават , при поискване и безплатно , информация за приложимите тарифи за роуминг в съответните посещавани държави-членки. От съображения за прозрачност, доставчиците трябва да предоставят също информация за тарифите за роуминг в момента на подписване на договор за абонамент, а след това периодично да предоставят на клиентите си актуализирана информация за тези тарифи , както и в случай на значителни промени.
26) За да се повиши прозрачността на тарифите на дребно за осъществяване и приемане на повиквания чрез роуминг в рамките на Общността, и за да се улесняват потребителите на роуминг при вземането на решения относно използването на клетъчните им телефони, докато се намират в чужбина, доставчиците на телефонни услуги чрез мобилни мрежи следва да предоставят ефективно на клиентите си, ползващи роуминг, възможност да получават безплатно информация за приложимите тарифи за роуминг в съответните посещавани държави-членки. Тази информация следва да включва тарифи на минута или на единица данни (включително ДДС) за осъществяване и приемане на гласови повиквания и за изпращане и получаване на SMS, MMS и други налични услуги за пренос на данни по всяка мрежа в съответната държава-членка. От съображения за прозрачност, доставчиците в страната на произход трябва да предоставят на всички потребители пълна информация за приложимите тарифите за роуминг, по-специално за евротарифата и общата фиксирана тарифа, в момента на подписване на договор за абонамент, а след това периодично и своевременно да предоставят на потребителите на роуминг актуализирана информация за тарифите за роуминг, при всяка промяна на тези тарифи. Също така, в името на прозрачността, всеки доставчик в страната на произход следва да бъде задължен да предоставя при поискване на абонат, ползващи услугата роуминг, безплатен индивидуализиран разчет на най-подходящия възможен избор на тарифа на база на неговия абонатен профил.
Изменение 1
9
СЪОБРАЖЕНИЕ 26 А (ново)
26а) За да се обезпечи трансграничната мобилност на лицата, пътуващи с туристическа цел, а не по професионални причини, доставчиците в страната на произход следва да се задължават, при поискване от страна на абонат, да го осведомяват относно най-добрата възможна тарифа за държавата-членка, която възнамерява да посети или най-малко да определят специална тарифа за роуминг за туристически цели.
Изменение
20
СЪОБРАЖЕНИЕ 27
27) Националните регулаторни органи, които са натоварени с изпълнението на функциите, предвидени в нормативната уредба от 2002 г. за електронните съобщения, следва да разполагат с необходимите правомощия за надзор и осигуряване на спазването на предвидените в настоящия регламент задължения в рамките на тяхната териториална компетентност. Те следва да следят и развитието на тарифите за гласови услуги и за услуги за пренос на данни за потребителите, ползващи роуминг чрез мобилни мрежи при пътуване в рамките на Общността, особено по отношение на специфичните разходи, свързани с повиквания чрез роуминг, осъществявани в най-отдалечените региони на Общността, и необходимостта да се гарантира, че тези разходи могат в достатъчна степен да се възстановяват на пазара на едро. Те следва да осигуряват на потребителите на мобилни мрежи актуална информация за прилагането на настоящия регламент.
27) Националните регулаторни органи, които са натоварени с изпълнението на функциите, предвидени в нормативната уредба от 2002 г. за електронните съобщения, следва да разполагат с необходимите правомощия за надзор и осигуряване на спазването на предвидените в настоящия регламент задължения в рамките на тяхната териториална компетентност. Те следва да следят и развитието на тарифите за гласови услуги и за услуги за пренос на данни за потребителите, ползващи роуминг чрез мобилни мрежи при пътуване в рамките на Общността, особено по отношение на специфичните разходи, свързани с повиквания чрез роуминг, осъществявани и приемани в най-отдалечените региони на Общността, и необходимостта да се гарантира, че тези разходи могат в достатъчна степен да се възстановяват на пазара на едро. Те следва да осигуряват на потребителите на мобилни мрежи актуална информация за прилагането на настоящия регламент и да публикуват резултатите от това наблюдение веднъж на всеки шест месеца след влизането в сила на настоящия регламент . Следва да се предоставя информация отделно за корпоративни клиенти, за клиенти, сключили договор за предплатена услуга, и за клиенти, сключили договори за абонамент.
Изменение
21
СЪОБРАЖЕНИЕ 27 А (ново)
27а) С оглед на факта, че наред с гласовата телефония, новите услуги за пренос на данни чрез мобилни мрежи навлизат все повече на пазара, настоящият регламент следва да предоставя възможност за наблюдение на пазарните процеси и в тези области. Поради това Комисията, като защитава интересите на потребителите и същевременно полага усилия да избягва ненужната намеса в пазарните механизми, следва да извършва по-активно наблюдение на общностния пазар за пренос на данни по мобилни мрежи въз основа на правилата за тарифите за гласови повиквания чрез роуминг, и при необходимост, въз основа на данни, предоставяни от националните регулаторни органи, следва да разгледа възможността за предприемане на мерки за намаляване на необосновано високите тарифи.
Обосновка
Thanks to the rapid development of technology, the role of the international data services market is becoming increasingly important. Internet-based sound transmission (VoiP) is revolutionising fixed telephony, opening the way to cheaper sound transmission. The spread and presence of 3G networks and other related technologies are having a serious impact on the mobile services market. In the interest of consumers and of guaranteeing competition, more intensive monitoring of market processes should be carried out, and if they are not operating satisfactorily, the prospect of a proportionate intervention should be offered.
Изменение
22
СЪОБРАЖЕНИЕ 27 Б (ново)
27б) С цел да се осигури лоялна конкуренция в рамките на ЕС, националните регулаторни органи трябва да следят за изпълнението на "задължението за пренос" към посещаваните мрежи.
Обосновка
Smaller operators must have the assurance that they have access to visited networks at all times.
Изменение
23
СЪОБРАЖЕНИЕ 29 A (ново)
29 a ) По-специално на Комисията следва да се предоставят правомощия за приемане на изменения към приложенията на настоящия регламент, с цел приспособяването им към техническите или пазарни промени. Тъй като тези мерки са с общ обхват и са предназначени да изменят несъществени елементи от настоящия регламент, те следва да се приемат в съответствие с регулаторната процедура на контрол, предвидена в член 5а от Решение 1999/468/ЕО.
Изменение 24
СЪОБРАЖЕНИЕ 30
30) Тъй като целите на предлаганото действие, а именно създаване на общ механизъм, чрез който да се гарантира, че при пътуване в рамките на Общността потребителите на обществени мобилни телефонни мрежи не заплащат прекомерно високи цени за услуги по международен роуминг , когато осъществяват или приемат гласови повиквания, с което да се постигне висока степен на защита на потребителите при същевременно запазване на конкуренцията между операторите на мобилни мрежи, не могат да се постигнат от държавите-членки по сигурен, хармонизиран и своевременен начин, поради което могат да се осъществят по-добре на общностно равнище, Общността може да приема мерки в съответствие с принципа на субсидиарност, определен в член 5 от Договора. В съответствие с определения в същия член принцип на пропорционалност, настоящият регламент не излиза извън рамките на необходимото за постигане на тези цели.
30) Тъй като целите на предлаганото действие, а именно създаване на общ механизъм, чрез който да се гарантира, че при пътуване в рамките на Общността потребителите на обществени мобилни телефонни мрежи не заплащат прекомерно високи тарифи за услугите по роуминг в рамките на Общността , когато осъществяват или приемат гласови повиквания, с което да се постигне висока степен на защита на потребителите при същевременно запазване на конкуренцията между операторите на мобилни мрежи, не могат да се постигнат от държавите-членки по сигурен, хармонизиран и своевременен начин, поради което могат да се осъществят по-добре на общностно равнище, Общността може да приема мерки в съответствие с принципа на субсидиарност, определен в член 5 от Договора.
Обосновка
This goes without saying and should be deleted in the interest of better lawmaking.
Изменение
25
ЧЛЕН 1, ПАРАГРАФ 1
1. С настоящия регламент се въвежда общ механизъм, наречен "подход на европейския вътрешен пазар", за да се гарантира, че при пътуване в рамките на Общността потребителите на обществени мобилни телефонни мрежи не заплащат прекомерни цени за услуги по международен роуминг , когато осъществяват или приемат повиквания, като по този начин се постигне висока степен на защита на потребителите и същевременно се запази конкуренцията между операторите на мобилни мрежи. В него се определят правила за цените, които операторите на мобилни мрежи могат да определят за предоставянето на услуги по международен роуминг, за гласови повиквания, възникващи или завършващи в рамките на Общността, като регламентът се прилага както за цените на едро между оператори на мрежи, така и за цените на дребно, определяни от доставчика в страната на произход.
1. С настоящия регламент се въвежда общ механизъм, наречен "подход на европейския вътрешен пазар", за да се гарантира, че при пътуване в рамките на Общността потребителите на обществени мобилни телефонни мрежи не заплащат прекомерни цени за услуги по роуминг в рамките на Общността , когато осъществяват или приемат повиквания, като по този начин се постигне висока степен на защита на потребителите и същевременно се запазят конкуренцията между операторите на мобилни мрежи. В него се определят правила за цените, които операторите на мобилни мрежи могат да определят за предоставянето на услуги по международен роуминг, за гласови повиквания, възникващи или завършващи в рамките на Общността, като регламентът се прилага както за цените на едро между оператори на мрежи, така и за цените на дребно, определяни от доставчика в страната на произход.
1a. С настоящия регламент се определят правила за повишаване на ценовата прозрачност и за подобряване на предоставянето на информация за тарифите на потребителите на услугите чрез роуминг в рамките на Общността, в това число и услугите за пренос на данни чрез роуминг в рамките на Общността.
Изменение
26
ЧЛЕН 2, ПАРАГРАФ 2
2. В допълнение към определенията по параграф 1, се прилагат следните определения:
2. В допълнение към определенията по параграф 1, се прилагат следните определения:
-а) "евротарифа" означава максималната тарифа на минута, която доставчиците в страната на произход могат да определят за предоставяне нарегулирани повиквания чрез роуминг ;
а) "доставчик в страната на произход" означава предприятие, което предоставя на дребно на абонатите, ползващи услугата роуминг телефонни услуги чрез наземна обществена мобилна мрежа;
а) "доставчик в страната на произход" означава предприятие, което предоставя на дребно на абонатите, ползващи услугата роуминг телефонни услуги чрез наземна обществена мобилна мрежа;
б) "мрежа в страната на произход" означава наземната обществена мобилна мрежа, която се намира в държава-членка и се използва от доставчика в страната на произход за доставка на абонатите, ползващи услугата роуминг, на телефонни услуги чрез наземни обществени мобилни мрежи;
б) "мрежа в страната на произход" означава наземната обществена мобилна мрежа, която се намира в държава-членка и се използва от доставчика в страната на произход, независимо дали той е препродавач или не, за доставка на абонатите, ползващи услугата роуминг, на телефонни услуги чрез наземни обществени мобилни мрежи;
в) " международен роуминг " означава използването на клетъчен телефон или друго устройство за осъществяване или приемане на повиквания от абонат, ползващ услугата роуминг, извън държавата-членка, в която се намира неговата мрежа в страната на произход, по силата на договор между оператора на мрежата в страната на произход и оператора на посещаваната мрежа;
в) " роуминг в рамките на Общността " означава използването на клетъчен телефон или друго устройство за осъществяване или приемане на повиквания от абонат в рамките на Общността , ползващ услугата роуминг, извън държавата-членка, в която се намира неговата мрежа в страната на произход, по силата на договор между оператора на мрежата в страната на произход и оператора на посещаваната мрежа;
г) "регулирано повикване чрез роуминг" означава гласово телефонно повикване, осъществено от абонат, ползващ услугата роуминг, възникващо в посещаваната мрежа и завършващо в обществена телефонна мрежа в рамките на Общността;
г) "регулирано повикване чрез роуминг" означава гласово телефонно повикване, осъществено или прието от абонат, ползващ услугата роуминг, възникващо или приемано в посещаваната мрежа и завършващо в обществена телефонна мрежа в рамките на Общността;
д) "абонат, ползващ услугата роуминг" означава абонат на доставчик на телефонни услуги чрез наземна обществена мобилна мрежа посредством наземна обществена мобилна мрежа, намираща се на територията на Общността, който ползва клетъчен телефон или друго устройство за осъществяване или приемане на повиквания в посещаваната мрежа по силата на договор между оператора на мрежата в страната на произход и оператора на посещаваната мрежа;
д) "абонат, ползващ услугата роуминг" означава абонат на доставчик на телефонни услуги чрез наземна обществена мобилна мрежа посредством наземна обществена мобилна мрежа, намираща се на територията на Общността, който ползва клетъчен телефон или друго устройство за осъществяване или приемане на повиквания в посещаваната мрежа по силата на договор между оператора на мрежата в страната на произход и оператора на посещаваната мрежа;
е) "посещавана мрежа" означава наземна обществена мобилна телефонна мрежа, намираща се в държава-членка, различна от държавата, в която се намира мрежата в страната на произход и позволяваща на абоната, ползващ услугата роуминг, да осъществява и приема повиквания по силата на договор с оператора на мрежата в страната на произход.
е) "посещавана мрежа" означава наземна обществена мобилна телефонна мрежа, намираща се в държава-членка, различна от държавата, в която се намира мрежата в страната на произход и позволяваща на абоната, ползващ услугата роуминг, да осъществява и приема повиквания по силата на договор с оператора на мрежата в страната на произход.
еа) “ М обилни услуги по пренос на данни чрез роуминг в рамките на Общността" означава обществена мобилна телефонна услуга, различна от гласовата телефония по мобилна мрежа, която се предоставя в наземна обществена мобилна мрежа в Общността и която потребителите, ползващи услугата роуминг, извън държавата-членка, в която се намира тяхната вътрешна мрежа, могат да ползват по силата на договор между оператора на мрежата в страната на произход и оператора на посещаваната мрежа.
Изменение
27
ЧЛЕН 3
Тарифи на едро за осъществяване на регулирани повиквания чрез роуминг
Тарифи на едро за регулирани повиквания чрез роуминг
Общата цена на едро, която операторът на посещавана мрежа може да определя за оператора на мрежата в страната на произход, чийто абонат е потребителят, ползващ услугата роуминг, за доставката на регулирано повикване чрез роуминг, включително, наред с другото, възникване, транзитно преминаване и завършване на повикване, не превишава приложимата тарифа на минута, определена в съответствие с приложение I.
Общата цена на едро, която операторът на посещавана мрежа може да определя за всеки оператор на мрежа в страната на произход, чийто абонат е потребителят, ползващ услугата роуминг, за доставката на регулирано повикване чрез роуминг, включително, наред с другото, възникване, транзитно преминаване и завършване на повикване, не превишава приложимата тарифа на минута, определена в съответствие с приложение I.
1a. С цел предоставяне на услуги по роуминг в рамките на Общността, всеки доставчик в страната на произход има достъп до и използва наземните обществени телефонни мобилни мрежи, намиращи се в държавите-членки, различни от държавата, в която се намира мрежата в страната на произход.
Изменение
28
ЧЛЕН 4
Тарифи на дребно за осъществяване на регулирани повиквания чрез роуминг
Тарифи на дребно за регулирани повиквания чрез роуминг
-1. Доставчиците в страната на произход следва да представят по ясен и прозрачен начин на всички потребители евротарифата, посочена в параграф 1. Евротарифата следва да не води до плащането на никакви свързани с това абонаментни такси или други елементи на фиксирани такси и може да се съчетава с всички тарифи на дребно.
Съобразно разпоредбите на член 5, общата тарифа на дребно, без ДДС, която доставчик в страната на произход може да определя за абонатите си, ползващи услугата роуминг, за доставка на регулирано повикване чрез роуминг, не може да превишава 130% от приложимата максимална тарифа на едро за това повикване, определена в съответствие с приложение I. Тарифните предели, определени в настоящия член, включват всички постоянни елементи, свързани с доставката на регулирани повиквания чрез роуминг, като например разходи за активиране на абонатен номер или такси за абонамент.
