7.5.97 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 117/15 DIRECTIVE 97/13/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 10 April 1997 on a common framework for general authorizations and individual licences in the field of telecommunications services THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Articles 57 (2), 66 and 100a thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission ('), Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (2), Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 189b of the Treaty (%), (1) Whereas the Council resolution of 22 July 1993 on the review of the situation in the telecommunica- tions sector and the need for further development in that market (), together with the resolution of 22 December 1994 on the principles and timetable for the liberalization of telecommunications infrastruc- tures (), as well as the European Parliament resolu- tions of 20 April 1993 (%), 7 April 1995 () and 19 May 1995 (%), have supported the process of complete liberalization of telecommunications services and infrastructures by 1 January 1998, with transition periods for certain Member States; (2) Whereas the Commission communication of 25 January 1995 on the consultation on the Green Paper on the liberalization of telecommunications infrastructure and cable television networks has - confirmed the need for rules at Community level, in order to ensure that general authorization and indi- vidual licensing regimes are based on the principle of proportionality and are open, non-discriminatory and transparent; whereas the Council resolution of 18 September 1995 on the implementation of the () OJ No C 90, 27. 3. 1996, p. 5 and 0] No C 291, 4. 10. 199, p. 12. (¥ OJ No C 204, 15. 7. 1996, p. 17. (*) Opinion of the European Parliament of 22 May 1996 (O] No C 166, 10. 6. 1996, p. 78), Council common position of 9 December 1996 (O] No C 41, 10. 2. 1997, p. 48) and De- cision of the European Parliament of 20 February 1997 (O] No C 88, 17. 3. 1997). Council Decision of 6 March 1997. ( OJ No C 213, 6. 8. 1993, p. 1. 5 OJ No C 379, 31. 12. 1994, p. 4. () OJ No C 150, 31. 5. 1993, p. 39. ) O] No C 109, 1. 5. 1995, p. 310. () OJ No C 151, 19. 6. 1995, p. 479. future regulatory framework for telecommunica- tions (*) recognizes as a key factor for this regulatory framework in the Union the establishment, in ac- cordance with the principle of subsidiarity, of com- mon principles for general authorizations and indivi- dual licensing regimes in the Member States, based on categories of balanced rights and obligations; whereas those principles should cover all authoriza- tions which are required for the provision of any telecommunications services and for the establish- ment and/or operation of any infrastructure for the provision of telecommunications services; (3) Whereas a common framework should be established for general authorizations and individual licences granted by Member States in the field of telecom- munications services; whereas under Community law and in particular under Commission Directive 90/388/EEC of 28 June 1990 on competition in the markets for telecommunications services ('%), market entry should be restricted on the basis only of ob- jective, non-discriminatory, proportionate and trans- parent selection criteria relating to the availability of scarce resources or on the basis of the implementa- tion by national regulatory authorities of objective, non-discriminatory and transparent award pro- cedures; whereas Directive 90/388/EEC also sets out principles regarding, inter alia, fees, numbers and rights of way; whereas these rules should be supple- mented and enlarged by this Directive to determine this common framework; (4) Whereas conditions attached to authorizations are necessary in order to attain public interest objectives to the benefit of telecommunications users; whereas under Articles 52 and 59 of the Treaty, the regulatory regime in the field of telecommunications should be compatible and consistent with the principles of freedom of establishment and freedom to provide services and should take into account the need to facilitate the introduction of new services as well as the widespread application of technological improve- ments; whereas, therefore, general authorization and individual licensing systems should provide for the lightest possible regulation compatible with the () OJ No C 258, 3. 10. 1995, p. 1. (%) OJ No L 192, 24.7. 1990, p. 10, as last amended by Directive 96/19/EC (OJ No L 74, 22. 3. 1996, p. 13).