Telecoms in the European Union

Telecoms networks and services are the backbone of Europe’s developing information Society and the digital economy. Individuals, enterprises and public organisations alike have come to rely ever more on convenient, reliable and high quality telecoms networks and services.
To improve innovation and increase efficiency in the telecommunications sector, the European Union promotes increased competition and user rights through a series of regulatory rules. 

Increased competition has brought new entrants into the telecoms sector throughout Europe and has forced incumbent providers to raise their standards of service and reduce their prices. However, communications technologies and services are in a process of continuous change, particularly with the growth of data communications, broadband networks and internet-based services.

The revised regulatory framework

To take account of these changes and to ensure that the regulatory framework remains up to date, the Council and European Parliament adopted a package of amendments to the 2002 regulatory framework in November 2009.

The new rules were published on 18 December 2009 and were to be transposed into the Member States' national laws by 25 May 2011.
 

On this website:

you will find all relevant material about EU telecoms regulation, including:

•  the revised regulatory framework; and

•  current topics which are the subject of ongoing policy discussion.