Съобразно разпоредбите на член 5, максималната евротарифа на дребно, без ДДС, която доставчик в страната на произход може да определя за абонатите си, ползващи услугата роуминг, за доставка на регулирано повикване чрез роуминг, не може да превишава на минута 175 % [40 евроцента] от приложимата максимална тарифа на едро за това повикване, определена в съответствие с приложение I, за осъществяване на регулирано повикване чрез роуминг или 66% [15 евроцента] от приложимата максимална тарифа на едро за това повикване, определена в съответствие с приложение I, за приемането на регулирано повикване. Тарифните предели, определени в настоящия член, включват всички постоянни елементи, свързани с доставката на регулирани повиквания чрез роуминг, включително, но не само разходите за активиране на абонатен номер или таксите за абонамент.
1a. Освен предвидената в параграф 1 евро тарифа, всеки доставчик в страната на произход следва да предлага справедлива обща месечна фиксирана тарифа, за която не се прилагат никакви тарифни предели. Фиксираната тарифа следва да включва гласови услуги и услуги по пренос на данни (в т.ч. SMS и MMS) в рамките на Общността.
Изменение
29
ЧЛЕН 4 A (нов)
Член 4а
Избор на тарифа
1. Освен ако потребителите преднамерено не изберат друга тарифа, на всички съществуващи и нови потребители на услугата роуминг се предоставя евротарифата, така както е посочена в член 4.
2. Потребителите на услугата роуминг следва да могат, при поискване, да преминават на/от евротарифата в тридесетдневен срок. Всяко такова преминаване се извършва безплатно, без налагане на парична санкция и не е свързано с условия или ограничения по съществуващи елементи на абонамента.
Изменение
30
ЧЛЕН 5
Срок за прилагане на пределните тарифи на дребно за регулирани повиквания чрез роуминг .
Срок за прилагане на членове 3, 4 и 7
Задълженията по член 4 влизат в сила шест месеца след влизането в сила на настоящия регламент .
Съгласно член 10, параграф 5, задълженията по членове 3 и 7 влизат в сила незабавно след влизането в сила на настоящия регламент .
1а. Съгласно член 10, параграф 5, задълженията по член 4 влизат в сила един месец след влизането в сила на настоящия регламент.
Изменение
31
ЧЛЕН 6 А (нов)
Член 6a
Управление на трафика
Техниките за управление на трафика следва да не се използват за възпрепятстване абонатите, ползващи услугата роуминг, от това да могат ръчно да избират посещаваната мрежа. Тази възможност за избор остава в сила до момента, когато абонатът, ползващ услугата роуминг, изключи клетъчния си телефон или напусне посещаваната мрежа.
Изменение
32
ЧЛЕН 7, ПАРАГРАФИ ОТ 1 ДО 5 И 5 A (нов)
Прозрачност на тарифите на дребно
Прозрачност на тарифите на дребно
1. Всеки доставчик в страната на произход предоставя, при поискване от неговите абонати , ползващи услугата роуминг, индивидуализирана информация за тарифите на дребно, които се прилагат за осъществяването и приемането от тези абонати на повиквания в посещаваната държава-членка.
1. Освен ако потребителите не са уведомили доставчика в страната на произход, че не желаят това, всеки доставчик в страната на произход предоставя на своите абонати, ползващи услугата роуминг, автоматично при влизането им в друга държава-членка, чрез SMS, в най-кратък срок и безплатно, основна индивидуализирана информация за тарифите на дребно на минута (включително ДДС) , която се отнася до осъществяването и приемането от тези абонати на повиквания в посещаваната държава-членка.
Абонат, който е уведомил, че не желае автоматичен SMS, има право, безплатно и по всяко време да поиска от неговия доставчик в страната на произход да му предостави тази услуга.
2. Абонатът може да избира дали да отправи такова искане чрез гласово повикване по мобилната мрежа или чрез изпращане на SMS (услуга "кратко съобщение"), и в двата случая до номер, определен за целта от доставчика в страната на произход, както и може да избира дали да получи информацията по време на въпросното повикване или чрез SMS (в последния случай, в най-кратък срок).
2. В допълнение към параграф 1, абонатът има право да поиска по-подробна индивидуализирана информация за цената, като осъществи телефонно повикване по мобилната мрежа до безплатен телефонен номер, определен за целта от доставчика в страната на произход.
4. Индивидуализираната ценова информация, посочена в настоящия член , се отнася за приложимите тарифи съгласно тарифния план на съответния абонат, ползващ услугата роуминг, за осъществяване и приемане на повиквания по всяка посещавана мрежа на държавата-членка, в която абонатът пътува.
4. По-подробната индивидуализираната ценова информация, посочена в параграф 2 , се отнася за тарифите за роуминг на минута или на бит информация (включително ДДС), приложими съгласно тарифния план на съответния абонат, ползващ услугата роуминг, за осъществяване и приемане на повиквания и за изпращане и получаване на SMS , MMS и други налични услуги за пренос на данни чрез роуминг по всяка мрежа на държавата-членка, в която абонатът пътува.
Всички доставчици следва да изпращат на потребителите на услугата роуминг икона за предупреждение или съобщение на екрана на техния мобилен апарат за обозначаване на това, че им предстои да осъществят или приемат повикване чрез роуминг.
5. При сключване на договор за абонамент доставчиците в страната на произход предоставят на новите абонати пълна информация за приложимите тарифи за ползване на услугата роуминг. Доставчиците в страната на произход също така периодично предоставят на абонатите си и актуализирана информация за приложимите тарифи за ползване на услугата роуминг, а освен това им предоставят информация и при всяка значителна промяна в тези тарифи.
5. При сключване на договор за абонамент доставчиците в страната на произход предоставят на всички абонати пълна информация за приложимите тарифи за ползване на услугата роуминг, и по-специално за евротарифата . Също така те предоставят на абонатите си и актуализирана информация за приложимите тарифи за ползване на услугата роуминг в най-кратък срок при всяка промяна в тези тарифи.
5а. Доставчиците в страната на произход вземат необходимите мерки за осведомяване на техните клиенти за наличието на евротарифа и за общата месечна фиксирана тарифа, предвидена в член 4. Те по-специално съобщават незабавно на всички свои клиенти условията, свързани с евротарифата и общата месечна фиксирана тарифа, по ясен и непредубеден начин. След това те изпращат на разумни интервали от време сигнал за напомняне на всички потребители, които са избрали друга тарифа.
Изменение
33
ЧЛЕН 7, ПАРАГРАФ 5 Б (нов)
5a. Когато оператор пристъпи към увеличаване на цените на вътрешния пазар, с оглед прилагане на настоящия регламент, той представя своите вътрешни счетоводни отчети.
Обосновка
Full transparency of accounting is needed if an operator justifies an increase in charges for domestic calls by reference to this regulation.
Изменение
34
ЧЛЕН 7, ПАРАГРАФ 5 В (нов)
5в. Н ационалните регулаторни органи осигуряват въвеждането на ценови симулатор, който може да изчислява очакваните разходи за роуминг при различните оператори. Подобни симулатори следва да бъдат свързани в мрежа на европейско равнище
Justification
In the interest of optimum transparency there is a need for consumers to be able to estimate their roaming costs in advance and find out which operator can give them the best price by means of a simulator. This simulator must be set up by the national regulator to safeguard the impartiality of the information. In due course such simulators must be mutually linked to ensure greater transparency in the market throughout the Union. Such a simulator is technically feasible, on the lines of the one on the GSM Association’s website.
Изменение
35
ЧЛЕН 8, ПАРАГРАФИ 1, 5 И 6 И 8 A (нов)
1. Националните регулаторни органи наблюдават и контролират спазването на разпоредбите на настоящия регламент в рамките на тяхната териториална компетентност.
1. Националните регулаторни органи наблюдават и осигуряват съответствие с разпоредбите на настоящия регламент в рамките на тяхната териториална компетентност.
5. Националните регулаторни органи предоставят на обществеността актуализирана информация за прилагането на настоящия регламент по начин, който позволява на заинтересованите страни да получат лесен достъп до тази информация.
5. Националните регулаторни органи предоставят на обществеността актуализирана информация за прилагането на настоящия регламент ,и по-специално на членове 3 и 4, по начин, който позволява на заинтересованите страни да получат лесен достъп до тази информация.
6. Националните регулаторни органи следят развитието на цените на едро и дребно за доставка на гласови услуги и услуги по пренос на данни, включително SMS и MMS, на абонати, ползващи услугата роуминг, и по-специално в най-отдалечените региони на Общността, и при поискване , съобщават на Комисията резултатите от извършеното наблюдение.
6. Националните регулаторни органи следят развитието на цените на едро и дребно за доставка на гласови услуги и услуги по пренос на данни, включително SMS и MMS, на абонати, ползващи услугата роуминг, и по-специално в най-отдалечените региони на Общността, и също така наблюдават особеното принудително положение във връзка с услугата роуминг на граждани, живеещи, работещи и развиващи стопанска дейност в трансгранични региони на съседни държави-членки и съобщават на Комисията резултатите от извършеното наблюдение на всеки шест месеца след влизането в сила на настоящия регламент. Информацията се предоставя отделно за корпоративни клиенти, за клиенти, сключили договор за предплатена услуга, и за клиенти, сключили договори за абонамент.
8а. Националните регулаторни органи следва да подкрепят рекламна кампания, провеждана чрез средствата за масово осведомяване като телевизия, радио, списания, вестници и кино в цялата Общност, за да повишат нивото на осведоменост за условията на евротарифата, изложени в член 4 от настоящия регламент. Кампанията започва незабавно след влизането в сила на настоящия регламент.
Изменение
36
ЧЛЕН 8, ПАРАГРАФ 6 A (нов)
6a. Въз основа на докладите на националните регулаторни органи, в срок от 12 месеца след влизането в сила на настоящия регламент, Комисията предоставя на Парламента и на Съвета анализ на тарифите на едро и дребно за роуминг в рамките на Общността за услуги по пренос на данни в Общността. Ако цените на дребно за роуминг в рамките на Общността за услуги по пренос на данни в Общността изглеждат неоправдано високи след влизането в сила на настоящия регламент, Комисията представя предложение за регулиране на тези цени въз основа на регулирането на тарифите за услугата роуминг за гласова телефония.
Justification
Thanks to the rapid development of technology, the role of the international data services market is becoming increasingly important. Internet-based sound transmission (VoiP) is revolutionising fixed telephony, opening the way to cheaper sound transmission. The spread and presence of 3G networks and other related technologies are having a serious impact on the mobile services market. In the interest of consumers and of guaranteeing competition, more intensive monitoring of market processes should be carried out, and if they are not operating satisfactorily, the prospect of a proportionate intervention should be offered.
Изменение
37
ЧЛЕН 8, ПАРАГРАФ 6 Б (нов)
6а. Националните регулаторни органи гарантират, че намалението на тарифите за роуминг, произтичащи от задълженията по настоящия регламент, не се компенсира чрез цените за повиквания по мобилната мрежа в рамките на същата държава-членка.
Justification
National regulatory authorities are the most competent authorities to follow the application of this Regulation.
Изменение
38
ЧЛЕН 10, ПАРАГРАФ 3
3. Комисията публикува редовно в Официален вестник на Европейския съюз средната тарифа за завършване на повиквания по мобилна мрежа, определена в съответствие с параграфи 1, 2 и 4.
3. Комисията публикува редовно в Официален вестник на Европейския съюз и в интернет портала на Комисията "Вашата Европа", средната тарифа за завършване на повиквания по мобилна мрежа, определена в съответствие с параграфи 1, 2 и 4.
Изменение
39
ЧЛЕН 10, ПАРАГРАФ 6
6. Необходимите изменения за адаптиране на приложение II към техническия прогрес или развитието на пазара, се приемат от Комисията в съответствие с процедурата по член 13, параграф 3.
6. Необходимите изменения за адаптиране на приложение II към техническия прогрес или развитието на пазара, се приемат от Комисията в съответствие с регулаторната процедура на контрол по член 13, параграф 2а.
Изменение
40
ЧЛЕН 12
Процедура за преразглеждане
Процедура за преразглеждане
Комисията преразглежда функционирането на настоящия регламент и докладва на Европейския парламент и на Съвета в срок до две години от датата на влизането му в сила. Комисията включва в своя доклада съображенията си относно продължаващата необходимост от регулиране или възможността за отмяна на регулирането , предвид развитието на пазара и конкуренцията. За целта Комисията може да изисква от държавите-членки и националните регулаторни органи информация, която следва да се предоставя своевременно.
Комисията преразглежда функционирането на настоящия регламент и докладва на Европейския парламент и на Съвета в срок до две години от датата на влизането му в сила. Комисията извършва оценка на степента на постигане на целите, и при необходимост, представя подходящи предложения.
Комисията включва в своя доклад съображенията си относно продължаващата необходимост от регулиране и въпроса дали , предвид развитието на пазара и с оглед на конкуренцията и защитата на потребителите, съществува необходимост от удължаване срока на действие на настоящия регламент над установения в член 1б срок, като по този начин отчита необходимостта от установяване на истински ефективен, движен от силите на конкуренцията вътрешен далекосъобщителен пазар, чрез който ще се отстранят трансграничните разходи и промените в цените на мобилните съобщителни услуги на национално равнище, и по-специално когато цените на дребно за повиквания чрез роуминг в рамките на ЕС надвишават разходите за повиквания в страната. Като част от този доклад, Комисията преразглежда промените в цените на едро и дребно за доставката до потребителите на услугата роуминг на гласови услуги и услуги по пренос на данни, включително SMS и MMS, и други услуги по пренос на данни в рамките на Общността, като се обръща специално внимание на регионалните дисбаланси и дисбалансите между операторите. Докладът следва да включва, по целесъобразност, препоръки относно необходимостта от регулиране на тези услуги .
1a. За целта Комисията може да използва информацията, предоставена в приложение на член 8, параграф 2.
1б. Срокът на настоящия регламент изтича три години след влизането му в сила, освен ако, преди изтичането му, Комисията не представи предложение пред Европейския парламент и Съвета за удължаване на срока му.
Изменение
41
ЧЛЕН 12, ПАРАГРАФ 1В (нов)
1в. Комисията анализира въздействието на настоящия регламент върху конкурентното положение на по-малки, независими или скоро започнали дейността си оператори. Комисията следва да анализира по-специално дали по отношение на по-малките, независими или скоро започнали дейността си оператори се прилага дискриминационно ценообразуване и дали достъпът до недискриминационни условия за по-малките, независими или скоро започнали дейността си оператори подлежи на регулиране. Комисията представя своя доклад на Европейския парламент и Съвета не по-късно от дванадесет месеца след влизането в сила на настоящия регламент. Нейният доклад включва, по целесъобразност, предложение за намеса. Тези п редложения могат да се представят и отделно, когато това се налага поради пазарно развитие или липсата на такова”.
Обосновка
It would provide greater clarity of the Commission's analysis, exploring the impact of this regulation on for smaller, independent or newly started operators..
Изменение
42
ЧЛЕН 12, ПАРАГРАФ 1Г (нов)
1г. Комисията публикува годишен доклад относно развитието в рамките на Общността в областта, уредена с настоящия регламент.
Обосновка
To provide for a broader annual review.
Изменение
43
ЧЛЕН 13, ПАРАГРАФ 2А (нов)
2а. При позоваване на настоящия параграф се прилагат членове 5а, параграфи 1 до 4 от Решение 1999/468/EО, като се вземат предвид разпоредбите на член 8 от същото решение.
