Committees and Working Groups

The regulatory framework has created new committees and working groups in order to assist the Commission in its task and facilitate a harmonised implementation of the recently adopted regulatory framework. The committees are the Communications Committee (replacing the Open Network Provision and the Licensing Committee), the Radio Spectrum Committee and the Radio Spectrum Policy Group. The Working Party on the Protection of Individuals with regard to the Processing of Personal Data, known as the Article 29 Working Party is maintained under the Data Protection Directive.

Communications Committee
Radio Spectrum Committee
Radio Spectrum Policy Group
Working Party on the Protection of Individuals with regard to the Processing of Personal Data (Article 29 working party)

Radio Spectrum Committee (RSC)

The Radio Spectrum Committee was established under the Radio Spectrum Decision 676/2002/EC as part of the new regulatory framework for electronic communications which entered into force on 24 April 2002.
The RSC assists the Commission in the development and adoption of technical implementing measures aimed at ensuring harmonised conditions for the availability and efficient use of radio spectrum, as well as the availability of information related to the use of radio spectrum.
The committee exercises its function through advisory and regulatory procedures in accordance with the Council Comitology Decision. Its first meeting was held on October 25, 2002.

Location: Brussels
Members: same as for the Communications Committee.
Chair: European Commission

Calendar for the Radio Spectrum Committee meetings

Link to documents on CIRCA: http://circa.europa.eu/Public/irc/infso/radiospectrum/home

Web site: /information_society/policy/radio_spectrum/activities/rsc_work/index_en.htm

Radio Spectrum Policy Group (RSPG)

This consultative group was established by Decision 2002/622/EC with the mission to assist and advise the Commission on radio spectrum policy issues such as radio spectrum availability, harmonisation and allocation of radio spectrum, provision of information concerning allocation, availability and use of radio spectrum, methods for granting rights to use spectrum, refarming, relocation, valuation and efficient use of radio spectrum as well as protection of human health. Its first meeting was held in Brussels on January 17th, 2003. RSPG#2 was held on 19 September 2003.

A first public consultation was launched on 13 October 2003 on the Work Programme of the Group. A dedicated web site has been created where more detailed information is available.

Location: Brussels, secretariat is with the European Commission in Brussels.
Members: heads of each relevant national regulatory authority in each Member State.
Chair: Mr J.A. Andersen

Calendar for the Radio Spectrum Policy Group meetings

Link to documents on CIRCA: http://circa.europa.eu/Public/irc/infso/rspg/home

Web sites :
/information_society/policy/radio_spectrum/activities/rspg_work/index_en.htm
http://rspg.groups.eu.int

Working Party on the Protection of Individuals with regard to the Processing of Personal Data (Article 29 working party)

This working party has been established by Article 29 of Directive 95/46/EC. It is the independent EU Advisory Body on Data Protection and Privacy. Its tasks are laid down in Article 30 of Directive 95/46/EC, in Article 14 of Directive 97/66/EC and in Article 15(3) of Directive 2002/58/EC. The Working Party was set up to achieve several primary objectives:
To provide expert opinion from member state level to the Commission on questions of data protection; to promote the uniform application of the general principles of the Directives in all Member States through co-operation between data protection supervisory authorities; to advise the Commission on any Community measures affecting the rights and freedoms of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and privacy; to make recommendations to the public at large, and in particular to Community institutions on matters relating to the protection of persons with regard to the processing of personal data and privacy in the European Community.

Location: Brussels. The Secretariat is provided by the European Commission
Members: one representative of the supervisory authority of each member State, one representative of the authority or authorities established for the Community institutions and bodies, and one representative of the Commission.
Chair: Prof. Stefano RODOTA

Link: http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/privacy/workingroup_en.htm

Last update: 04/02/2010