Workshop on Next ("Now") Generation Access (NGA) : How to adapt the electronic communications framework to foster investment and promote competition for the benefit of consumers? (Summary, briefing notes and presentations)

Studie 15-09-2008

On 15 July 2008 the European Parliament Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) held a Workshop on next generation access networks with the title "Next ("Now") Generation Access (NGA): How to Adapt the Electronic Communications Framework to Foster Investment and Promote Competition for the Benefit of Consumers?". The purpose of the workshop was to stimulate discussion and analysis of the regulatory issues surrounding the transition towards an NGA environment and its implications on competition and investment. The workshop provided a unique opportunity for MEPs to exchange views and get independent advice from experts from academia, regulatory authorities and international organizations on how the telecom package could strike the right balance in order to foster investment in new high-capacity infrastructures and at the same time spur competition for the benefit of the consumer. The expert advice provided a better understanding for creating a forward-looking and enabling regulatory environment. In particular, the experts expressed their recommendations on the impact of ITRE’s substantive amendments voted on 7 July 2008 on the future development of NGA. Unofficial consolidated versions of the Framework, Access and Authorisation Directive were sent to the experts of the workshop on 8 July 2008.