Изменение
44
ПРИЛОЖЕНИЕ I
Тарифи на едро за осъществяване на регулирани повиквания чрез роуминг, посочени в член 3
Тарифи на едро за регулирани повиквания чрез роуминг, посочени в членове 3 и 4
Общите тарифи на едро, които операторът на посещавана мрежа може да определя за оператора на мрежата в страната на произход, чийто абонат е потребителят, ползващ услугата роуминг, за осъществяване на регулирано повикване чрез роуминг, възникващо в посещаваната мрежа, не превишават публикуваната съгласно член 10, параграф 3 средна тарифа на минута за завършване на повиквания по мобилна мрежа, умножена:
Общата тарифа на едро, която операторът на посещавана мрежа може да определя за всеки оператор на мрежа в страната на произход, чийто абонат е потребителят, ползващ услугата роуминг, за осъществяване на регулирано повикване чрез роуминг, възникващо в посещаваната мрежа, не превишават публикуваната съгласно член 10, параграф 3 средна тарифа на минута за завършване на повиквания по мобилна мрежа, умножена по коефициент 2 за всички повиквания до номер от обществена телефонна мрежа, независимо дали в държавата-членка, в която се намира посещаваната мрежа, или в държава-членка, различна от тази, в която се намира посещаваната мрежа.
а) по коефициент две, при регулирано повикване чрез роуминг до номер от обществена телефонна мрежа в държавата-членка, в която се намира посещаваната мрежа; или
б) по коефициент три, при регулирано повикване чрез роуминг до номер от обществена телефонна мрежа в държава-членка, различна от тази, в която се намира посещаваната мрежа.
Тарифните предели , определени в настоящото приложение, включват всички постоянни елементи, като разходи за активиране на абонатен номер.
Изменение
45
ПРИЛОЖЕНИЕ І, ПАРАГРАФ 1А (нов)
1а. Допълнителните разходи, свързани с отдалечеността на най-отдалечените райони и прехвърлянето на повиквания между континентална Европа и въпросните райони, трябва да бъдат добавени към тези ценови предели за повиквания, осъществени от и към мрежи, чиито оператори, притежават лицензи, включващи единствено най-отдалечените райони на Общността.
Обосновка
In the outermost regions the routing of calls entails costs far higher than those borne by other European operators on account of the geographical discontinuity. The envisaged price limits would force other European operators to accept the customers of operators operating in the outermost regions without being able to cover their costs and could therefore persuade them to close their destinations to the customers of operators from the outermost regions.
EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
Introduction
The ability of the European citizens to use their mobile devices while travelling abroad from their home country is a key element when talking about an internal market in mobile communications in Europe . The current roaming market shows evident market failure which impedes European citizens in using there mobile devices when going from one Member State to another.
We clearly support the general thrust of the Commission Proposal for a Regulation on roaming on public networks within the community. Nevertheless we see room for improvements as increased price transparency for the consumer is concerned in order to enable the consumer to make an informed choice and as creating a level playing field for mobile network operators is concerned in order to raise competition in the internal roaming market.
The European Parliament respects the Commission’s concerns to regulate prices of international mobile data transfer services on the basis of the current information about this market segment, in particular without a proper impact assessment. Nevertheless the European Parliament points out to the strong need of closely assessing and monitoring this market segment as there seems to be strong evidence for market failure.
I. Market Failure
1. Very high prices
The prices level of mobile communication services offered to consumers when roaming have been varying from high to often excessive. Although especially charges at retail level have been unjustifiable high , there is evidence that also at wholesale level charges levied by the host network operators, in particular from smaller operators, are way above costs incurred by the host network operators and thus impeding fair competition.
2. Lack of transparency
European citizens are in need of seamless quality communication. Given that eight out of ten EU-citizens have a mobile phone and that in some member states penetration rate exceeds 100% (Italy 123,2%, Portugal 117,1%, UK 116,3%)
As of end Q4/2005
Source: Credit Suisse, Prof. Gerpott Analysis. the need is apparent. To this end, transparent pricing mechanisms are essential. At business-to-business level, transparency has to ensure the functioning of the internal market. At business-to-customer level the main objective is to provide the consumer with complete and comparable information on current prices in order to enable the consumer to make a well informed choice.
II. Disadvantages of a non-functioning internal telecommunication market
1. Non attainment of the Lisbon strategy goals
The main objective of the Lisbon agenda is to make Europe the most competitive knowledge-based economy in the world by 2010. The European Council of March 2005 called upon the Commission, the Council and the Member States to relaunch the Lisbon Strategy by refocusing on growth and employment in Europe. An equitably functioning labour market could foster growth and could give fresh impetus for a competitive European economy. In order to ensure the global competitiveness of the European market, a dynamic internal market without internal barriers is needed . Unjustifiable high prices impeding customers from using their handsets constitute barriers to the internal service market.
2. No creation of knowledge based internal market
The market for mobile communications, being part of the wider market for information society services, comprises not only voice telephony, but also the provision of other newer mobile communication services . In particular VOIP, 3G networks, GPS, Wi-Fi, mobile internet and TV as well as new handsets supporting mobile data transfer at a larger scale are promising developments which should not be hindered by a lack of demand due to deterrent prices.
3. Self-regulation is not functioning
Self-regulation would mean that operators or associations would negotiate and agree amongst themselves guidelines at European level. Operators would have to guarantee substantial price reductions at wholesale and retail level. It seems that such proposals have not been put in place so far.
4. Non-functioning in figures
Surveys have shown that
· almost eight out of ten Europeans have a mobile phone.
· mobile phone users rely very heavily on international roaming services, since the majority of users (9 out of 10) opt for that formula when travelling abroad, instead of buying a new SIM-card;
· a clear majority of users limit their mobile communications when travelling abroad
· excessive communication costs are by far (81% of replies) the main reason why Europeans use their phone less often while travelling abroad
· there is a considerable lack of transparency with regard to prices, since 4 out of 10 Europeans do not have a clear idea of what their calls cost
· a clear majority of Europeans (70% of replies) want the European Union to take action in order to regulate the price of calls and text messages so that roaming charges are not unreasonably higher than local prices
B Proposed Improvements
The creation of a well functioning European internal telecommunication market is the ultimate objective of this Regulation. Geographical barriers impeding dynamic competition have to be overcome. Transparency for the consumers as well as for the industry has to be increased and may partly contribute to achieving the overall objective.
5. Wholesale Regulation
Price regulation at wholesale level is the key driver in order to obtain the objectives set out above. Price regulation should create a level playing field for big and small, old and new (market access), northern and southern (tourism) and eastern and western (level of income) operators in order to ensure competition. In order to ensure fair competition all operators shall be submitted to a must-carry obligation for roaming services at wholesale level.
The basis for the wholesale regulation has to be transparent, not manipulation-prone, equally applicable in all Member States and should not constitute excessive administrative burden for regulatory authorities.
The Regulation at wholesale level should be based on mobile termination rates (MTRs) calculated as an average over all 27 member states. The absolute price cap at wholesale level is calculated by multiplying the average MTR by a single factor . No mobile network operator may levy charges above this limit from any other operator.
Price regulation at wholesale level should enter into force without delay.
6. Sunset clause
If industry were to establish a stock market which covers the whole European roaming market (incoming and outgoing calls), operators trading their entire volume of roaming minutes on this stock market would be no longer subject to regulation at wholesale level.
7. Retail Regulation
Price regulation at retail level should above all ensure that price reductions granted by operators at wholesale level are passed on to the consumers while leaving operators enough room for innovation of new services and tariff bundles.
The absolute price cap at retail level shall only apply to a regulated retail tariff ("Euro Tariff") which has to be offered by any operator on a mandatory basis. This tariff should consist of an all-inclusive price per call or per time unit and may be adapted by the European Parliament and the European Council if necessary. Operators are obliged to provide full information on the conditions of this tariff and allow the consumer to easily opt into the “Euro Tariff”.
In order to raise competition in the market for mobile data transfer and to create European wide comparability of roaming service prices, operators shall also be obliged to offer an international all-inclusive monthly flat rate. This flat rate has to comprise the basic fee, national and international roaming call charges, charges for mobile data transfer (SMS, MMS, Mobile TV, etc.) and charges for any services offered to the consumer at a later point in time. No price regulation shall apply to the flat rate.
If both requirements ("Euro Tariff" and all-inclusive flat rate) are met by operators all other existing or new international roaming tariff models are not subject to regulation thus leaving operators the freedom to customize their service bundles.
Price regulation at retail level should come into force without delay and shall expire when the geographical price barriers are overcome and a well functioning internal market is established.
8. Transparency
An active "push system" is preferable to price information on request ("pull system"). In order to avid spamming information has to be restricted to the indication of prices and consumers must be given the possibility to switch to a "pull system" if they whish to do so.
Consumers have to be informed in real time about the costs they are encountering while roaming
Proportionality of costs of informing consumers has to be ensured.
In order to being able to pass on price reductions granted at wholesale level, transparency on prices charged among operators has to be increased. As long as there is no European regulatory authority, national regulators are asked to ensure transparency.
9. Further Steps
The European Parliament asks the Commission to closely monitor price developments in international mobile data transfer and asses the necessity of further regulation in this field. The rapporteur points out to the high risk for innovation of new technologies and services in this field due to excessive pricing.
C. Goals to be attained
In this context, the proposed regulation has to achieve a balanced approach taking into account both the interests of the customer , as well as the interests of the mobile telecommunication industry . Thus should achieve a significant reduction in roaming prices as well as keep the level playing field for the mobile operators competitive.
22.3.2007
OPINION of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs
for the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy
on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on roaming on public mobile networks within the Community and amending Directive 2002/21/EC on a common regulatory framework for electronic communications networks and services
( COM(2006)0382 – C6‑0244/2006 – 2006/0133(COD) )
Draftsman: Andrea Losco
SHORT JUSTIFICATION
1. Background
About 147 million European Union citizens (37 million tourists and 110 million business customers)
Commission impact assessment in SEC (2006) 925, p. 19. are at present affected by the extremely high charges for international roaming by mobile telephony, that is, the opportunity to make or merely receive mobile phone calls abroad.
Such calls are made possible through international roaming agreements between the operator who has the relationship with the customer, and the foreign operator to whose network the customer gains access.
Consumer associations, national regulatory authorities and most political leaders agree that the charge for roaming services has not fallen as a result of the dynamic effect of competition between telephone service operators, although the phenomenon has been shown to apply to national mobile communications. Instead roaming rates have remained unjustifiably high, lacking in transparency and suspiciously similar between the various operators working in a given Member State.
In view of the obvious unwillingness of telephone service providers to reduce their roaming rates, in spite of warnings voiced for several years at national and European level, and most recently by Parliament itself in its Resolution of December 2005, the Commission put forward the present proposal for a regulation in July last year.
2. Main points of the Commission proposal
A. Regulation of wholesale charges
The proposal sets price limits for wholesale charges. For local calls made within the country visited the wholesale price limit is equal to twice the Community average mobile termination rate. For international calls, made by customers to their country of origin or another Community Member State, the wholesale price limit is equal to three times the Community average mobile termination rate.
B. Regulation of retail charges
The price limit for the supply of retail roaming is 130 % of the limit applied to wholesale charges. For received calls, this threshold applies until the entry into force of the new regulation. But for outward calls the retail charge limits will enter into force automatically after six months.
C. Transparency of retail prices
The proposal also encourages price transparency by introducing the requirement on mobile telephony service providers to give their subscribers personalised information on roaming charges on request and free of charge, by Short Message Service (SMS) or orally.
3. The proposals
The draftsman is bound to admit to some perplexity at this anomalous proposal for a regulation. He is firmly convinced that the highly acceptable aim of reducing the price of a product should be pursued through healthy competition between market forces rather than by means of a dirigiste intervention for regulating prices directly.
While bearing these reservations of principle in mind, he does recognise that the normal rules of competition have not worked in the case of this particular service of mobile telephony.
In view of the specific nature of international roaming markets and the cross-border nature of such services, the inadequacy of the current legislative framework, the inability of national regulators to intervene effectively, and the fact that in this case wholesale providers are situated in Member States different from the one in which consumers use their services, he agrees with the Commission on the urgent need to intervene by taking exceptional measures.
So within the framework laid down by the Commission, it seems appropriate to propose a few specific amendments, concerning:
A. Retail charges
The draftsman considers that the 130 % margin proposed by the Commission is excessively low. This threshold, which should cover both retail costs and profits, is likely to result in excessive pressure on the very aim of encouraging competition and diversity of supply. Prices are likely to end up uniformly positioned at the proposed upper limit and this could well have an adverse effect on small operators who are not aligned with the major European groups or partnerships, eliminating an incentive to competition, and more generally on the flexibility of charges. It is therefore proposed to set an upper retail price limit of 150 % of the proposed wholesale value.
B. Transparency
It is important to encourage transparency in retail prices by introducing the automatic requirement on mobile telephony service providers to supply subscribers with information on roaming charges when they cross the frontier.
C. A future legal framework for SMS and multimedia message services (MMS)
Finally, it is proposed to include SNS and MMS in the forthcoming review of the legal framework for electronic communications; these services are at present excluded from the proposal but are the subject of real tariff abuses.
AMENDMENTS
The Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs calls on the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy, as the committee responsible, to incorporate the following amendments in its report:
Text proposed by the Commission
Not yet published in OJ.
Amendments by Parliament
Amendment
1
RECITAL 14
(14) A common mechanism, to be called the European Home Market Approach, should be employed for ensuring that users of public mobile telephone networks when travelling within the Community do not pay excessive prices for international roaming voice services when making calls or receiving voice calls, thereby achieving a high level of consumer protection while safeguarding competition between mobile operators. In view of the cross-border nature of the services concerned, a common mechanism is needed so that mobile operators are faced with a single coherent regulatory framework based on objectively established criteria.
(14) A common mechanism, to be called the European Home Market Approach, should be employed for ensuring that users of public mobile telephone networks when travelling within the Community do not pay excessive prices for international roaming voice and data services when making calls or receiving voice calls or using data services , thereby achieving a high level of consumer protection while safeguarding competition between mobile operators. In view of the cross-border nature of the services concerned, a common mechanism is needed so that mobile operators are faced with a single coherent regulatory framework based on objectively established criteria. To secure effective retail competition and ensure that all mobile operators in the Community are able to compete effectively, mobile operators should be under an obligation to provide wholesale international roaming services to all other operators based in the Community upon request.
Justification
In order to compete effectively mobile operators should be obliged to provide wholesale international roaming services to all other operators. This will ensure no operator is excluded from access to wholesale roaming services.
Amendment
2
RECITAL 15
(15) The most effective and proportionate mechanism for regulating the level of prices for making international roaming calls in accordance with the above considerations is the setting at Community level of maximum per-minute charges at both retail and wholesale level.
(15) The most effective and proportionate mechanism for regulating the level of prices for making international roaming voice calls in accordance with the above considerations is the setting at Community level of maximum per-minute charges at both retail and wholesale level. For data services, in view of the speed of technological change and the growing role of the short message service (SMS) and the multimedia messaging service (MMS), national regulatory authorities and the Commission should supervise wholesale and retail data prices, including SMS and MMS charges, and include them in the future review of the legal framework in the event that prices do not decrease.
Amendment
3
RECITAL 26
(26) In order to improve the transparency of retail prices for making and receiving roaming calls within the Community and to help roaming customers make decisions on the use of their mobile telephones while abroad, providers of mobile telephony services should enable their roaming customers easily to obtain information on the roaming charges applicable to them in the visited Member State concerned , on request and free of charge. Transparency also requires that providers furnish information on roaming charges when subscriptions are taken out and that they also give their customers periodic updates on roaming charges as well as in the event of substantial changes.
