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Towards an International Regime of Regulating Electronic Communications

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Services of General Interest Beyond the Single Market

Part of the book series: Legal Issues of Services of General Interest ((LEGAL))

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Abstract

This chapter compares the regulatory framework of telecommunications at the EU and the international level. It claims that the comparative superiority of the EU framework rests on technological cognisance and strong consideration of social needs. The chapter begins with a brief characterisation of the EU legal and regulatory framework for electronic communications . Against this background and in relation to it, the chapter provides an overview of the existing international legal and regulatory arrangements. In order to demonstrate the differences and similarities of the regimes more clearly, their correspondence to technological developments and on specifics of regulation of electronic communications as a public service is examined. The concluding section summarises the findings and discusses the lessons learnt from the EU experience and the EU’s role in shaping an international regime for electronic communications.

Lecturer in European Law.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Directive 2002/21/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 March 2002 on a common regulatory framework for EC networks and services, amended by Regulation (EC) No 717/2007 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 June 2007 on roaming on public mobile telephone networks within the Community, OJ 2002 L 108.

  2. 2.

    Directive 98/34/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 June 1998 laying down a procedure for the provision of information in the field of technical standards and regulations and of rules on Information Society services, OJ 1998 L 204/37.

  3. 3.

    See Recital 18 Directive 2000/31/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 8 June 2000 on certain legal aspects of information society services, in particular electronic commerce, in the Internal Market, OJ 2000 L 178/1. This latter distinction is, however, not entirely clear due to deficiencies of the definition of information society services, which leaves open the question of whether at least some of them are simultaneously EC services. Also noted by Kariyawasam 2007, pp. 90–91.

  4. 4.

    Directive 2002/22/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 March 2002 on universal service and users’ rights relating to electronic communications networks and services, OJ 2002 L 108/51.

  5. 5.

    Mindel and Sicker 2006, pp. 136–148; Frieden 2003, p. 248.

  6. 6.

    For a brief, but quite comprehensive overview of various layered models see Kariyawasam 2012, pp. 225–231.

  7. 7.

    ACMA—Australian Communications and Media Authority, Converged legislative frameworks—International approaches. Occasional paper. http://www.acma.gov.au/~/media/Regulatory%20Frameworks/pdf/converged_legislative_frameworks_paper%20pdf. p. 2. Accessed 28 February 2014.

  8. 8.

    To name just a few major studies, Nihoul and Rodford 2004; Koenig et al. 2009.

  9. 9.

    See, for instance, K. Werbach, Only Connect. http://ssrn.com/abstract=964991. 20 February 2007. Accessed 28 February 2014.

  10. 10.

    See Gasser and Palfrey 2007.

  11. 11.

    Directive 2002/19/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 March 2002 on access to, and interconnection of, EC networks and associated facilities, OJ 2002 L 108/7.

  12. 12.

    Regulation (EC) No 2887/2000 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2000 on unbundled access to the local loop, OJ 2000 L 36/4; Commission Recommendation 2000/417/EC of 25 May 2000 on unbundled access to the local loop: enabling the competitive provision of a full range of EC services including broadband multimedia and high-speed Internet, OJ 2000 L 156/44.

  13. 13.

    For the relevant rules and restrictions, see Article 30 in conjunction with Annex I Part C of the Directive 2002/22/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 March 2002 on universal service and users’ rights relating to EC networks and services, OJ 2002 L 108/51.

  14. 14.

    Directive 2002/22/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 March 2002 on universal service and users’ rights relating to EC networks and services, OJ 2002 L 108/51.

  15. 15.

    See, for instance, Section 3 of Agreement establishing an association between the European Community and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Chile, of the other part, OJ 2002 L 352/3 (hereinafter—EU-Chile Agreement); Section 4 of Economic Partnership Agreement between the CARIFORUM States, of the one part, and the European Community and its Member States, of the other part, OJ 2008 L 289/I/3 (hereinafter—EU-CARIFORUM Agreement); Chapter Seven Section E Sub-Section D of Free Trade Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Korea, of the other part, OJ 2011 L 127/6 (hereinafter—EU-Korea Agreement).

  16. 16.

    See WTO Council for Trade in Services Special Session Committee on Specific Commitments, Communication from the European Communities, Classification in the Telecom Sector under the WTO-GATS Framework, TN/S/W/27, S/CSC/W/44, 10 February 2005.

