L 220/24 Official Journal of the European Union 15.8.2008 COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 5 August 2008 on the harmonised use of radio spectrum in the 5 875-5 905 MHz frequency band for safety-related applications of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) (notified under document number C(2008) 4145) (Text with EEA relevance) (2008/671[EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Decision No 676/2002/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 March 2002 on a regulatory framework for radio spectrum policy in the European Community (Radio Spectrum Decision) (1), and in particular Article 4(3) thereof, Whereas: (1) The Council () and the European Parliament (}) have stressed the importance of increasing road safety in Europe. Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) are central to an integrated approach in road safety (*) by adding information and communication technologies (ICT) to transport infrastructure and vehicles so as to avoid potentially dangerous traffic situations and reduce number of accidents. (2)  Effective and coherent use of radio spectrum is essential for the development of new wireless equipment in the Community (%). (3) ITS include cooperative systems based on vehicle-to- vehicle, vehicle-to-infrastructure and infrastructure-to- vehicle communications for the real time transfer of information. Those systems potentially offer major improvements in transport system efficiency, in safety for all road users and in mobility comfort. To fulfil () OJ L 108, 24.4.2002, p. 1. (%) Council Conclusions 15101/03 of 5.12.2003 and Verona 2 Conclusions of 26.10.2004. () O] C 244 E, 18.10.2007, p. 220. (% COM(2006) 314. (*) Council Conclusions 15530/04 and 15533/04 of 3.12.2004. those objectives, communications between vehicles and road infrastructure must be reliable and fast. Given the mobility of vehicles and the need to ensure the achievement of the internal market and the increase in road safety throughout Europe, spectrum used by ITS cooperative systems should be made available in a harmonised way throughout the European Union. Pursuant to Article 4(2) of Decision No 676/2002/EC, on 5 July 2006 the Commission issued a mandate to the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations  (CEPT) to verify the spectrum requirements for safety-critical applications in the context of ITS and cooperative systems and to undertake technical compatibility studies between safety-critical ITS applications and potentially affected radio services in the frequency ranges under consi- deration. CEPT was also requested to develop optimal channel plans for the bands identified for ITS. The relevant results of the work carried out by CEPT constitute the technical basis for this Decision. CEPT concluded in its report of 21 December 2007 (CEPT Report 20) that the 5 GHz band, in particular the range 5875-5905 MHz, was appropriate for safety-related ITS applications, which improve road safety by increasing the information to the driver and the vehicle on the environment, other vehicles and other road users. Furthermore, ITS are compatible with all the services studied in that band, and with all other existing services studied below 5850 MHz and above 5925 MHz, as long as they comply with certain emission limits as defined in the CEPT Report. The selection of this band would also be in line with spectrum use in other regions of the world and thus foster global harmonisation. Moreover, ITS could not claim protection from fixed-satellite service (FSS) earth stations and unwanted emissions from ITS equipment need to be limited in order to protect FSS.