(26) In order to improve the transparency of retail prices for making and receiving roaming calls within the Community and to help roaming customers make decisions on the use of their mobile telephones while abroad, providers of mobile telephony services should enable their roaming customers easily to receive information on the existence of steering agreements between the home provider and the provider of the visited network and on the roaming charges applicable to them in the visited Member State concerned free of charge. This information should include the charges for making and receiving calls in the Member State concerned. Transparency also requires that providers furnish information on roaming charges when subscriptions are taken out and that they also give their customers periodic updates on roaming charges as well as in the event of substantial changes.
Amendment
4
RECITAL 27
(27) The national regulatory authorities which are responsible for carrying out tasks under the 2002 regulatory framework for electronic communications should have the powers needed to supervise and enforce the obligations in this Regulation within their territory. They should also monitor developments in the pricing of voice and data services for mobile customers when roaming within the Community, in particular as regards the specific costs related to roaming calls made in the outermost regions of the Community and the necessity to ensure that these costs can be adequately recovered on the wholesale market. They should ensure that up-to-date information on the application of this Regulation is made available to mobile users.
(27) The national regulatory authorities which are responsible for carrying out tasks under the 2002 regulatory framework for electronic communications should have the powers needed to supervise and enforce the obligations in this Regulation within their territory. They should also monitor developments in the pricing of voice and data services for mobile customers when roaming within the Community, in particular as regards the specific costs related to roaming calls made in the outermost regions of the Community and the necessity to ensure that these costs can be adequately recovered on the wholesale market. The national regulatory authorities should communicate the results of such monitoring to the Commission every six month starting from the date of entry into force of this Regulation. They should also ensure that up-to-date information on the application of this Regulation is made available to mobile users.
Amendment
5
RECITAL 31
(31) This Regulation should be reviewed no later than two years after its entry into force, to ensure that it remains necessary and appropriate to the conditions prevailing in the electronic communications market at the time.
(31) This Regulation aims at correcting a situation of deficient functioning of the market through the introduction of measures that restore immediately an effective competition which grants benefits to consumers. It does not have a permanent vocation and therefore it should be reviewed no later than two years after its entry into force, to ensure that legal intervention regulating the wholesale and retail charges remains necessary and appropriate to the conditions prevailing in the electronic communications market at the time and to examine whether the Regulation should be repealed or temporily substituted by a less restrictive measure .
Amendment
6
RECITAL 31 A (new)
(31a) The application of this Regulation shall be postponed as regards Bulgaria and Romania , pending the outcome of a specific impact assessment to be carried out by the Commission in relation to those Member States. In any event, the implementation of any cap on roaming wholesale and retail charges should be phased in by means of a glide path for Bulgaria and Romania .
Justification
The markets in Bulgaria and Romania are relatively immature and need vital investments in network improvements. It is thus essential to have a specific impact analysis on those two new member states before implementing the Roaming Regulation.
Amendment
7
ARTICLE 1, PARAGRAPH -1 (new)
-1. This Regulation lays down rules for increasing price transparency and improving the provision of tariff information to consumers in international roaming services.
Justification
The purposes of the regulation should include that of laying down rules to increase price transparency and improve the provision of information to consumers of international roaming services.
Amendment
8
ARTICLE 2, PARAGRAPH 2, POINTS (E A) AND (E B) (new)
(ea) “new roaming customers” means those roaming customers referred to in point (e) who, after the obligations under Article 4 have come into effect, have (i) signed a contract with a home provider for the first time, (ii) signed a contract with a new home provider, or (iii) purchased a prepaid subscriber identity model (SIM)-card;
(eb) “existing roaming customers” means roaming customers referred to in point (e) not falling within the scope of the definition set out in point (ea) or new roaming customers who have opted out of the consumer protection tariff provided for in Article 4.
Justification
The amendment introduces definitions of ‘new roaming customers’ and ‘existing roaming customers’, consistently with tabled amendments.
Amendment
9
ARTICLE 3, TITLE
Wholesale charges for the making of regulated roaming calls
Wholesale charges for regulated roaming calls
Justification
The separate cap for local and other calls will cause big confusion. Therefore a single higher cap equal to the average mobile termination rate published pursuant to Article 10(3) multiplied by a factor of 3.0 would be more adequate.
Amendment
10
ARTICLE 4
Retail charges for the making of regulated roaming calls
Retail charges for regulated roaming calls
Subject to Article 5, the total retail charge, excluding VAT, which a home provider may levy from its roaming customer for the provision of a regulated roaming call may not exceed 130% of the applicable maximum wholesale charge for that call determined in accordance with Annex I. The charge limits in this Article shall include any fixed elements associated with the provision of regulated roaming calls, such as call set up charges or opt-in fees.
Subject to Article 5, the average retail charge, excluding VAT, which a home provider may levy from its roaming customer for making and receiving a regulated roaming call may not exceed 150% of the applicable maximum wholesale charge for that call determined in accordance with Annex I. The charge limits in this Article shall include any fixed elements associated with the provision of regulated roaming calls, such as call set up charges or opt-in fees.
Justification
The proposed upper limits on retail prices of call charges are too low and leave no space for creative competition amongst different types of operators and services. Therefore it is necessary to set a single and higher average retail cap in combination with maximum price caps for individual calls, in order to allow more flexibility for the operators and thus better services for the consumers.
Amendment
11
ARTICLE 4 A (new)
Article 4a
Consumer protection tariff
1. Home providers shall be obliged to make available to all roaming customers, clearly and transparently, a consumer protection tariff complying with paragraph 2.
2. The retail charge per minute (excluding VAT), which a home provider may levy from its roaming customers for the provision of roaming calls may not exceed EUR 0,50 for calls made and EUR 0,25 for calls received.
3. Existing roaming customers shall be given the opportunity to switch to the consumer protection tariff. The switch shall be free of charge and may not be subject to conditions and restrictions pertaining to existing elements of the subscription.
4. The consumer protection tariff shall be offered automatically to new roaming customers taking out a subscription, unless they deliberately opt for another tariff. In the event that a new roaming customer deliberately opts for another tariff, the customer shall be free to revert to the consumer protection tariff within a maximum period of 6 months, while retaining the other elements of the subscription.
5. The charge limits in this Article shall include any fixed elements associated with the provision of regulated roaming calls, such as call set-up charges or opt-in fees.
Amendment
12
ARTICLE 6
Article 6
deleted
Retail charges for the receipt of calls while roaming in the Community
The total retail charge, excluding VAT, which a home provider may levy from its roaming customer in respect of the receipt by that customer of voice telephony calls while roaming on a visited network shall not exceed, on a per minute basis, 130% of the average mobile termination rate published pursuant to Article 10(3). The charge limits in this Article shall include any fixed elements associated with the provision of regulated roaming calls, such as one-off charges or opt-in fees.
Amendment
13
ARTICLE 7, PARAGRAPH 1
1. Each home provider shall provide to its roaming customer on request personalised pricing information on the retail charges that apply to the making and receipt of calls by that customer in the visited Member State.
1. Each home provider shall automatically provide to its roaming customer personalised pricing information on the retail charges and the existence of specific steering agreements with other mobile telephony service providers that apply to the making and receipt of calls by that customer in the visited Member State.
Justification
To improve transparency and competition, the customer should be informed about retail charges and the existence of steering agreements between the home provider and the providers of visited networks in order to make a choice based on a complete information.
Amendment
14
ARTICLE 7, PARAGRAPH 2
2. The customer may choose to make such a request by means of a mobile voice call or by sending an SMS (Short Message Service) , in either case to a number designated for this purpose by the home provider, and may choose to receive the information either during the course of that call or by SMS (in the latter case without undue delay).
2. The roaming customer shall receive the information set out in paragraph 1 by means of a mobile voice call or SMS. All providers of mobile telephony service operating in the visited country that have steering agreements with the home provider shall provide that information within one hour of the customer entering the visited Member State.
Amendment
15
ARTICLE 7, PARAGRAPH 3 A (new)
3a. The customer may at any time request termination of the above free information service.
Justification
To avoid unwanted messages being sent, particularly for transborder customers, there should be an opportunity to opt for a voluntary ‘pull system’ at any time.
Amendment
16
ARTICLE 8, PARAGRAPH 1 A
1a. National regulatory authorities shall make information pertaining to the application of this Regulation, in particular Articles 3, 4, and 4a, publicly available in a manner that enables interested parties to have easy access to the information.
Justification
The results of the monitoring and supervising procedure, as set in paragraph 1 of this Article, should be transparent and public, so as to enable interested parties and consumers to be well informed.
Amendment
17
ARTICLE 8, PARAGRAPH 6
6. National regulatory authorities shall monitor developments in wholesale and retail prices for the provision to roaming customers of voice and data communications services , including the Short Message Service (SMS) and the Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) , in particular in the outermost regions of the Community, and shall communicate the results of such monitoring to the Commission on request .
6. National regulatory authorities shall monitor developments in wholesale and retail prices for the provision to roaming customers of voice services, in particular in the outermost regions of the Community, and shall communicate the results of such monitoring to the Commission every six month starting on the date of the entry into force of this Regulation.
Justification
In order to ensure a quick passage for this regulation data roaming should not be directly included in this regulation. However, it remains important that the national regulators and the Commission monitor the roaming costs in this field, assess the results and bring forward corresponding regulation should it be deemed necessary. The appropriate place for this is in the ‘Review’ Article 12 – see other amendments.
Amendment
18
ARTICLE 10, PARAGRAPH 5
5. Undertakings subject to the requirements of this Regulation shall ensure that any changes to their charges which are required to ensure compliance with Articles 3 , 4 and 6 take effect within two months from each publication pursuant to the preceding paragraphs of this Article.
5. Undertakings subject to the requirements of this Regulation shall ensure that any changes to their charges which are required to ensure compliance with Articles 3 and 4 take effect within two months from each publication pursuant to the preceding paragraphs of this Article.
Justification
The proposed upper limits on retail prices of call charges are too low and leave no space for creative competition amongst different types of operators and services. Therefore it is necessary to set a single and higher average retail cap in combination with maximum price caps for individual calls, in order to allow more flexibility for the operators and thus better services for the consumers.
Amendment
19
ARTICLE 11 A (new)
Article 11a
Data services
1. National regulatory authorities shall monitor developments in wholesale and retail prices for the provision to roaming customers of data transfers, SMS and MMS, including collecting data on average wholesale international roaming prices charged by mobile operators within the Community and shall communicate the results of such monitoring to the Commission 12 months after the entry into force of this Regulation and thereafter on request.
2. On the basis of the data specified in paragraph 2, the Commission shall, within 18 months of the entry into force of this Regulation, report back to the European Parliament and the Council with an analysis of wholesale international roaming data prices in the Community. If wholesale international roaming data prices have not decreased to levels commensurate with voice roaming after the entry into force of this Regulation, the Commission shall assess the need for a regulation to reduce wholesale prices for the provision to roaming customers of data communication services, and shall propose an appropriate regulation if necessary.
Justification
In order to ensure a quick passage for this regulation data roaming should not be directly included in this regulation. However, it remains important that the national regulators and the Commission monitor the roaming costs in this field, assess the results and bring forward corresponding regulation should it be deemed necessary.
Amendment
20
ARTICLE 12
The Commission shall review the functioning of this Regulation and report to the European Parliament and the Council no later than two years after the date of its entry into force. In its report the Commission shall include its reasoning regarding the continued need for regulation or the possibility of its repeal, in the light of developments in the market and with regard to competition. For this purpose, the Commission may request information from the Member States and the national regulatory authorities, which shall be supplied without undue delay.
The Commission shall review the functioning of this Regulation and report to the European Parliament and the Council no later than two years after the date of its entry into force. In its report the Commission shall include its reasoning regarding the continued need for regulation or its temporal substitution with a less restrictive intervention in the light of developments in the market and with regard to competition, in particular, the economic impact on small and independent operators and their competitiveness, as well as in the light of the report of the Commission referred to in Article 11a on charges on roaming for data services .
Amendment
21
ARTICLE 16 A (new)
Article 16a
Derogation
The provisions of this Regulation shall not apply to Bulgaria and Romania .
The Commission shall monitor all developments relating to wholesale and retail prices for the provision of roaming voice communication services by home operators in Bulgaria and Romania and prepare an impact assessment no later than two years after the entry into force of this Regulation.
Justification
The markets in Bulgaria and Romania are relatively immature and need vital investments in network improvements. It is thus essential to have a specific impact analysis on those two new member states before implementing the Roaming Regulation.
Amendment
22
ANNEX I
The total wholesale charges that the operator of a visited network may levy from the operator of the roaming customer’s home network for the making of a regulated roaming call originating on that visited network shall not exceed, on a per-minute basis, an amount equal to the average mobile termination rate published pursuant to Article 10(3) multiplied:
The total wholesale charges that the operator of a visited network may levy from the operator of the roaming customer’s home network for the making of a regulated roaming call originating on that visited network shall not exceed, on a per-minute basis, an amount equal to the average mobile termination rate published pursuant to Article 10(3) multiplied by a factor of two-and-a-half.
a) by a factor of two, in the case of a regulated roaming call to a number assigned to a public telephone network in the Member State in which the visited network is located; or
b) by a factor of three, in the case of a regulated roaming call to a number assigned to a public telephone network in a Member State other than that in which the visited network is located.
The charge limits in this Annex shall include any fixed elements, such as call set-up charges.
Justification
The proposed upper limits on wholesale charges are too low and would have serious negative effects on operators especially in tourist countries. Moreover the separate cap for local and other calls will cause big confusion. Therefore a single higher cap equal to the average mobile termination rate published pursuant to Article 10(3) multiplied by a factor of 3.0 would be more adequate.
PROCEDURE
Title
Roaming on public mobile networks
References
COM(2006)0382 - C6-0244/2006 - 2006/0133(COD)
Committee responsible
ITRE
Opinion by
Date announced in plenary
ECON
5.9.2006
Enhanced cooperation - date announced in plenary
5.9.2006
Drafts(wo)man
Date appointed
Andrea Losco
25.9.2006
Discussed in committee
30.1.2007
20.3.2007
Date adopted
21.3.2007
Result of final vote
+:
–:
0:
24
15
1
Members present for the final vote
Pervenche Berès, Sharon Bowles, Udo Bullmann, Manuel António dos Santos, José Manuel García-Margallo y Marfil, Jean-Paul Gauzès, Donata Gottardi, Benoît Hamon, Gunnar Hökmark, Karsten Friedrich Hoppenstedt, Sophia in ‘t Veld, Othmar Karas, Piia-Noora Kauppi, Wolf Klinz, Guntars Krasts, Kurt Joachim Lauk, Andrea Losco, Astrid Lulling, Hans-Peter Martin, Gay Mitchell, Cristobal Montoro Romero, Lapo Pistelli, John Purvis, Alexander Radwan, Bernhard Rapkay, Heide Rühle, Eoin Ryan, Antolín Sánchez Presedo, Cristian Stănescu, Margarita Starkevičiūtė, Ieke van den Burg, Sahra Wagenknecht
Substitute(s) present for the final vote
Katerina Batzeli, Valdis Dombrovskis, Harald Ettl, Werner Langen, Janusz Onyszkiewicz, Gianni Pittella, Andreas Schwab, Lars Wohlin
28.3.2007
OPINION of the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (*)
for the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy
on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on roaming on public mobile networks within the Community and amending Directive 2002/21/EC on a common regulatory framework for electronic communications networks and services
( COM(2006)0382 – C6‑ C6-0244/2006 – 2006/0133(COD) )
Draftsman (*): Joseph Muscat
(*) Enhanced cooperation between committees - Rule 47
of the Rules of Procedure.
SHORT JUSTIFICATION
Introduction
We support the general thrust of the Commission proposal and think it is a good basis on which to build pro-active legislation.
There is room for improvement of the proposal, in order to better defend consumer rights and make it more sustainable from an industry perspective.
This will be an opportunity for the European Parliament to show it can broker a fair deal for operators and, most importantly, consumers.
Rationale
There is an evident market failure in the roaming sector and it needs to be addressed.
