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The WTO Legal Framework for Telecommunications Services and Challenges of the Information Age

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European Yearbook of International Economic Law 2014

Part of the book series: European Yearbook of International Economic Law ((EUROYEAR,volume 5))

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Abstract

Much-discussed technological (r)evolution in information and communication technologies (ICT) has dramatically changed our lives. Significant technological changes of the ways and means of telecommunication, for instance convergence between telecommunications, computer (information) technologies and broadcasting, development of new generation networks (NGNs), and all-encompassing digitalisation, have become a driving force behind remarkable socio-economic shifts, which include ever-growing flow of data and information, continuously increasing importance of ICT in all spheres of life, as well as transformation of economic activities and of human participation in society. The socio-economic changes are considered by many scholars to be of such a fundamental character that they have led them to argue the dawn of a new type of society—information society also known as super-industrial society, as knowledge society, and by other names.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Other terms include “knowledge society” by Peter Drucker, “post-industrial society” by Daniel Bell, “network society” by Manuel Castells, “the third wave” by Alvin Toeffler.

  2. 2.

    Webster, Introduction: Information Society Studies, in: Webster (ed.), The Information Society Reader, 2004, p. 1.

  3. 3.

    Webster, Theories of the Information Society, (2nd edition), 2003, pp. 21–29.

  4. 4.

    Bell, Die nachindustrielle Gesellschaft, 1996; Kumar, From Post-Industrial to Post-Modern Society: New Theories of the Contemporary World, 2005.

  5. 5.

    Castells, The Information Age: Economy, Society and Culture – Volume 1: The Rise of the Network Society, (2nd edition), 2005.

  6. 6.

    Jouët/Coudray, New Communication Technologies: Research Trends. Unesco Reports and Papers on Mass Communication No. 105, 1991, p. 7.

  7. 7.

    For a more full and detailed account of various technological developments underpinning technological convergence and ultimately the emergence of a new information environment, see Irle, Convergence of Communications: Implications for Regulating Market Entry, 2009, pp. 23–27.

  8. 8.

    See article „telecommunication“ in Encyclopaedia Britannica Online Academic Edition, 2012, available at http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/585799/telecommunications.

  9. 9.

    Horak (ed.), Webster's New World Telecom Dictionary, 2007, p. 112; Article “media convergence” in Encyclopaedia Britannica Online Academic Edition, 2012, available at http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1425043/media-convergence; compare with Irle, Convergence of Communications: Implications for Regulating Market Entry, 2009, pp. 18–19.

  10. 10.

    A communications protocol is a system of standardised rules for the formatting and exchange of messages, including management of traffic flow. Protocols allow parts of a network to interact in order to accomplish tasks on behalf of users. See article „ computer science“, subsection “network protocols” in Encyclopaedia Britannica Online Academic Edition, 2012, available at http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/130675/computer-science/168848/Network-protocols.

  11. 11.

    An attempt to predict the development of telecommunications networks and services based on the current state of art is undertaken by Saracco, Forecast of Telecommunications Networks and Services and Their Management (Well) into the 21st Century, in: Plevyak/Sahin (eds.), Next Generation Telecommunications Networks, Services, and Management, 2010, pp. 253–280.

  12. 12.

    Similarly Webster, The Information Society Revisited; Handbook of the New Media, 2001, p. 23.

  13. 13.

    Singh/Raja, Convergence in Information and Communication Technology: Strategic and Regulatory Considerations, 2010, p. 15.

  14. 14.

    See Global ICT trends for 2011, available at http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/ict/statistics/ and ITU, The World in 2011: Facts and Figures, available at http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/ict/facts/2011/material/ICTFactsFigures2011.pdf.

  15. 15.

    ITU, The role of ICT in advancing growth in least developed countries: Trends, challenges and opportunities. Geneva: ITU, 2011, p. 63, available at http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/ldc/turkey/docs/The_Role_of_ICT_in_Advancing_Growth_in_LDCs_Trends_Challenges_and_Opportunities.pdf.

  16. 16.

    ITU, The World in 2011: Facts and Figures, available at http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/ict/facts/2011/material/ICTFactsFigures2011.pdf.

  17. 17.

