Regulation 2017/1953 - Amendment of Regulations (EU) No 1316/2013 and (EU) No 283/2014 as regards the promotion of internet connectivity in local communities - Main contents

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 286/1

The Commission communication of 14 September 2016 entitled ‘Connectivity for a Competitive Digital Single Market — Towards a European Gigabit Society’, sets out a European vision of internet connectivity for citizens and business in the digital single market and describes a number of possible measures capable of enhancing connectivity in the Union.

In its communication of 26 August 2010 entitled ‘A Digital Agenda for Europe’, the Commission recalls that the Europe 2020 Strategy underlined the importance of broadband deployment to promote social inclusion and competitiveness in the Union and reaffirmed the goal of ensuring that, by 2020, all Europeans have access to internet speeds of above 30 Mbps and 50 % or more of European households subscribe to internet connections above 100 Mbps.

Among measures to support the vision of internet connectivity across the Union, the Commission promotes, in its communication of 14 September 2016, the deployment of local wireless access points through simplified planning procedures and reduced regulatory obstacles. Such access points, including those that are ancillary to the provision of other public services or non-commercial in character, can make an important contribution to the improvement of current wireless communication networks and to the deployment of future generations of such networks by facilitating more granular coverage in line with evolving needs. Those access points should be able to form part of a network with a single authentication system that is valid across the whole Union and otherfree local wireless connectivity networks should be able to join the system. That system should comply with Union data protection requirements and with Regulation (EU) 2015/2120 of the European Parliament and of the Council (4).

In the context of this Regulation, local wireless connectivity that is free of charge and without discriminatory conditions means, with regard to being free of charge, that it is provided without corresponding remuneration, whether by direct payment or by other types of consideration, such as commercial advertising or the provision of personal data for commercial purposes. With regard to being without discriminatory conditions, it means that it is provided without prejudice to restrictions required under Union law, or under national law that complies with Union law, as well as being subject to the need to ensure a smooth functioning of the network and, in particular, the need to ensure a fair allocation of capacity between users at peak times.

A competitive market, and a legislative framework which can adapt to developments and which encourages competition, investment and the widespread availability and take-up of very-high-capacity connectivity, as well as trans-European networks and new business models, are important drivers for investment in high and very-high-capacity networks that can deliver connectivity to citizens throughout the...