Consumers, especially the most vulnerable, are entitled to be protected. Nevertheless, consumers are smart and can decide for themselves. Our role is not to make a decision for them but to give them full information, prevent abuses and allow them to make a fully informed decision.
Operators, many of which have invested heavily and improved telecommunications in Europe, are entitled to make a fair and legitimate profit.
There should be more competition, with both small and large operators in the market, thus offering consumers high-level services at a fair price.
The long-term vision is of an effective European internal market in telecommunications.
Principles
Transparency
A clear, transparent and sustainable solution, with no hidden surprises for consumers.
Simplicity
An understandable and straight-forward Regulation.
Flexibility
Consumers should be given full information in order to be able to decide between the various offers which operators make.
Specific Issues
Transparency
We are proposing a "push" SMS information system, whereby consumers will automatically receive an SMS with abridged information once they register on a network.
Full information should be available free of charge by means of a "pull" SMS system and via voice call.
Consumers should be given the possibility to opt-out of receiving "push" information at any time.
There are specific provisions for persons with disability (visually-impaired).
Wholesale
We are proposing one wholesale cap, which simplifies the system and on which there is a broad agreement in Parliament, with the Commission and in Council.
Retail
Retail regulation is necessary to make sure that savings are passed on to consumers.
Regulation should not lead to a single offer across the market. We are thus in favour of adequately reviewing caps to take into consideration the relevant overheads and allow competition while not jeopardising consumer interests.
Flexibility
We want more competition at fairer prices. Consumers should be able to choose between different packages, while safeguarded from unfair prices. That is why we propose a system whereby all new consumers will by default be put on a Consumer Protection Tariff. Given full information, consumers will be able to choose whether to keep this tariff or opt for something else.
Simplicity
The Regulation should provide a maximum price over which consumers will not be charged unless they make an informed choice about an alternative. This maximum price will be a single one across the European Union. It will be a clear and tangible achievement of the European Parliament in favour of consumers.
National Prices
We are making it clear that given that as legislators we are showing the necessary flexibility, re-balancing of national tariffs by operators in order to make up for lost revenue on roaming will not be acceptable and will be open to scrutiny.
Smaller, Independent Operators
There does not seem to be an economic argument to back the emotional and sensitive issue of some smaller, independent operators asking for a non-discrimination clause whereby a small operator would be charged the same wholesale tariff by another operator as the one offered to a larger operator (maybe of the same network). There is reason to believe that with such a provision, wholesale prices would stabilise at the higher end, and in some cases they could reduce the bargaining power of smaller operators.
This is a problem that already exists and has not been caused by the proposed Regulation. Similarly, the proposed Regulation is not the ideal medium to address it.
Even though there might be issues for competition authorities, that procedure might not be carried out expediently enough to be effective.
Thus, given the fact that we regard smaller, independent operators as essential for competition, we are asking the Commission to analyse the problem and present a proposal within 12 months.
SMS, MMS and data
The analysis made by the Commission is limited to voice telephony. There is no analysis of the situation in the SMS, MMS and data markets, which are of a different nature even amongst them.
Regulation absent analysis would breach the principles of Better Regulation, would make the Regulation vulnerable, and would effectively delay legislation by at least one year.
AMENDMENTS
The Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection calls on the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy, as the committee responsible, to incorporate the following amendments in its report:
Text proposed by the Commission
OJ C ... /Not yet published in OJ.
Amendments by Parliament
Amendment
1
RECITAL 1
(1) The high level of the prices payable by users of public mobile telephone networks when using their mobile telephones when travelling abroad within the Community is a matter of concern for national regulatory authorities. The European Regulators Group noted at its plenary meeting in May 2005 (inter alia) that retail charges were very high without clear justification; that this appeared to result both from high wholesale charges levied by the foreign host network operator and also, in many cases, from high retail mark-ups charged by the customer’s own network operator; that reductions in wholesale charges were often not passed through to the retail customer; and that there were strong linkages between the markets in the different Member States.
(1) Many operators have recently introduced tariff schemes reducing roaming charges to consumers. Nevertheless, the high level of the prices payable by users of public mobile telephone networks when using their mobile telephones when travelling abroad within the Community remains a matter of concern for national regulatory authorities , as well as for consumer organisations and the European Parliament . The European Regulators Group noted at its plenary meeting in May 2005 (inter alia) that retail charges were very high without clear justification; that this appeared to result both from high wholesale charges levied by the foreign host network operator and also, in many cases, from high retail mark-ups charged by the customer’s own network operator; that reductions in wholesale charges were often not passed through to the retail customer; and that there were strong linkages between the markets in the different Member States.
Justification
To reflect the current situation.
Amendment
2
RECITAL 9
(9) Although the 2002 regulatory framework for electronic communications, on the basis of considerations apparent at that time, provided for the removal of all obstacles to trade in the area that it harmonises , that fact cannot prevent the adaptation of the harmonised rules in step with other considerations in order to find the most effective means of achieving a high level of consumer protection whilst improving the conditions for the functioning of the internal market .
(9) T he 2002 regulatory framework for electronic communications, on the basis of considerations apparent at that time, aimed at remov ing all barriers to trade between Member States in the area that it harmonises, inter alia as regards measures which affect prices for users in other Member States . However, this should not prevent the adaptation of the harmonised rules where, in the light of experience, such adaptation proves necessary in order to improve the conditions for the functioning of the internal market and at the same time to provide more effective means of achieving a high level of consumer protection.
Justification
To highlight the impact of the proposal on the functioning of internal market and on consumer protection.
Amendment
3
RECITAL 10
(10) It is therefore necessary to amend the 2002 regulatory framework for electronic communications to allow for a departure from the rules otherwise applicable, namely that prices for service offerings should be determined by commercial agreement in the absence of significant market power, and thereby to accommodate the introduction of complementary regulatory obligations which reflect the specific characteristics of international roaming services.
(10) The 2002 regulatory framework for electronic communications should accordingly be completed by specific rules on international roaming services. Those specific rules should include complementary regulatory obligations which reflect the particular characteristics of international roaming services.
Justification
See justification to recital 9.
Amendment
4
RECITAL 11
(11) The retail and wholesale roaming markets exhibit unique characteristics which justify exceptional measures which go beyond the mechanisms otherwise available under the 2002 regulatory framework.
deleted
Amendment
5
RECITAL 12
(12) Regulatory obligations should be imposed at both retail and wholesale level to protect the interests of roaming customers, since experience has shown that reductions in wholesale prices for international roaming services may not be reflected in lower retail prices for roaming, due to the absence of incentives to do so. On the other hand, action to reduce the level of retail prices without addressing the level of the wholesale costs associated with the provision of these services could risk disrupting the orderly functioning of the international roaming market.
(12) Regulatory obligations should be imposed at both retail and wholesale level to protect the interests of roaming customers, since experience has shown that reductions in wholesale prices for international roaming services may not be reflected in lower retail prices for roaming, due to the absence of incentives to do so. On the other hand, action to reduce the level of retail prices without addressing the level of the wholesale costs associated with the provision of these services could risk disrupting the orderly functioning of the international roaming market. Particular attention should be paid to the risk that smaller, independent or newly started operators are offered terms for the provision of roaming services that impede their ability to compete, to enable prompt and appropriate action to be taken in case any abuse is ascertained. The Commission shall analyse the effects of this Regulation on the competitive situation of smaller, independent or newly started operators.
Justification
To emphasise the need to closely follow any negative impact on competition .
Amendment
6
RECITAL 13
(13) The resulting obligations should take effect as soon as possible , while providing the operators concerned with a reasonable period to adapt their prices and service offerings to ensure compliance, and apply directly in all Member States.
(13) The resulting obligations should take effect as soon as possible and apply directly in all Member States.
Justification
To reflect the amendment of Article 5 of the Commission proposal, providing that regulation of retail prices comes into effect after three months instead of the six months proposed by the Commission.
Amendment
7
RECITAL 15
(15) The most effective and proportionate mechanism for regulating the level of prices for making international roaming calls in accordance with the above considerations is the setting at Community level of maximum per-minute charges at both retail and wholesale level.
(15) The most effective and proportionate mechanism for regulating the level of prices for making international roaming calls in accordance with the above considerations is the setting at Community level of maximum per-minute charges at wholesale level. At retail level it is appropriate to set a Consumer Protection Tariff that operators are obliged to offer to roaming customers. This will become the benchmark against which other retail offers will be compared, thus ensuring fair pricing for consumers. The Consumer Protection Tariff should be set at a level which guarantees a sufficient margin to operators and encourages competitive roaming offers at lower rates.
Amendment
8
RECITAL 16
(16) This common mechanism should ensure that retail charges for international roaming provide a more reasonable reflection of the underlying costs involved in the provision of the service than has been the case whilst allowing operators the freedom to compete by differentiating their offerings and adapting their pricing structures to market conditions and consumer preference.
(16) This common mechanism should ensure that retail charges for international roaming provide a more reasonable reflection of the underlying costs involved in the provision of the service than has been the case , by way of introducing a set Consumer Protection Tariff offered to all roaming customers that reflects a reasonable margin over the wholesale cost of providing a roaming service, whilst allowing operators the freedom to compete by differentiating their offerings and adapting their pricing structures to market conditions and consumer preference.
Amendment
9
RECITAL 18
(18) The maximum price limits should take account of the different elements involved in the making of an international roaming call (including overheads, signalling, call origination, transit and termination) and the differences in the underlying costs of providing international roaming services in respect of calls made to a destination within a visited country, on the one hand, and calls made back to the roaming customer’s home country or a third country within the Community, on the other.
(18) Any regulation of the market should take account of all relevant elements involved in the making of an international roaming call (including overheads, signalling, call origination, transit and termination) and the differences in the underlying costs of providing international roaming services in respect of calls made to a destination within a visited country, on the one hand, and calls made back to the roaming customer’s home country or a third country within the Community, on the other. For the sake of simplicity, the wholesale price limit shall be expressed as a single blended maximum.
Amendment
10
RECITAL 19
(19) The maximum price limit for the provision of an international roaming call at wholesale level should be based on the average per-minute mobile termination rate for operators with significant market power, as such termination rates are already the subject of regulatory supervision in accordance with the 2002 regulatory framework for electronic communications and, therefore, should be determined by reference to the principle of cost-orientation. Given the characteristics of the market for call termination on individual public mobile networks and the cross-border nature of international roaming, they also provide a stable basis for regulation that is representative of the cost structures of mobile networks across the Community. The average mobile termination rate provides a reliable benchmark for the core cost components at wholesale level and a maximum wholesale price limit based on an appropriate multiple of such an average mobile termination rate should therefore provide an assurance that the real costs of provision of regulated roaming services can be recovered.
(19) The maximum charge for the provision of an international roaming call at wholesale level should be based on the average per-minute mobile termination rate calculated as an average of peak and off-peak rates for operators with significant market power, as such termination rates are already the subject of regulatory supervision in accordance with the 2002 regulatory framework for electronic communications and, therefore, should be determined by reference to the principle of cost-orientation. Given the characteristics of the market for call termination on individual public mobile networks and the cross-border nature of international roaming, they also provide a stable basis for regulation that is representative of the cost structures of mobile networks across the Community. The average mobile termination rate provides a reliable benchmark for the core cost components at wholesale level and a maximum wholesale price limit based on an appropriate multiple of such an average mobile termination rate should therefore provide an assurance that the real costs of provision of regulated roaming services can be recovered.
Amendment
11
RECITAL 20
(20) The maximum price limit applicable at retail level should provide roaming customers with the assurance that they will not be charged an excessive price when making a regulated roaming call, whilst leaving the home operators sufficient margin to differentiate the products they offer to customers.
(20) The Consumer Protection Tariff applicable at retail level should provide roaming customers with the assurance that they will not be charged an excessive price when making or receiving a roaming voice call, by providing a tariff closely related to the cost of providing the service, whilst leaving the home operators sufficient margin to differentiate the products they offer to customers.
Amendment
12
RECITAL 21
(21) Providers of international roaming services for calls made while roaming abroad as covered by this Regulation should have a period within which to adjust their retail prices voluntarily to comply with the maximum limits provided in this Regulation. It is appropriate to allow a period of six months for this purpose, to permit market players to make the necessary adaptations.
deleted
Justification
See justification to recital 13.
Amendment
13
RECITAL 21
(21) Providers of international roaming services for calls made while roaming abroad as covered by this Regulation should have a period within which to adjust their retail prices voluntarily to comply with the maximum limits provided in this Regulation. It is appropriate to allow a period of six months for this purpose, to permit market players to make the necessary adaptations.
(21) Providers of international roaming services for calls made while roaming abroad as covered by this Regulation should have a period within which to adjust their retail prices voluntarily to comply with the Consumer Protection Tariff provided in this Regulation. It is appropriate to allow a period of three months for this purpose, to permit market players to make the necessary adaptations.
Amendment
14
RECITAL 22
(22) Similarly, a maximum limit should be applied to the prices that roaming customers may be required to pay for the receipt of voice telephony calls while roaming abroad within the Community in order to ensure that those prices more closely reflect the cost of the provision of such a service, and to give customers greater certainty as to the charges they will incur when answering their mobile phone abroad.
deleted
Amendment
15
RECITAL 23
(23) This Regulation should not prejudice innovative offerings to consumers which are more favourable than the maximum per minute charges contained in this Regulation.
(23) This Regulation should not prejudice innovative offerings to consumers which are more favourable than the Consumer Protection Tariff contained in this Regulation and in fact encourages innovative offerings to roaming customers at rates below the Consumer Protection Tariff. It is important to be clear that this Regulation does not require roaming charges to be reintroduced in those cases where they may have been abolished altogether (for example the current market that exists on an all island basis between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland), nor does it require existing roaming charges to be maintained.
Amendment
16
RECITAL 23 A (new)
(23a) While traffic steering techniques may contribute towards ensuring that roaming customers always pay the lowest roaming price available, they could also limit their choice. The roaming customer should always be able to manually choose a preferred visited network.
Justification
Explains the new Article 6a.
Amendment
17
RECITAL 24
(24) The pricing requirements in this Regulation should apply regardless of whether roaming customers have a pre-paid or a post-paid contract with their home provider, to ensure that all users of mobile voice telephony may benefit from its provisions.
(24) The pricing requirements in this Regulation should apply regardless of whether roaming customers have a pre-paid or a post-paid contract with their home provider, and irrespective of whether the home provider is a reseller of mobile voice services or not, to ensure that all users of mobile voice telephony may benefit from its provisions.
Justification
Clarifies that the Regulation applies also to so called mobile virtual network operators.
Amendment
18
RECITAL 26
(26) In order to improve the transparency of retail prices for making and receiving roaming calls within the Community and to help roaming customers make decisions on the use of their mobile telephones while abroad, providers of mobile telephony services should enable their roaming customers easily to obtain information on the roaming charges applicable to them in the visited Member State concerned, on request and free of charge. Transparency also requires that providers furnish information on roaming charges when subscriptions are taken out and that they also give their customers periodic updates on roaming charges as well as in the event of substantial changes.
(26) In order to improve the transparency of retail prices for making and receiving roaming calls within the Community and to help roaming customers make decisions on the use of their mobile telephones while abroad, providers of mobile telephony services should enable their roaming customers easily to obtain information on the roaming charges applicable to them in the visited Member State concerned, on request and free of charge. Transparency also requires that providers furnish information on roaming charges when subscriptions are taken out and that they also give their customers periodic updates on roaming charges as well as in the event of substantial changes. Also in the interest of transparency, each home provider should be required to offer the roaming customer as a free service, on request, a personalised calculation of the best available choice of tariff for him on the basis of his call profile .
Justification
To optimise transparency and to strengthen competition in the sector, consumers should be able to obtain information easily about the most advantageous tariff for them, tailored to their call profile.
