[cma-l] European Union Public Consultation on the Radio Spectrum Policy Programme

Wed Mar 17 09:51:18 GMT 2010

Dear all

Please see below the message from Community Media Forum Europe - 
particularly the part on Section B of the consultation document -

"Our main focus could be the (lack of) availability of adequate
frequencies for existing and new community radio and television
programs, also in the digital era. We could refer to documents from the
UNESCO, Council of Europe and European Parliament, where CM is
recognized as a separate media sector next to commercial and public
media, with an important role on social cohesion and cultural diversity.
Also we could stress that the importance of a developed CM-sector, with
adequate frequencies and access to new digital electronic networks, is
essential for a plural media landscape and as such also recognized by
the above mentioned international organizations."

If you have anything you would like the CMA to feed into the CMFE 
response or our own, please do contact me, also consider responding 
yourselves to the consultation, as Europe wide policy does affect the 
actions of the UK government.  The consultation can be found at:

http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/policy/ecomm/radio_spectrum/_document_storage/consultations/2010_rspp/rspp_consultation.pdf

Deadline for responses is April 9th.

Best wishes

Jaqui

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: 	[Members_cmfe] Public Consultation on the Radio Spectrum
Policy Programma
Date: 	Wed, 17 Mar 2010 00:24:52 +0100
From: 	Pieter de Wit <pmgdewit at me.com>
To: 	Members CMFE <members_cmfe at lists.freie-radios.at>

Dear All,

On Thursday 4 March 2010, the Commission launched a *public
consultation*
<http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/policy/ecomm/radio_spectrum/_document_storage/consultations/2010_rspp/rspp_consultation.pdf> 
on
the Radio Spectrum Policy Programme.

The purpose of this consultation document is to obtain comments and
views from all interested stakeholders on the possible content of the
first Radio Spectrum Policy Programme.

/*CMFE also decided in the board meeting on March 11*/^/*th*/ /* to
participate in the consultation and to involve our broad membership base
(19 European countries are represented in CMFE) in the preparation of
this consultation.*/

For more information on the European Spectrum Policy: see
<http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/policy/ecomm/radio_spectrum/eu_policy/index_en.htm> 

and attached document.

Important back ground document is: Directive 2009/140/EC of the European
Parliament and of the Council of 25 November 2009 amending Directives
2002/21/EC on a common regulatory framework for electronic
communications networks and services, 2002/19/EC on access to, and
interconnection of, electronic communications networks and associated
facilities, and 2002/20/EC on the authorisation of electronic
communications networks and services,
see 
<http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:32009L0140:EN:NOT> 

For example point (24) of this Directive: "Radio frequencies should be
considered a scarce public resource that has an important public and
market value. It is in the public interest that spectrum is managed as
efficiently and effectively as possible from an economic, social and
environmental perspective, taking account of the important role of radio
spectrum for electronic communications, of the objectives of cultural
diversity and media pluralism, and of social and territorial cohesion.
Obstacles to its efficient use should therefore be gradually withdrawn."

The European Parliament and the Commission are co-organising a Spectrum
Summit
<http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/policy/ecomm/radio_spectrum/rspp/spectrum_summit_2010/index_en.htm> 
to
identify what stakeholders view as the strategic issues for spectrum
policy in the coming years. See also:
<http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/policy/ecomm/radio_spectrum/_document_storage/rspp_summit/spectsumm_programme_0301.pdf>

*/CMFE will participate on this EU Spectrum Summit (Brussels, 22-23
March 2010) and will report to you./*

Reading the Public Consultation Document CMFE could concentrate on:

Section b. Social inclusion, Services for citizens

/In addition to providing a necessary backbone for economic development,
wireless communications play an important role in achieving ubiquitous
access and bridging the digital divide. They may bring e-health,
e-learning, e-government and other public services into the remotest
parts of Europe, support high-quality and varied media, and are
essential to civil safety and protection./

/5) How can the EU ensure that broadband services effectively contribute
to bridging the digital divide, for example by reaching previously
underserved areas and segments of the population? How do wired,
terrestrial wireless and satellite systems best contribute to this aim?/

/6) How can the EU ensure that European citizens get advanced, easy and
affordable access to a wide choice of high-quality broadcasting content
taking into account innovative technologies and platforms as well as
incentives for investment? How do the various types of wired,
terrestrial wireless and satellite systems and networks best contribute
to this aim?/

/7) How can public users of spectrum in Europe (e.g. agencies or
administrations active in safety or security activities) switch to more
spectrum efficient technologies and access the appropriate amount of
spectrum required for reaching their public service objectives?/

But please be invited to also look and inform CMFE on other aspects of
the consultation we should include.

Our main focus could be the (lack of) availability of adequate
frequencies for existing and new community radio and television
programs, also in the digital era. We could refer to documents from the
UNESCO, Council of Europe and European Parliament, where CM is
recognized as a separate media, sector next to commercial and public
media, with an important role on social cohesion and cultural diversity.
Also we could stress that the importance of a developed CM-sector, with
adequate frequencies and access to new digital electronic networks, is
essential for a plural media landscape and as such also recognized by
the above mentioned international organizations.

/*We ask you to inform CMFE on the specific needs in your countries in
relation to this spectrum policy document, so we can take your remarks
into account in our response to this important consultation. Please send
feedback to CMFE at the latest before April 1*/^/*st*/ /*, so we have at
least a week to combine al input in an adequate response to this
important consultation. Please send all responses via
<members_cmfe at lists.freie-radios.at
<mailto:members_cmfe at lists.freie-radios.at>> (use 'reply') and to the
mail below. If you have any questions, also
use <members_cmfe at lists.freie-radios.at
<mailto:members_cmfe at lists.freie-radios.at>> so everybody can take part
in this exchange of ideas on this important subject.*/

*/
/*

/*Hope to hear from you soon,*/

/*Best regards,*/

Pieter de Wit

============================================================================
Pieter de Wit
President CMFE
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ 31 24 3550559    mobile: + 31 6 34150581
mailto: _president at cmfe.eu_   website: <_http://www.cmfe.eu_>
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*CMFE
**COMMUNITY MEDIA FORUM EUROPE
*
CMFE (Community Media Forum Europe) is a network of policy experts,
organisations and federations, which aim to support the role of Community
Media in Europe.

/CMFE is registered in Belgium as an International NGO, business
n.0822992342
/============================================================================

-- 
Jaqui Devereux

Director
Community Media Association

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+44 114 279 5219

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