A3-0317/94

Resolution on the communication from the Commission accompanied by the proposal for a Council resolution on universal service principles in the telecommunications sector

The European Parliament,

-having regard to the Communication from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament and the Economic and Social Committee on developing universal service for telecommunications in a competitive environment, accompanied by the proposal for a Council resolution on universal service principles in the telecommunications sector (COM(93)0543 - C3-0473/93),

-having regard to the Council resolution of 7 February 1994 on universal service principles in the telecommunications sector,

-having regard to the report of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and Industrial Policy and the opinion of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Protection (A3-0317/94),

A.whereas a certain number of economic activities are in the general interest and thereby require intervention by the public authorities,

B.whereas economic activities in the general interest cater for individual needs (social cohesion, town and country planning, guarantees of basic freedoms) and collective needs (overall economic efficiency, control of non-renewable and rare resources, environmental protection, user services),

C.having regard to the provisions of the EC Treaty and the Treaty on European Union, in particular those of Article 90(1) and (2) of the EC Treaty regarding services of general economic interest and Titles X and XI (Article 129a - attainment of a high level of consumer protection), XII (Articles 129b and 129c - establishment of trans-European networks for transport, telecommunications and energy), XIV (Article 130a - economic and social cohesion) and XVI (environmental protection) of the Treaty on European Union,

1.Emphasises the central importance of universal service principles, in order to ensure complementarity between economic and social goals within the European Union, and balance between liberalisation and the need to maintain basic, affordable services for all consumers;

2.Considers, therefore, that it is essential to move speedily towards a common definition of universal service principles at European Union level;

3.Welcomes the Commission's proposals and the Council resolution on universal service principles in the telecommunications sector as a first step in this direction;

4.Calls for these principles to be further developed and implemented, and for basic principles of universal service provision to be extended to other sectors, such as the provision of energy and water, postal services, public transport and environmental protection infrastructure and services while taking due account of the specific characteristics of each sector;

5.Regrets that the Council resolution of 7 February 1994 was adopted without the Parliament being given sufficient time to consider the Commission's proposal;

6.calls for a further examination of this subject by the Community institutions within the near future, and resolves to hold a hearing on universal service principles as soon as possible;

7.Considers, pending such a wider review of the subject, that the following are some of the issues which need to be addressed:

(i)the basic principles of universal service provision need to be restated, both in respect of telecommunications and other basic utilities, so that the same general principles are applied to the maximum extent for each sector throughout the European Union;

(ii)the financing of universal service needs to be clarified, as well as the question of the progressive rebalancing of tariffs;

(iii)consumers and users need information about the nature and financing of universal service;

(iv)universal service principles should be based on the principles of transparency, equality of access, adjustment, continuity, user participation and monitoring;

(v)the establishment of clear guidelines to manage the transition from a monopoly to a competitive environment, as identified in the Commission proposal, need clarification, particularly as it is not clear by whom these guidelines would be established;

(vi)the role of National Regulatory Authorities (NRA's) and national operators needs further clarification, since the NRA's are at such different stages of development in the Member States;

8.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the governments and parliaments of the Member States.