Amendment
19
RECITAL 27
(27) The national regulatory authorities which are responsible for carrying out tasks under the 2002 regulatory framework for electronic communications should have the powers needed to supervise and enforce the obligations in this Regulation within their territory. They should also monitor developments in the pricing of voice and data services for mobile customers when roaming within the Community, in particular as regards the specific costs related to roaming calls made in the outermost regions of the Community and the necessity to ensure that these costs can be adequately recovered on the wholesale market. They should ensure that up-to-date information on the application of this Regulation is made available to mobile users.
(27) The national regulatory authorities which are responsible for carrying out tasks under the 2002 regulatory framework for electronic communications should have the powers needed to supervise and enforce the obligations in this Regulation within their territory. They should also monitor developments in the pricing of voice and data services for mobile customers when roaming within the Community, in particular as regards the specific costs related to roaming calls made in the outermost regions of the Community and the necessity to ensure that these costs can be adequately recovered on the wholesale market. They should monitor retail price trends for voice and data transmission services and ensure that reductions in roaming charges under this Regulation are not offset by the cost of mobile telephone calls within the same Member State . They should ensure that up-to-date information on the application of this Regulation is made available to mobile users. They should publish the results of this monitoring every six months. Information should be provided on corporate, post-paid and pre-paid customers separately.
Amendment
20
RECITAL 29
(29) The measures necessary for the implementation of this Regulation should be adopted in accordance with Council Decision 1999/468/EC of 28 June 1999 laying down the procedures for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission 1 .
(29) The measures necessary for the implementation of this Regulation should be adopted in accordance with Council Decision 1999/468/EC of 28 June 1999 laying down the procedures for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission 1 .
___________
OJ L 184, 17.7.1999, p. 23.
___________
OJ L 184, 17.7.1999, p. 23. Decision as amended by Decision 2006/512/EC (OJ L200, 22.7.2006, p.11).
Justification
Technical amendment regarding new comitology procedure.
Amendment
21
RECITAL 29 A (new)
(29a) In particular, the Commission should be empowered to adopt amendments to the annexes to this Regulation in order to adapt them to technical or market developments. Since those measures are of general scope and are designed to amend non-essential elements of this Regulation, they should be adopted in accordance with the regulatory procedure with scrutiny provided for in Article 5a of Decision 1999/468/EC.
Justification
See justification to recital 19.
Amendment
22
RECITAL 30
(30) Since the objectives of the proposed action, to establish a common mechanism to ensure that users of public mobile telephone networks when travelling within the Community do not pay excessive prices for international roaming services when making or receiving voice calls, thereby achieving a high level of consumer protection while safeguarding competition between mobile operators, cannot be achieved by the Member States in a secure, harmonised and timely manner and can therefore be better achieved at Community level, the Community may adopt measures, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity as set out in Article 5 of the Treaty. In accordance with the principle of proportionality, as set out in the same Article, this Regulation does not go beyond what is necessary in order to achieve those objectives.
(30) Since the objectives of the proposed action, to establish a common mechanism to ensure that users of public mobile telephone networks when travelling within the Community do not pay excessive prices for international roaming services when making or receiving voice calls, by providing a maximum default price more closely related to the cost of providing the service, thereby achieving a high level of consumer protection while safeguarding competition between mobile operators, cannot be achieved by the Member States in a secure, harmonised and timely manner and can therefore be better achieved at Community level, the Community may adopt measures, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity as set out in Article 5 of the Treaty. In accordance with the principle of proportionality, as set out in the same Article, this Regulation does not go beyond what is necessary in order to achieve those objectives.
Justification
See justification to recital 14.
Amendment
23
ARTICLE 1, PARAGRAPH 1
1. This Regulation introduces a common mechanism, called the European Home Market Approach, for ensuring that users of public mobile telephone networks when travelling within the Community do not pay excessive prices for international roaming services when making calls and receiving calls, thereby achieving a high level of consumer protection while safeguarding competition between mobile operators. It lays down rules on the charges that may be levied by mobile operators for the provision of international roaming services for voice calls originating and terminating within the Community and applies both to charges levied between network operators at wholesale level and to charges levied by the home provider at retail level.
1. This Regulation introduces a common mechanism, called the European Home Market Approach, for ensuring that users of public mobile telephone networks when travelling within the Community do not pay excessive prices for international roaming services when making calls and receiving calls, by providing a Consumer Protection Tariff at retail level. It also lays down rules to improve the provision of tariff information to users of roaming services, including data communication services, thereby achieving a high level of consumer protection while safeguarding competition between mobile operators. It lays down rules on the charges that may be levied by mobile operators for the provision of international roaming services for voice calls originating and terminating within the Community and applies both to charges levied between network operators at wholesale level and to charges levied by the home provider at retail level.
Amendment
24
ARTICLE 1 A (new)
Article 1a
This Regulation establishes rules in order to enhance price transparency and improve consumers' information regarding the prices of roaming services.
Amendment
25
ARTICLE 2, PARAGRAPH 2, POINT (A)
(a) “home provider” means the undertaking that provides the roaming customer with terrestrial public mobile telephony services at retail level ;
(a) “home provider” means the undertaking that provides the roaming customer with terrestrial public mobile telephony services;
Justification
This amendment together with the following amendments to Article 2 aim at simplifying and clarifying the definitions proposed by the Commission.
Amendment
26
ARTICLE 2, PARAGRAPH 2, POINT (B)
(b) “home network” means the terrestrial public mobile network located within a Member State and used by the home provider for the provision of terrestrial public mobile telephony services to the roaming customer;
(b) “home network” means the terrestrial public mobile telephony network located within a Member State and used by the home provider , whether as a reseller or not, for the provision of terrestrial public mobile telephony services to the roaming customer;
Justification
To make explicit that mobile virtual network operators are included, as intended by the Commission proposal.
Amendment
27
ARTICLE 2, PARAGRAPH 2, POINT (C)
(c) “international roaming” means the use of a mobile telephone or other device by a roaming customer to make or receive calls, while outside the Member State in which the customer’s home network is located, by means of arrangements between the operator of the home network and the operator of the visited network;
(c) “international roaming” means the use of a mobile device by a roaming customer to make or receive voice calls, while outside the Member State in which the customer’s home network is located, by means of arrangements between the operator of the home network and the operator of the visited network;
Justification
See justification to Article 2, paragraph 2, point (a).
Amendment
28
ARTICLE 2, PARAGRAPH 2, POINT (D)
(d) “regulated roaming call” means a mobile voice telephony call made by a roaming customer, originating on a visited network and terminating on a public telephone network within the Community;
deleted
Justification
See justification to Article 2, paragraph 2, point (a).
Amendment
29
ARTICLE 2, PARAGRAPH 2, POINT (E)
(e) “roaming customer” means a customer of a provider of terrestrial public mobile telephony services, by means of a terrestrial public mobile network situated in the Community , who uses a mobile telephone or other device to make or to receive calls on a visited network by means of arrangements between the operator of the home network and the operator of the visited network;
(e) “roaming customer” means a customer of a home provider, irrespective of whether the customer has a pre-paid or post-paid contract, who uses a mobile device to make or to receive voice calls on a visited network by means of arrangements between the operator of the home network and the operator of the visited network;
Justification
See justification to Article 2, paragraph 2, point (a).
Amendment
30
ARTICLE 2, PARAGRAPH 2, POINT (E A) (new)
(ea) "new roaming customers" are roaming customers who were not existing roaming customers of the relevant home provider at the time the obligations in Article 4 took effect.
Justification
The definition of “new” and “existing” roaming customers is relevant to the debate of whether the proposed Consumer Protection Tariff is opt-in or opt-out or a hybrid of the two. The Consumer Protection Tariff should be the default tariff for new customers who do not expressly opt for another tariff while, by contrast, it should be available for existing customers to opt in. To promote clarity and legal certainty, unambiguous definitions of “new” and “existing” customers appear desirable.
Amendment
31
ARTICLE 2, PARAGRAPH 2, POINT (E B) (new)
(eb) "existing roaming customers" are roaming customers who were already roaming customers of the relevant home provider at the time the obligations in Article 4 took effect.
Justification
See justification to Article 2, paragraph 2, point (ea) (new).
Amendment
32
ARTICLE 2, PARAGRAPH 2, POINT (F)
(f) “visited network” means a terrestrial public mobile telephony network situated in a Member State other than that of the home network and permitting a roaming customer to make or receive calls by reason of arrangements with the operator of the home network.
(f) “visited network” means a terrestrial public mobile telephony network situated in a Member State other than that of the home network and permitting a roaming customer to make or receive voice calls by reason of arrangements with the operator of the home network.
Justification
See justification to Article 2, paragraph 2, point (a).
Amendment
33
ARTICLE 3, TITLE
Wholesale charges for the making of regulated roaming calls
Wholesale charges for the making of roaming calls
Amendment
34
ARTICLE 3
The total wholesale charge that the operator of a visited network may levy from the operator of the roaming customer’s home network for the provision of a regulated roaming call, including inter alia origination, transit and termination, shall not exceed the applicable amount per minute determined in accordance with Annex I.
The average wholesale charge that the operator of a visited network may levy from the operator of any home network for the provision of a roaming voice call shall not exceed EUR 0, 25 per minute for any period starting on 1 September and ending on 31 August, except for operators licensed in the outermost regions of the Community that will have to comply with the specific caps set forth in the Annex. The average wholesale charge shall be calculated on a twelve months period.
The average wholesale charge shall be calculated by dividing the total wholesale roaming revenue received in respect of the relevant calls made during the relevant period by the corresponding number of wholesale roaming minutes.
Justification
An average wholesale cap allows operators flexibility to set different rates to reflect differences in the cost of using their network, between peak and off-peak times or across different routes for example. Allowing this flexibility incentivises operators to use their network as efficiently as possible, sending the right price signals to the market and so facilitating the development of competition. Applying a maximum cap is likely to lead to uniform wholesale prices set at the maximum permitted level. Specifying an absolute number, rather than formulae, for the wholesale cap is simpler and aids transparency and legal certainty. The period over which the average is to be measured and the method of calculating the average needs to be specified. The dates stated assume that the Regulation is dated 1 July 2007 and hence wholesale regulation would come into effect 2 months after publication of the Regulation. The average must be respected for transactions between any pair of operators to ensure that each network operator benefits from the protection of regulated wholesale rates.
Due to their specific costs, the case of outermost regions should be handled separately.
Amendment
35
ARTICLE 3 A (new)
Article 3a
A terrestrial public mobile telephony network situated in a Member State shall make available to all other terrestrial public mobile telephony networks within the Community wholesale roaming services for voice calls, Short Message Service (SMS) and data transfer.
Justification
The Commission’s regulation would ensure that wholesale roaming charges are set at reasonable levels. However, there is no requirement on operators to offer wholesale roaming services to other operators. Some operators may decide in future not to offer roaming services to their rivals in other countries, taking the view that the competitive harm done to rivals is worth more than the (regulated) profit foregone. In many cases, operators have no option but to buy wholesale roaming services from their direct competitors. Without an obligation to supply, some operators, especially smaller operators, may find they are unable to get wholesale roaming services at all. As the Commission recognizes at recitals 4 and 6, national regulatory authorities have been unable to address effectively the wholesale market failures in international roaming. This Regulation must contain powers to ensure that wholesale roaming services are available.
Amendment
36
ARTICLE 4, TITLE
Retail charges for the making of regulated roaming calls
Consumer Protection Tariff
Amendment
37
ARTICLE 4
Subject to Article 5, the total retail charge, excluding VAT, which a home provider may levy from its roaming customer for the provision of a regulated roaming call may not exceed 130% of the applicable maximum wholesale charge for that call determined in accordance with Annex I. The charge limits in this Article shall include any fixed elements associated with the provision of regulated roaming calls, such as call set up charges or opt-in fees.
Subject to Articles 2, 4a and 5, all new roaming customers shall receive the Consumer Protection Tariff by default, but shall have an opportunity to opt out of the Consumer Protection Tariff in favour of an alternative tariff without financial penalty. All existing roaming customers shall have the opportunity to opt in to the Consumer Protection Tariff without financial penalty. The Consumer Protection Tariff rates shall be EUR 0,50 per minute to make a roaming voice call within the Community and EUR 0,25 per minute to receive a voice call while roaming in the Community.
Justification
This amendment intends to increase flexibility and legal certainty while retaining the high level of consumer protection.
Amendment
38
ARTICLE 4 A (new)
Article 4a
Arrangements for application of the Consumer Protection Tariff
1. The Consumer Protection Tariff, as defined in Article 4, shall automatically apply to new roaming customers of a home provider unless the new roaming customers explicitly indicate that they do not wish to come under that tariff but wish to make use of another tariff offered.
2. The Consumer Protection Tariff, as defined in Article 4, shall apply to existing roaming customers only if the customers freely and explicitly choose that option.
3. All customers shall be unambiguously informed about the above options.
4. The information on and the action of opting in and opting out shall be simple and free of charge.
Justification
New roaming customers can immediately make use of a Consumer Protection Tariff unless they do not wish to do so. Automatic inclusion of all existing roaming customers in a Consumer Protection Tariff scheme would create practical problems for both home providers and customers. But existing roaming customers must have the option of transferring to the Consumer Protection Tariff if they so wish. The home provider should inform all customers of this in a thorough, simple and cost-free way.
Amendment
39
ARTICLE 5, TITLE
Timing of application of maximum retail charge limits for regulated roaming calls
Timing of application of the Consumer Protection Tariff
Justification
A Consumer Protection Tariff scheme (CPT) is preferable to a scheme that operates with an absolute ceiling (‘cap’), because it not only offers the consumer proper protection but also leaves more space for competition, which is also likely to benefit the consumer.
Amendment
40
ARTICLE 5
The obligations in Article 4 shall take effect six months after the entry into force of this regulation.
The obligations in Article 4 shall take effect three months after the entry into force of this regulation.
Amendment
41
ARTICLE 6
Article 6
Retail charges for the receipt of calls while roaming in the Community
The total retail charge, excluding VAT, which a home provider may levy from its roaming customer in respect of the receipt by that customer of voice telephony calls while roaming on a visited network shall not exceed, on a per minute basis, 130% of the average mobile termination rate published pursuant to Article 10(3). The charge limits in this Article shall include any fixed elements associated with the provision of regulated roaming calls, such as one-off charges or opt-in fees.
deleted
Justification
Merged into Article 4.
Amendment
42
ARTICLE 6 A (new)
Article 6a
Traffic steering
Traffic steering techniques shall not be employed to hinder roaming customers from manually choosing a visited network. Such a choice shall remain operative until the roaming customer has switched off the device or has left the visited network.
Justification
See justification to recital 23a.
Amendment
43
ARTICLE 7, PARAGRAPH 1
1. Each home provider shall provide to its roaming customer on request personalised pricing information on the retail charges that apply to the making and receipt of calls by that customer in the visited Member State .
1. Each home provider shall , without undue delay, send its roaming customer , when providing the customer with the requested network, an SMS message with the applicable Consumer Protection Tariffs . The message shall also include a telephone number that consumers can call by mobile phone, on which full information on the applicable roaming charges is made available.
Each home provider shall offer its roaming customers the opportunity of opting simply and free of charge to cease to receive such information.
Home providers shall on request offer blind or visually impaired customers the same information in spoken form.
Justification
Consumers receive by one simple text message (of 160 characters) the basic information on the Consumer Protection Tariff and freephone for further roaming tariff information. This avoids overloading consumers with information that if they see the need they can get from a freephone number. Consumers also get the chance to decline such information simply and free of charge. Lastly the needs of blind and visually impaired people are taken into account.
Amendment
44
ARTICLE 7, PARAGRAPH 2
2. The customer may choose to make such a request by means of a mobile voice call or by sending an SMS (Short Message Service), in either case to a number designated for this purpose by the home provider, and may choose to receive the information either during the course of that call or by SMS (in the latter case without undue delay).
