The amended proposal adapts the original proposal on a number of points as suggested by the European Parliament.
It is recalled that the proposal aims to establish a European Electronic Communications Market Authority which is part of the EU regulatory package for electronic communications proposed by the Commission with the aim of simplifying and improving the quality of the regulatory environment, completing the single market and ensuring that consumers can reap the full benefit of a dynamic and increasingly borderless communications market.
The objective of the proposed Regulation is to establish a specialised and independent expert body to assist the Commission and the national regulatory authorities in the implementation of the EU regulatory framework for electronic communications.
The Authority would complement at European level the regulatory tasks performed at national level by the regulatory authorities, in particular by providing:
- a framework for national regulatory authorities to cooperate;
- regulatory oversight of market definitions;
- analysis and implementation of remedies;
- definition of transnational markets;
- advice on radio frequency issues;
- decisions on numbering administration and advice on number portability;
- advice on network and information security issues;
- general informational and advisory functions on issues related to the electronic communications sector.
The European Parliament adopted 164 amendments at 1st reading on 24 September 2008. In its amended proposal, the Commission accepts 75 of these amendments in their entirety. It accepts 32 in part or subject to rewording. In particular, the Commission accepts the establishment of a new body called "Body of European Telecoms Regulators" and inserts some new drafting underlying the importance of reinforcing the cooperation between national regulatory authorities.
It should be noted that the Commission rejected 57 amendments.