The plenary of the EU Parliament has approved the text of the new rules for the telecoms sector in the EU.
Background: The European Commission initially proposed the Code back in September 2016, with the aim to reform the regulatory framework and boost investment in the sector. Following the “trilogue” negotiations between Commission, Parliament, and Council, a final text was agreed on 6 June 2018.
What’s happened? On 14 November, the EU Parliament put the formal stamp of approval to the text. As expected, there are no changes to what was agreed in June. The provisions span across a wide range of issues: from access regulation to spectrum harmonisation, passing by consumer protection and new powers for the Body of European Regulators (BEREC).
What’s next? The European Council still needs to formally approve the text – once again, there are no surprises to expect. Then the Code will be in force, and EU states will have two years to transpose it into national legislation. After the informal approval in June, most industry stakeholders reacted with disappointment at the code; however, everyone’s focus is now on implementing it in the most effective way.