2. Where the information provided in accordance with paragraph 1 does not include information on roaming charges on all networks in the Member State in which the customer is roaming, the customer may request such information to be additionally supplied without undue delay. Providers may fulfil the roaming customer's request either by providing information during the course of that call or by SMS , taking full account of the needs of blind and partially sighted customers.
Justification
The roaming customer should be entitled to request information relevant to voice call roaming tariffs in the visited Member State, for all networks in that Member State, in order to be able to compare tariffs and select the network with the better offer.
Amendment
45
ARTICLE 7, PARAGRAPH 3
3. The information service referred to above shall be provided free of charge, both as regards the making of the request and the receipt of the information requested.
3. The information services referred to above shall be provided free of charge, both as regards the making of the request , if any, and the receipt of the information requested.
Amendment
46
ARTICLE 7, PARAGRAPH 4
4. The personalised pricing information referred to in this Article shall be the charges applicable under the tariff scheme of the roaming customer concerned to the making and receipt of calls on any visited network in the Member State in which the customer is roaming.
4. The pricing information referred to in paragraph 1 shall summarise in a standardised format the charges , inclusive of VAT, applicable under the tariff scheme of the roaming customer concerned to the making and receipt of voice calls on the visited network in the Member State in which the customer is roaming. Home providers shall submit the standardised format they intend to use to their national regulatory authorities.
The complete pricing information referred to in paragraph 2 shall comprise the charges applicable under the tariff scheme of the roaming customer concerned to the making and receipt of voice calls and to the sending and receipt of data on the visited network in the Member State in which the customer is roaming to any destination within the Community. The information will highlight differences in peak and off-peak rates or any other temporal variations.
Amendment
47
ARTICLE 7, PARAGRAPH 5
5. Home providers shall provide new customers with full information on applicable roaming charges when subscriptions are taken out. Home providers shall also provide updates on applicable roaming charges to their customers on a periodic basis and, in addition, each time there is a substantial change in these charges .
5. Home providers shall , without undue delay following every publication as referred to in Article 10(3), provide each customer with full information on applicable roaming charges . That information shall include the per minute price currently payable by the customer for roaming voice calls and also the price per roaming SMS, Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) and unit of data, where applicable. New customers shall be given such information in writing when subscriptions are taken out. Home providers shall also include updates on applicable roaming charges to their customers when they provide information on tariffs or changes thereto generally, and when roaming charges are changed . Current roaming charges shall be featured prominently on the website of the home provider at all times.
Amendment
48
ARTICLE 7, PARAGRAPH 5 A (new)
5a. Home providers shall take clear and definitive steps to secure the awareness of all their roaming customers of the availability of the Consumer Protection Tariff. They shall in particular send a communication to each such customer within 2 months of the entry into force of this Regulation describing the Consumer Protection Tariff in a clear and unbiased manner, and a reminder at set intervals thereafter. They shall also include clear information on the detail and the availability of the Consumer Protection Tariff with all billing information to be made available for the first 12 months of the Regulation entering into force.
Roaming customers shall be able to opt in and out of roaming offers without undue delay and free of charge an unlimited number of times.
Amendment
49
ARTICLE 7, PARAGRAPH 5 B (new)
5b. Each home provider shall be required to offer for the benefit of roaming customers, on their request, a free service in which they can request a personalised estimate of the most suitable tariff option available to them in relation to their call profile.
Justification
To ensure optimum transparency and increase competition in the sector, consumers must be able to obtain information on the tariff most advantageous to them, in relation to their consumer’s call profile.
Amendment
50
ARTICLE 7, PARAGRAPH 5 C (new)
5c. With a view to creating optimum transparency and a clear source of information on tariff levels that can be consulted in advance by users, national regulators shall provide for the establishment of a price simulator that can estimate the expected roaming costs for the various operators. Such simulators must be mutually linked at European level.
Justification
In the interest of optimum transparency there is a need for consumers to be able to estimate their roaming costs in advance and find out which operator can give them the best price by means of a simulator. This simulator must be set up by the national regulator to safeguard the impartiality of the information. In due course such simulators must be mutually linked to ensure greater transparency in the market throughout the Union. Such a simulator is technically feasible, on the lines of the one on the GSM Association’s website.
Amendment
51
ARTICLE 8, PARAGRAPH 1
1. National regulatory authorities shall monitor and supervise compliance with this Regulation within their territory.
1. National regulatory authorities shall monitor and supervise compliance with this Regulation within their territory. They shall in particular monitor compliance with the average prices for calls made and received, on the basis of the total retail roaming prices charged and the total number of roaming minutes for calls made and received.
Amendment
52
ARTICLE 8, PARAGRAPH 5
5. National regulatory authorities shall make up‑to‑date information pertaining to the application of this Regulation publicly available in a manner that enables interested parties to have easy access to that information.
5. National regulatory authorities shall make up‑to‑date information pertaining to the application of this Regulation publicly available in a manner that enables interested parties to have easy access to that information. They shall monitor developments in wholesale and retail prices for the provision to roaming customers of voice and data communications services, including SMS and MMS, in particular but not limited to developments in the outermost regions of the Community as regards the specific costs related to roaming calls made in such regions and the necessity to ensure that they can be adequately recovered on the wholesale market, and shall publicise the results of such monitoring every 12 months. Information shall be provided on corporate, post-paid and pre-paid customers separately.
(See amendment for Article 8 paragraph 6)
Justification
Merger of Article 8, paragraphs 5 and 6 of the Commission proposal, and reinforcement of obligations of national regulatory authorities to monitor application of the Regulation and to make the results available to all.
The obligation regarding monitoring of the Regulation is described very broadly ("...pertaining to the application..."). That could lead to disparate information being made available across the Community. A core set of data to be collected and made public in each Member State should therefore be identified and included before the Regulation is finalised.
Amendment
53
ARTICLE 8, PARAGRAPH 6
6. National regulatory authorities shall monitor developments in wholesale and retail prices for the provision to roaming customers of voice and data communications services, including the Short Message Service (SMS) and the Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS), in particular in the outermost regions of the Community, and shall communicate the results of such monitoring to the Commission on request.
deleted
(See amendment for Article 8 paragraph 5)
Justification
Merged with Article 8, paragraph 5.
Amendment
54
ARTICLE 8, PARAGRAPH 6 A (new)
6a. The national regulatory authorities shall ensure that reductions in roaming charges under this Regulation are not offset by the costs of mobile telephone calls within the same Member State .
Amendment
55
ARTICLE 8, PARAGRAPH 8
8. The out-of-court dispute resolution procedures established in conformity with Article 34 of Directive 2002/22/EC shall also be available to deal with unresolved disputes involving consumers and (if applicable under national law) other end-users concerning issues included in this Regulation.
8. The out-of-court dispute resolution procedures established in conformity with Article 34 of Directive 2002/22/EC shall also be available to deal with unresolved disputes involving roaming customers who are consumers and (if applicable under national law) other roaming customers concerning issues included in this Regulation.
Justification
Minor technical adjustments to reflect that the Regulation deals with roaming customers.
Amendment
56
ARTICLE 10, PARAGRAPH 5
5. Undertakings subject to the requirements of this Regulation shall ensure that any changes to their charges which are required to ensure compliance with Articles 3, 4 and 6 take effect within two months from each publication pursuant to the preceding paragraphs of this Article.
5. Undertakings subject to the requirements of this Regulation shall ensure that any changes to their charges which are required to ensure compliance with Articles 3 and 4 take effect within two months from each publication pursuant to the preceding paragraphs of this Article.
Justification
To conform to deletion of Article 6.
Amendment
57
ARTICLE 10, PARAGRAPH 6
6. Amendments necessary to adapt Annex II to technical or market developments shall be adopted by the Commission, acting in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 13(3) .
6. Amendments designed to adapt non-essential elements of Annex II to technical or market developments shall be adopted in accordance with the regulatory procedure with scrutiny referred to in Article 13(2a) .
Justification
New comitology procedure.
Amendment
58
ARTICLE 12, TITLE
Review procedure
Review procedure and Commission reports
Justification
Three separate Commission reporting obligations have been added.
Amendment
59
ARTICLE 12
The Commission shall review the functioning of this Regulation and report to the European Parliament and the Council no later than two years after the date of its entry into force. In its report the Commission shall include its reasoning regarding the continued need for regulation or the possibility of its repeal, in the light of developments in the market and with regard to competition. For this purpose, the Commission may request information from the Member States and the national regulatory authorities, which shall be supplied without undue delay.
1. The Commission shall review the functioning of this Regulation and report to the European Parliament and the Council no later than two years after the date of its entry into force. That report shall include a detailed analysis of the continued need for regulation and shall be accompanied, if necessary, by the appropriate legislative proposals . For this purpose, the Commission may request information from the Member States and the national regulatory authorities, which shall be supplied without undue delay.
Justification
To provide some additional detail to the review report and align the language to standard formulations.
Amendment
60
ARTICLE 12, PARAGRAPH 1 A (new)
1a. The Commission shall continually follow price developments in the market for data communications, including SMS and MMS. It shall present a report on developments in that market by ... 1 . That report shall include a proposal for intervention, if considered necessary, and shall give exhaustive reasons for any action proposed. Any such proposal may also be presented separately, whenever warranted by market developments or a lack thereof.
__________
1 12 months of the date of entry into force of this Regulation.
Justification
To enable prompt regulation if necessary on data communications which the present lack of data does not allow.
Amendment
61
ARTICLE 12, PARAGRAPH 1 B (new)
1b. The Commission shall analyse the effects of this Regulation on the competitive situation of smaller, independent or newly started operators. It shall present a report by ... 1 . That report shall include a proposal for intervention, if considered necessary. Any such proposal may also be presented separately, whenever warranted by market developments or a lack thereof.
__________
1 12 months of the date of entry into force of this Regulation.
Justification
To enable prompt regulation if necessary on to counteract any negative effects on competition.
Amendment
62
ARTICLE 12, PARAGRAPH 1 C (new)
1c. The Commission shall publish an annual report on developments within the Community in the area covered by this Regulation.
Justification
To provide for a broader annual review.
Amendment
63
ARTICLE 12 A (new)
Article 12a
This Regulation shall expire three years after the date of its entry into force. After this period the industry and the EU should strive to establish a real Internal Market for mobile telephone services, providing a free choice for consumers to avail themselves of a telephone contract with any operator in the EU, without the obligation to live in the member state of that operator.
Justification
If the market is fully competitive in three years, Regulation will no longer be necessary.
Amendment
64
ARTICLE 13, PARAGRAPH 2 A (new)
2a. Where reference is made to this paragraph, Article 5a(1) to (4), and Article 7 of Decision 1999/468/EC shall apply, having regard to the provisions of Article 8 thereof.
Justification
New comitology procedure.
Amendment
65
ANNEX I, TITLE
Wholesale charges for the making of regulated roaming calls referred to in Article 3
Wholesale charges for the making of certain roaming calls referred to in Article 3
Amendment
66
ANNEX I, PARAGRAPH 1, INTRODUCTORY PART
The total wholesale charges that the operator of a visited network may levy from the operator of the roaming customer's home network for the making of a regulated roaming call originating on that visited network shall not exceed, on a per-minute basis, an amount equal to the average mobile termination rate published pursuant to Article 10(3) multiplied:
Where applicable, the total wholesale charges that the operator of a visited network may levy from the operator of the roaming customer's home network for the making of a roaming call originating on that visited network shall not exceed, on a per-minute basis, an amount equal to the average mobile termination rate published pursuant to Article 10(3) multiplied:
Amendment
67
ANNEX II, POINT (4 A) (new)
(4a) For m obile operators licensed in the outermost regions of the Community, the relevant average mobile termination rate shall be the 75th percentile average of the MTRs of these operators for 2006, itself weighted on the basis of the total incoming voice traffic achieved by these operators over that year in the outermost regions. The relevant average charge for wholesale roaming services shall be calculated accordingly.
Justification
The specific case of operators licensed in outermost regions of the Community is also addressed in order to ensure that these operators can recover their costs.
PROCEDURE
Title
Roaming on public mobile networks
References
COM(2006)0382 - C6-0244/2006 - 2006/0133(COD)
Committee responsible
ITRE
Opinion by
Date announced in plenary
IMCO
5.9.2006
Enhanced cooperation - date announced in plenary
5.9.2006
Drafts(wo)man
Date appointed
Joseph Muscat
4.10.2006
Discussed in committee
22.11.2006
19.12.2006
23.1.2007
25.1.2007
1.3.2007
21.3.2007
Date adopted
22.3.2007
Result of final vote
+:
–:
0:
22
19
2
Members present for the final vote
Nedzhmi Ali, Adam Bielan, Georgi Bliznashki, Godfrey Bloom, Charlotte Cederschiöld, Gabriela Creţu, Mia De Vits, Rosa Díez González, Martin Dimitrov, Evelyne Gebhardt, Małgorzata Handzlik, Malcolm Harbour, Anna Hedh, Edit Herczog, Pierre Jonckheer, Alexander Lambsdorff, Toine Manders, Arlene McCarthy, Bill Newton Dunn, Zita Pleštinská, Karin Riis-Jørgensen, Zuzana Roithová, Luisa Fernanda Rudi Ubeda, Heide Rühle, Leopold Józef Rutowicz, Christel Schaldemose, Andreas Schwab, Ovidiu Ioan Silaghi, Alexander Stubb, Marianne Thyssen, Jacques Toubon, Bernadette Vergnaud, Barbara Weiler
Substitute(s) present for the final vote
André Brie, Simon Coveney, Jean-Claude Fruteau, Othmar Karas, Manuel Medina Ortega, Joseph Muscat, Søren Bo Søndergaard, Ieke van den Burg
Substitute(s) under Rule 178(2) present for the final vote
Bogusław Sonik, Zbigniew Zaleski, Sharon Bowles
29.3.2007
OPINION of the Committee on Culture and Education
for the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy
on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on roaming on public mobile networks within the Community and amending Directive 2002/21/EC on a common regulatory framework for electronic communications networks and services
( COM(2006)0382 – C6‑0244/2006 – 2006/0133(COD) )
Draftsman: Manolis Mavrommatis
AMENDMENTS
The Committee on Culture and Education calls on the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy, as the committee responsible, to incorporate the following amendments in its report:
Text proposed by the Commission
Not yet published in OJ.
Amendments by Parliament
Amendment
1
RECITAL 1
(1) The high level of the prices payable by users of public mobile telephone networks when using their mobile telephones when travelling abroad within the Community is a matter of concern for national regulatory authorities. The European Regulators Group5 noted at its plenary meeting in May 2005 ( inter alia ) that retail charges were very high without clear justification; that this appeared to result both from high wholesale charges levied by the foreign host network operator and also, in many cases, from high retail mark-ups charged by the customer’s own network operator; that reductions in wholesale charges were often not passed through to the retail customer; and that there were strong linkages between the markets in the different Member States.
(1) The high level of the prices payable by users of public mobile telephone networks, for example students, business travellers and tourists, when using their mobile telephones when travelling abroad within the Community is a matter of concern for national regulatory authorities. The European Regulators Group5 noted at its plenary meeting in May 2005 ( inter alia ) that retail charges were very high without clear justification; that this appeared to result both from high wholesale charges levied by the foreign host network operator and also, in many cases, from high retail mark-ups charged by the customer’s own network operator; that reductions in wholesale charges were often not passed through to the retail customer; and that there were strong linkages between the markets in the different Member States.
Amendment
2
RECITAL 1 A (new)
(1a) The internal market gives more space for mobility, especially for employees, employers, students, teachers and working trainees participating in European programmes such as Lifelong Learning, the Youth Programme and Europe for Citizens. Thus, the "price of mobility" should not be excessive and prohibitive for travellers.