  17. 17.

    For example, Council Framework Decision 2005/222/JHA of 24 February 2005 on attacks against information systems, OJ 2005 L 69/67.

  18. 18.

    Directive 2002/58/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 July 2002 concerning the processing of personal data and the protection of privacy in the EC sector, OJ 2002 L 201/37. Directive 95/46/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 October 1995 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, OJ 1995 L 281/31 will be soon superseded by a General Data Protection Regulation, see European Commission, Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data (General Data Protection Regulation), COM(2012) 11 final, 25 January 2012.

  19. 19.

    Directive 2006/24/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 March 2006 on the retention of data generated or processed in connection with the provision of publicly available EC services or of public communications networks and amending Directive 2002/58/EC, OJ 2006 L 105/54.

  20. 20.

    Council Directive 89/552/EEC of 3 October 1989 on the coordination of certain provisions laid down by Law, Regulation or Administrative Action in Member States concerning the pursuit of television broadcasting activities, OJ 1989 L 298/23; Directive 2010/13/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 March 2010 on the coordination of certain provisions laid down by law, regulation or administrative action in Member States concerning the provision of audiovisual media services (Audiovisual Media Services Directive), OJ 2010 L 095/1. For critical assessment of both documents from the convergence perspective see Geach 2008.

  21. 21.

    For shortcomings in terms of technological neutrality of universal service regulation see, for example, Bohlin and Teppayayon 2009, p. 283.

  22. 22.

    For a more detailed examination see Krajewski 2011, pp. 231–252.

  23. 23.

    Krajewski 2011, p. 247, comes to the same conclusion.

  24. 24.

    Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas Establishing the Caribbean Community Including the CARICOM Single Market and Economy Community of 2001. http://www.caricom.org/jsp/community/revised_treaty-text.pdf. Accessed 28 February 2014.

  25. 25.

    Lyall 2011, p. 131.

  26. 26.

    Constitution and Convention of the International Telecommunication Union: Final Acts of the Additional Plenipotentiary Conference, Geneva, 22 December 1992, Geneva: ITU, 2011. http://www.itu.int/pub/S-CONF-PLEN-2011/en. Accessed 28 February 2014.

  27. 27.

    On the ITU law-making from the public international law perspective see an insightful analysis by Hinricher 2004.

  28. 28.

    The ITU has categories of Sector and Associate membership for non-state actors, such as network operators, equipment manufacturers, service providers, NGOs, academia and other. Their rights are limited in comparison to State Members, most notably in respect of voting at Plenipotentiary Conferences. At the same time, they are numerous (currently over 700) and exercise a serious influence on the agenda of the ITU and on the content of the documents adopted by the Sectors. See alternative approval procedure for standards in Recommendation ITU-T A.8 (10/2008) “Alternative approval process for new and revised ITU-T Recommendations” and MacLean 2007, p. 34.

  29. 29.

    Lyall 2011, p. 164.

  30. 30.

    D. Westphal, International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Max Planck Encyclopedia of Public International Law. http://opil.ouplaw.com/view/10.1093/law:epil/9780199231690/law-9780199231690-e514?rskey=1mYV3z&result=3&prd=EPIL, para 24. Accessed 28 February 2014.

  31. 31.

    Lyall 2011, pp. 188–189.

  32. 32.

    See http://www.icann.org/en/about/welcome.

  33. 33.

    For a detailed account of the battle over the domain governance see Mueller 2002; Kleinwächter 2009; S. Simpson, The Evolution of International Policy Agendas in the Regulation of Electronic Communications: the Internet and Telecommunications. http://usir.salford.ac.uk/18397/3/IPSAECPR%252817.1.11%2529.pdf. 2011. Accessed 28 February 2014.

  34. 34.

    See H. Zhao, ITU-T and ICANN reform. http://www.itu.int/ITU-T/tsb-director/itut-icann/ICANN%20Reform.pdf. 17 April 2002. Accessed 28 February 2014; L-R. Chetty, A new season of cooperation between ICANN and ITU. http://itu4u.wordpress.com/2012/12/05/a-new-season-of-cooperation-between-icann-and-itu/. 5 December 2012. Accessed 28 February 2014.

  35. 35.

    Hartwig 2010, p. 576.

  36. 36.

