WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3874/97 by Amedeo AMADEO to the Commission. Information society - rolling action plan
C 174/148 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 8. 6. 98 The private sector will mobilise an additional ECU 90. 5 million towards the cost of these investments. The body responsible for managing the appropriations is currently signing contracts worth ECU 76 million to implement 26 projects selected out of a total of 68 proposals submitted under the first call for tenders. At the closing date for the second call for tenders (31 October 1997), 120 proposals had been submitted, representing ECU 501 million. These proposals are currently being assessed. (98/C 174/221) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3874/97 by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Commission (5 December 1997) Subject: Information society › rolling action plan The Commission has submitted a communication to the Council, the European Parliament, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on Europe at the Forefront of the Global Information Society: Rolling Action Planí (COM(96) 607 final). The liberalization of the telecommunications sector has been successfully launched and will be completed by 1 January 1998, hence triggering the development of new services and promoting their widespread uptake. The stakes in terms of job creation and competitiveness are particularly high, since the ICT market had an appreciable growth rate of 8% in 1995 and will grow even faster in the future. In preparation for the 1 January 1998 deadline, will the Commission define a clear regulatory framework to govern the process of liberalization, while ensuring competition and pluralism? Answer given by Mr Bangemann on behalf of the Commission (29 January 1998) The Honourable Member highlights the importance of liberalisation in both the achievement of an information society in Europe and in the creation of growth, competitiveness and employment within that society. With regard to the creation of a regulatory framework maximising the opportunities which liberalisation offers, the Honourable Member will be aware of the detailed package of measures adopted over the last two years, partly by the Commission under the competition rules, and partly by the Parliament and the Council. In particular the harmonisation measures agreed provide a detailed framework for licensing, universal service, numbering and interconnection. They also strengthen consumer rights in relation to the voice telephony service, data protection and privacy. Finally, they strengthen the regulatory independence of the telecoms authorities which now exist in every Member State. This represents a comprehensive framework to guarantee effective competition now that the 1998 deadline has arrived. (98/C 174/222) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3875/97 by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Commission (5 December 1997) Subject: Information society › rolling action plan The Commission has submitted a communication to the Council, the European Parliament, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on Europe at the Forefront of the Global Information Society: Rolling Action Planí (COM(96) 607 final). Will the Commission take all the measures provided for in the rolling action plan to ensure proper management of universal service, licencing and protection of privacy?