Justification
The roaming prices should not be abusive and prohibitive for the travellers to use their mobile abroad.
Amendment
3
RECITAL 1 B (new)
(1b) The creation of a European social, educational and cultural area based on the mobility of individuals should facilitate communication between people in order to build a real " Europe for Citizens".
Justification
Communication is one of the most important aspects of the European model. It is essential to be able to use the new technologies in order to facilitate communication among citizens.
Amendment
4
RECITAL 12
(12) Regulatory obligations should be imposed at both retail and wholesale level to protect the interests of roaming customers, since experience has shown that reductions in wholesale prices for international roaming services may not be reflected in lower retail prices for roaming, due to the absence of incentives to do so. On the other hand, action to reduce the level of retail prices without addressing the level of the wholesale costs associated with the provision of these services could risk disrupting the orderly functioning of the international roaming market.
(12) Regulatory obligations should be imposed at both retail and wholesale level to protect the interests of roaming customers, since experience has shown that reductions in wholesale prices for international roaming services may not be reflected in lower retail prices for roaming, due to the absence of incentives to do so. On the other hand, action to reduce the level of retail prices without addressing the level of the wholesale costs associated with the provision of these services could risk disrupting the orderly functioning of the international roaming market.
Particular attention should be paid to the fact that some operators undoubtedly face higher wholesale costs than average due to circumstances outside their control. For example, operators in areas with low population density, difficult topography, or large influxes of tourists within short time periods making calls typically at peak hours tend to have higher network costs than operators in countries that do not operate under similar circumstances.
Consequently, roaming prices which are too low may reduce operators’ investments in some of these areas and therefore downgrade the quality of roaming services.
Justification
It is a fact that some mobile operators may have more costs than others in the installation, the maintenance and the upgrade of the mobile networks.
Amendment
5
RECITAL 18
(18) The maximum price limits should take account of the different elements involved in the making of an international roaming call (including overheads, signalling, call origination, transit and termination) and the differences in the underlying costs of providing international roaming services in respect of calls made to a destination within a visited country, on the one hand, and calls made back to the roaming customer’s home country or a third country within the Community, on the other.
(18) The maximum price limits should take account of the different elements involved in the making of an international roaming call (including overheads, signalling, call origination, transit and termination) and the differences in the underlying costs of providing international roaming services in respect of calls made to a destination within a visited country, on the one hand, and calls made back to the roaming customer’s home country or a third country within the Community, on the other. Furthermore, account should be taken of the fact that a large part of the population, such as the elderly, continues to use the old technologies (fixed-line telephony), and any reduction in profits resulting from this Regulation should therefore not be recouped by increasing fixed-line telephony costs.
Justification
The old technologies are still very important to a certain part of the population. Thus, we should not "penalise" them in favour of the new means of communication.
Amendment
6
RECITAL 18 A (new)
(18a) Any change in prices should allow for the risk of market distortion and for potential damage to the main body of users. The impact which seasonal tourists have on the costs incurred by receiving and transmitting operators consequently should be evened out. Similarly, bearing in mind that 66% of mobile telephone users in the Union do not use international roaming services, it is necessary to ensure that these users will not be harmed by such a measure.
Amendment
7
RECITAL 26
(26)In order to improve the transparency of retail prices for making and receiving roaming calls within the Community and to help roaming customers make decisions on the use of their mobile telephones while abroad, providers of mobile telephony services should enable their roaming customers easily to obtain information on the roaming charges applicable to them in the visited Member State concerned, on request and free of charge. Transparency also requires that providers furnish information on roaming charges when subscriptions are taken out and that they also give their customers periodic updates on roaming charges as well as in the event of substantial changes.
(26) In order to improve the transparency of retail prices for making and receiving roaming calls within the Community and to help roaming customers make decisions on the use of their mobile telephones while abroad, providers of mobile telephony services should enable their roaming customers easily to obtain information on the roaming charges applicable to them in the visited Member State concerned, free of charge. Transparency also requires that providers furnish information on roaming charges when subscriptions are taken out and that they also give their customers periodic updates on roaming charges as well as in the event of substantial changes.
Justification
Customers should receive the necessary information on roaming charges in the form of a text message, similar to the existing greetings from the new network, without having to ask.
Amendment
8
RECITAL 27
(27) The national regulatory authorities which are responsible for carrying out tasks under the 2002 regulatory framework for electronic communications should have the powers needed to supervise and enforce the obligations in this Regulation within their territory. They should also monitor developments in the pricing of voice and data services for mobile customers when roaming within the Community, in particular as regards the specific costs related to roaming calls made in the outermost regions of the Community and the necessity to ensure that these costs can be adequately recovered on the wholesale market. They should ensure that up-to-date information on the application of this Regulation is made available to mobile users.
(27) The national regulatory authorities which are responsible for carrying out tasks under the 2002 regulatory framework for electronic communications should have the powers needed to supervise and enforce the obligations in this Regulation within their territory. They should also monitor developments in the pricing of voice and data services and of data transmission (such as SMS and MMS) for mobile customers when roaming within the Community, in particular as regards the specific costs related to roaming calls made in the outermost regions of the Community , taking into account the geographical position of the small Member States lying on the Community's borders and of those Member States which traditionally are the destinations for massive influxes of seasonal tourists at given times of the year . They should monitor the development of retail prices for voice and data communications services and ensure that reductions in roaming charges under this Regulation are not offset by mobile phone call charges within the same country. They should ensure that up-to-date information on the application of this Regulation is made available to mobile users.
Justification
We should take into account that in many small Member States it takes only a short time to cross the frontiers.
Amendment
9
RECITAL 30 A (new)
(30a) Given that the European Union is a place where citizens communicate, the new technologies can be an important instrument in this context. Thus, all means of communication should be accessible to everyone, in terms of price, avoiding any increase in the cost of traditional telephony services still used by a large part of the population which could lead into a social divide and the changes entailed should not impede the progress of, and investment in, network modernisation.
Justification
Communication is one of the most important aspects of the European model. It is essential to be able to use the new technologies in order to facilitate communication among citizens.
Amendment
10
ARTICLE 1, PARAGRAPH 1
1. This Regulation introduces a common mechanism, called the European Home Market Approach, for ensuring that users of public mobile telephone networks when travelling within the Community do not pay excessive prices for international roaming services when making calls and receiving calls, thereby achieving a high level of consumer protection while safeguarding competition between mobile operators. It lays down rules on the charges that may be levied by mobile operators for the provision of international roaming services for voice calls originating and terminating within the Community and applies both to charges levied between network operators at wholesale level and to charges levied by the home provider at retail level.
1. This Regulation introduces a common mechanism, called the European Home Market Approach, for ensuring that users of public mobile telephone networks when travelling within the Community do not pay excessive prices for international roaming services when making calls and receiving calls or when sending and receiving data (sending SMS at an appropriate price , MMS, etc ) , thereby achieving a high level of consumer protection while safeguarding competition between mobile operators. It lays down rules on the charges that may be levied by mobile operators for the provision of international roaming services for voice calls originating and terminating within the Community and applies both to charges levied between network operators at wholesale level and to charges levied by the home provider at retail level.
Justification
The majority of mobile customers, especially the younger ones, use SMS as a more economical way of communicating. For this reason, the regulation on international roaming should also cover this service.
Amendment
11
ARTICLE 1, PARAGRAPH 1 A (new)
1a. This Regulation lays down rules designed to increase price transparency and to improve the provision of tariff information to consumers in international roaming services, including voice and data communication services.
Amendment
12
ARTICLE 1, PARAGRAPH 1 A (new)
1a. This Regulation lays down rules to increase price transparency and improve the provision of tariff information to consumers in international roaming services, including voice and data communication services as well as SMS.
Justification
It is important that the regulation covers all the services provided by the mobile operators.
Amendment
13
ARTICLE 2, PARAGRAPH 2, POINT (D)
(d) “regulated roaming call” means a mobile voice telephony call made by a roaming customer, originating on a visited network and terminating on a public telephone network within the Community;
(d) “regulated roaming call” means a voice or data-transfer call made on a mobile telephone by a roaming customer, originating on a visited network and terminating on a public telephone network within the Community;
Amendment
14
ARTICLE 7, PARAGRAPH 1
1. Each home provider shall provide to its roaming customer on request personalised pricing information on the retail charges that apply to the making and receipt of calls by that customer in the visited Member State.
1. Each home provider shall provide to its roaming customer automatically when that customer enters another Member State by means of a Short Message Service (SMS) and without undue delay pricing information on the roaming charges that apply to the making and receipt of calls and to the sending and receiving of data by that customer in the visited Member State. In additional, the customer may choose to make a request by sending an SMS or making a voice call in order to receive the information on the applicable roaming charges. The content of the SMS shall be well defined, contain clear information about the roaming charges and shall not contain information that is not useful while travelling.
Justification
It would be more efficient if the information would always be automatically sent to customers, whether they request it or not.
Amendment
15
ARTICLE 7, PARAGRAPH 2
2. The customer may choose to make such a request by means of a mobile voice call or by sending an SMS (Short Message Service), in either case to a number designated for this purpose by the home provider, and may choose to receive the information either during the course of that call or by SMS (in the latter case without undue delay).
deleted
Justification
It would be more efficient to put this context in the first paragraph.
Amendment
16
ARTICLE 7, PARAGRAPH 2 A (new)
2a. Within one hour of entering another Member State the roaming customer shall receive an automatic SMS from his home provider, which shall include personalised pricing information on the retail charges that apply to the making and receiving of calls and to the sending and receiving of data as well as SMSs by that customer on each available network in the visited Member State.
Justification
The welcome SMS that we receive when we arrive in the host country could be more useful.
Amendment
17
ARTICLE 7, PARAGRAPH 3
3. The information service referred to above shall be provided free of charge, both as regards the making of the request and the receipt of the information requested .
3. Home providers shall offer, as a minimum, a free information service to cover the information mentioned above for the purpose both of making enquiries and of receiving the information requested.
Justification
Operators should be required merely to provide a free information service while remaining free to choose such other methods as they might wish to employ.
Amendment
18
ARTICLE 7, PARAGRAPH 4
4. The personalised pricing information referred to in this Article shall be the charges applicable under the tariff scheme of the roaming customer concerned to the making and receipt of calls on any visited network in the Member State in which the customer is roaming.
4. The personalised pricing information referred to in this Article shall be the charges applicable under the tariff scheme of the roaming customer concerned to the making and receipt of calls and to the sending and receiving of communications services including short message service (SMS) and multi media message service (MMS), on each visited network in the Member State in which the customer is roaming. The information provided shall also include details of any differences in rates depending on the time or the day on which calls are made.
Amendment
19
ARTICLE 7, PARAGRAPH 5 A (new)
5(a) Information concerning roaming charges shall also be available at all times on the service provider’s website.
Amendment
20
ARTICLE 9
The Member States shall lay down the rules on penalties applicable to infringements of the provisions of this Regulation and shall take all measures necessary to ensure that they are implemented. The penalties provided for must be effective, proportionate and dissuasive. The Member States shall notify those provisions to the Commission not later than six months following the entry into force of this Regulation and shall notify it without delay of any subsequent amendment affecting them.
The national regulatory authorities shall monitor, supervise and ensure compliance with this Regulation within their territory. The Member States shall lay down the rules on penalties applicable to infringements of the provisions of this Regulation and shall take all measures necessary to ensure that they are implemented. The penalties provided for must be effective, proportionate and dissuasive. The Member States shall notify those provisions to the Commission not later than six months following the entry into force of this Regulation and shall notify it without delay of any subsequent amendment affecting them.
Justification
National regulatory authorities are the most competent authorities to follow the application of this Regulation.
Amendment
21
ARTICLE 10, PARAGRAPH 3
3. The Commission shall publish in the Official Journal of the European Union , on a regular basis, the average mobile termination rate determined in accordance with paragraphs 1, 2 and 4.
3. The Commission shall publish in the Official Journal of the European Union and in the ‘Your Europe ’ internet portal on a regular basis, the average mobile termination rate determined in accordance with paragraphs 1, 2 and 4.
PROCEDURE
Title
Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on roaming on public mobile networks within the Community and amending Directive 2002/21/EC on a common regulatory framework for electronic communications networks and services
References
COM(2006)0382 – C6-0244/2006 – 2006/0133(COD)
Committee responsible
ITRE
Opinion by Date announced in plenary
CULT 5.9.2006
Enhanced cooperation – date announced in plenary
Drafts(wo)man Date appointed
Manolis Mavrommatis 12.9.2006
Previous drafts(wo)man
Discussed in committee
18.12.2006
29.1.2007
0.0.0000
Date adopted
22.3.2007
Result of final vote
+:
–:
0:
26
0
0
Members present for the final vote
Maria Badia I Cutchet, Ivo Belet, Giovanni Berlinguer, Marie-Hélène Descamps, Jolanta Dičkutė, Věra Flasarová, Milan Gaľa, Vasco Graça Moura, Lissy Gröner, Luis Herrero-Tejedor, Ruth Hieronymi, Bernat Joan i Marí, Sándor Kónya-Hamar, Manolis Mavrommatis, Marianne Mikko, Ljudmila Novak, Zdzisław Zbigniew Podkański, Christa Prets, Pál Schmitt, Gheorghe Vergil Şerbu, Nikolaos Sifunakis, Thomas Wise, Tomáš Zatloukal
Substitute(s) present for the final vote
Giusto Catania, Mario Mauro, Nina Škottová
Substitute(s) under Rule 178(2) present for the final vote
Comments (available in one language only)
...
ПРОЦЕДУРА
Title
Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on roaming on public mobile networks within the Community and amending Directive 2002/21/EC on a common regulatory framework for electronic communications networks and services
Позовавания
COM(2006)0382 - C6-0244/2006 - 2006/0133(COD)
Дата на представяне на ЕП
12.7.2006
Водеща комисия
Дата на обявяване в заседание
ITRE
5.9.2006
Комисия(и), сезирана(и) за становище
Дата на обявяване в заседание
ECON
5.9.2006
IMCO
5.9.2006
CULT
5.9.2006
Засилено сътрудничество
Дата на обявяване в заседание
IMCO
5.9.2006
Докладчик(ци)
Дата на назначаване
Paul Rübig
12.9.2006
Разглеждане в комисия
23.11.2006
27.2.2007
27.3.2007
12.4.2007
Дата на приемане
12.4.2007
Резултат от окончателното гласуване
+:
–:
0:
45
3
1
Депутати, присъстващи на окончателното гласуване
Šarūnas Birutis, Jan Březina, Renato Brunetta, Jerzy Buzek, Jorgo Chatzimarkakis, Giles Chichester, Pilar del Castillo Vera, Den Dover, Adam Gierek, Norbert Glante, David Hammerstein Mintz, Rebecca Harms, Mary Honeyball, Ján Hudacký, Romana Jordan Cizelj, Anne Laperrouze, Romano Maria La Russa, Pia Elda Locatelli, Angelika Niebler, Reino Paasilinna, Aldo Patriciello, Francisca Pleguezuelos Aguilar, Miloslav Ransdorf, Herbert Reul, Teresa Riera Madurell, Paul Rübig, Andres Tarand, Britta Thomsen, Catherine Trautmann, Claude Turmes, Nikolaos Vakalis, Alejo Vidal-Quadras, Dominique Vlasto
Заместник(ци), присъстващ(и) на окончателното гласуване
Alexander Alvaro, Etelka Barsi-Pataky, Dorette Corbey, Avril Doyle, Robert Goebbels, Françoise Grossetête, Edit Herczog, Vittorio Prodi, Esko Seppänen, Peter Skinner, Hannes Swoboda, Silvia-Adriana Ţicău, Lambert van Nistelrooij
Заместник(ци) (чл. 178, пар. 2), присъстващ(и) на окончателното гласуване
Manolis Mavrommatis, Sharon Bowles, Michał Tomasz Kamiński
