DECISION No 2717/95/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 9 November 1995 on a set of guidelines for the development of the EURO-ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) as a trans-European network
THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 129d thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (1),
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (2),
Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions (3),
Acting in accordance with procedure laid down in Article 189b of the Treaty (4),
Whereas the aim of establishing trans-European telecommunication networks is to allow the circulation of information with a view to enabling the internal market to function properly for all participants, in particular small and medium-sized enterprises in the Community, and strengthening its economic and social cohesion;
Whereas the internal market establishes an area without internal frontiers within which the free movement of goods, services and capital must be guaranteed; whereas in order to ensure each of these freedoms, the Community acts adopted or being adopted provide for measures involving a substantial interchange of data between individuals, economic operators and the competent administrations; whereas such interchange can be ensured using trans-European networks;
Whereas action by the Community in this field has to take account in particular of the need to link island, land-locked and peripheral regions with the central regions of the Community;
Whereas Council Recommendation 86/659/EEC (5) provides for a set of ISDN services compatible at European level to be made available, which is also the subject of a Memorandum of Understanding between the public telecommunications network operators;
Whereas the Council Resolution of 18 July 1989 (6) called for a strengthening of coordination on the introduction of ISDN in the European Community before the end of 1992;
Whereas Council Recommendation 92/383/EEC (7) calls for the application to ISDN of the principles of open network provision;
Whereas, in this Resolution of 5 June 1992 (8), the Council recognized the importance of developing ISDN in the context of trans-European networks;
Considering the conclusions of the European Council meeting in Corfu on 24 and 25 June 1994 and in particular those relating to the information society;
Whereas for the further development of the regulatory framework, account should be taken of the objectives defined in this Decision;
Whereas it is important, for the smooth operation of the internal market, to facilitate the movement of goods, services, persons and capital between the Community and third countries, and more specially the member countries of the European Free Trade Association; whereas such movements will strengthen trade relations between the economic operators of the countries concerned; whereas cooperation must therefore be established with those countries in order to promote Europe-wide interconnection and interoperability of ISDN;
Whereas adequate Community action is needed to establish smooth coordination between the Member States and the economic operators responsible for creating the basic infrastructure, in order to ensure the harmonized introduction of ISDN services; whereas failure to adopt a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on the development of ISDN as a trans-European network would be liable to result in a lack of interconnection and interoperability between national networks and a smaller supply of compatible basic services,
HAVE ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
This Decision establishes the guidelines identifying the objectives, priorities, broad categories of measures and a number of projects of common interest concerning the development of EURO-ISDN as a trans-European network.
Article 2
for the purposes of this Decision:
- 'Euro-ISDN` shall mean a set if ISDN facilities and services implemented on the basis of the harmonized European standards as set out in Annex I, point 1,
- 'basic services ` shall mean the services set out in Annex I, point 2,
- 'telematic services` shall mean the services set out in Annex I, point 3.
Article 3
The objectives as regards the development of the ISDN as a trans-European network and into an element of the infrastructure for the 'universal service` shall be as follows:
- the development of a range of services based on the EURO-ISDN, with account also being taken of the future introduction of a European broadband communications network,
- availability of a full geographical coverage by EURO-ISDN in all Member States having regard to market needs, in particular to facilitate access of the island, land-locked and peripheral regions by means of EURO-ISDN.
Article 4
The priorities for achieving the objectives referred to in Article 3 shall be as follows:
- to promote the use of EURO-ISDN, in particular by small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as public organizations,
- to contribute to the rapid availability of affordable testing equipment,
- to promote access to less expensive terminal equipment and application software.
Article 5
The broad categories of measures necessary to attain the objectives referred to in Article 3 and to comply with the priorities laid down in Article 4 shall be as follows:
- analysis of obstacles to the deployment of EURO-ISDN and the means to be used to overcome them,
- promotion of end-to-end interoperability of telematic services,
- analysis and promotion of migration of public and private sector applications to EURO-ISDN,
- promotion of the availability of EURO-ISDN terminals and application software.
Article 6
The development of EURO-ISDN as a trans-European network shall be carried out pursuant to this Decision in the form of projects of common interest. Those projects shall be as listed in Annex II.
Article 7
This Decision shall not prejudice any financial commitment by a Member State or the Community.
Article 8
Member States shall encourage public network operators to put in place the infrastructure required for the development of EURO-ISDN in accordance with market demand and in compliance with Community rules.
Article 9
Participation by third countries which are parties to the Agreement on the European Economic Area or which have Association Agreements with the Community is highly desirable, subject to the procedure in Article 228 of the Treaty, to enable them to assist in carrying out projects of common interest and to promote the interconnection and interoperability of their ISDNs.
Article 10
In 1997 the Commission shall carry out an overall evaluation of the guidelines defined in this Decision in the light of any change in the rules applicable to EURO-ISDN.
Article 11
This Decision is addressed to the Member States.
Article 12
This Decision shall enter into force the 20th day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities.
Done at Brussels, 9 November 1995.