    Wessel 2011, p. 85.

  37. 37.

    WTO, Services Sectoral classification list, Note by the Secretariat, MTN.GNS/W/120, 10 July 1991.

  38. 38.

    International Telecommunication Regulations: Final Acts of the World Conference on International Telecommunications, Dubai 2012.

  39. 39.

    Difference in treatment of communications service is concisely, but accurately outlined by Luff 2012, pp. 81–84.

  40. 40.

    This statement needs to be somewhat qualified in relation to the ITU: one of the central issues of telecommunications services provision—tariff and accounting principles—seems to be quite outdated and cries for reform. Yet, due to political reasons, this step has been taken only half-heartedly. See, for example, Cowhey 2004, pp. 34–50; Guermazi 2004, pp. 83–129.

  41. 41.

    Zhao 2003/2004, pp. 8–9; Weber and Burri 2012.

  42. 42.

    For example, Bronckers and Larouche 2008, p. 325; Burkart 2007.

  43. 43.

    Luff 2012, pp. 84–85.

  44. 44.

    Tegge 1994, pp. 28–30, 37–38.

  45. 45.

    Lyall 2011, p. 160.

  46. 46.

    See the comparative legitimacy study by Take 2012, esp. at pp. 14–15.

  47. 47.

    See para 3 of Articles of incorporation of Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers.

  48. 48.

    See Articles 3–4 International Telecommunication Regulations: Final Acts of the World Conference on International Telecommunications, Dubai 2012.

  49. 49.

    See http://www.itu.int/en/ITU-T/studygroups/2013-2016/12/Pages/default.aspx. Accessed 28 February 2014.

  50. 50.

    See, for instance ITU, Privacy in cloud computing. ITU-T Technology Watch Report. http://www.itu.int/dms_pub/itu-t/oth/23/01/T23010000160001PDFE.pdf. March 2012. Accessed 28 February 2014; ITU, Regulation and consumer protection in a converged environment. http://www.itu.int/en/ITU-D/Regulatory-Market/Documents/Regulation%20and%20consumer%20protection.pdf. March 2013. Accessed 28 February 2014.

  51. 51.

    Batura 2011, p. 270.

  52. 52.

    See Mexico—Measures Affecting Telecommunications Services, Report of the Panel, WT/DS204/R; Batura 2011, p. 271.

  53. 53.

    Tegge 1994, p. 30.

  54. 54.

    Mexico—Measures Affecting Telecommunications Services, Report of the Panel, WT/DS204/R, paras 7.168–7.184.

  55. 55.

    Such simple, yet fundamental changes at the international level are necessary and overdue which is also understood by some actors of the international community. See, for example, WTO Council for Trade in Services, Telecommunication Services, Background Note by the Secretariat, S/C/W/299, 10 June 2009; WTO Council for Trade in Services Special Session, Communication from Australia, Negotiating Proposal for Telecommunications Services, S/CSS/W/17, 5 December 2000; WTO Council for Trade in Services Special Session, Communication from Switzerland, GATS 2000: Telecommunications, S/CSS/W/72, 4 May 2001.

  56. 56.

    On this subject for the ICANN see Mueller 2010; for the ITU see Noll 2001; MacLean 2003; S. Simpson, The Evolution of International Policy Agendas in the Regulation of Electronic Communications: the Internet and Telecommunications. http://usir.salford.ac.uk/18397/3/IPSAECPR%252817.1.11%2529.pdf. 2011. Accessed 28 February 2014.

  57. 57.

    The ongoing battle over Internet regulation between the ITU and ICANN mentioned previously (see n 33) and an earlier battle over telecommunications regulation between the WTO and ITU, see Frühbrodt 2002; Tegge 1994.

  58. 58.

    See especially Preamble and Section 1 GATS Reference Paper on regulatory principles.

  59. 59.

    Lyall 2011, pp. 17–73.

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  1. European Humanities University and University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany

    Olga Batura

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  1. Olga Batura
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  1. Fachbereich Rechtswissenschaft, FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany

    Markus Krajewski

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Batura, O. (2015). Towards an International Regime of Regulating Electronic Communications. In: Krajewski, M. (eds) Services of General Interest Beyond the Single Market. Legal Issues of Services of General Interest. T.M.C. Asser Press, The Hague. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-6265-063-3_12

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