    ITU, The World in 2011: Facts and Figures, available at http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/ict/facts/2011/material/ICTFactsFigures2011.pdf.

  18. 18.

    This is technologically possible provided, of course, a beneficial investment climate is created, while it needs to be pointed out that a number of new wireless telecommunications technologies are rather cheap. See Xavier/Ypsilanti, Universal service in an IP-enabled NGN environment, info 9 (2007) 1, pp. 19–20.

  19. 19.

    Singh/Raja, Convergence in Information and Communication Technology: Strategic and Regulatory Considerations, 2010, p. 17.

  20. 20.

    Gradual transformation of the telecommunications industry is described in detail by Fransman, Evolution of the telecommunications industry, in: Madden (ed.), World Telecommunications Markets. The International Handbook of Telecommunications Economics, Volume III, 2003. See also Rieck, The transformation of telecoms industry structure: an event study, in: Gentzoglanis/Henten (eds.), Regulation and the Evolution of the Global Telecommunications Industry, 2010, p. 149.

  21. 21.

    Werbach, A Layered Model for Internet Policy: The Regulation of Information Platforms, Journal of Telecommunications and High Technology Law, 2002, pp. 37–68, available at http://www.jthtl.org/content/articles/V1I1/JTHTLv1i1_Werbach.PDF; Frieden, Adjusting the Horizontal and Vertical in Telecommunications Regulation: A Comparison if the Traditional and a New Layered Approach, Federal Communications Law Journal 55 (2003) 2, pp. 207–250, available at http://www.repository.law.indiana.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1325&context=fclj; van Cuilenburg/Verhoest, Free and equal access: In search of policy models for converging communication system, Telecommunications Policy 22 (1998) 3, pp. 176–179, available at http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308596198000044; Fransman, Evolution of the telecommunications industry, in: Madden (ed.), World Telecommunications Markets. The International Handbook of Telecommunications Economics, Volume III, 2003, p.32; Melody, Preparing the information infrastructure for the network economy, in: Madden (ed.), World Telecommunications Markets. The International Handbook of Telecommunications Economics, Volume III, 2003, p. 42. For an overview of different proposed layered models see Kariyawasam, International Economical Law and the Digital Divide: A New Silk Road?, 2007, pp. 96–100.

  22. 22.

    Rieck, The transformation of telecoms industry structure: an event study, in: Gentzoglanis/Henten (eds.), Regulation and the Evolution of the Global Telecommunications Industry, 2010, p. 151.

  23. 23.

    Singh/Raja, Convergence in Information and Communication Technology: Strategic and Regulatory Considerations, 2010, p. 19.

  24. 24.

    Irle, Convergence of Communications: Implications for Regulating Market Entry, 2009, pp. 22, 37–40.

  25. 25.

    Singh/Raja, Convergence in Information and Communication Technology: Strategic and Regulatory Considerations, 2010, p. 20.

  26. 26.

    Blackman, Convergence between telecommunications and other media: How should regulation adapt?, Telecommunications Policy 22 (1998) 3, p. 166, available at http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308596198000032; Kariyawasam, International Economical Law and the Digital Divide: A New Silk Road?, 2007, p. 44; Irle, Convergence of Communications: Implications for Regulating Market Entry, 2009, p. 49.

  27. 27.

    Bezzina/Terrab, Impacts of New Technologies on Regulatory Regimes, Communications & Strategies, Special issue, November 2005, p. 26.

  28. 28.

    Cave, How far can deregulation of telecommunications go?, in: Marsden (ed.), Regulating the global information society, 2000, p. 102.

  29. 29.

    Cave, How far can deregulation of telecommunications go?, in: Marsden (ed.), Regulating the global information society, 2000, p. 102.

  30. 30.

    Pipe, Telecommunications, in: Messerlin/Sauvant (eds.), The Uruguay Round: Services in the World Economy, 1990, p. 109. The accounting rules currently in use can be found in Charging and Accounting in International Telecommunications Services: Accounting Rate Principles for International Telephone Service, ITU-T Recommendation D-140 (09/95).

  31. 31.

    ITU, Measuring the Information Society 2011, pp. 7–25, available at http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/ict/publications/idi/index.html, Puga/Cardoso/Espanha/Mendonça, Telecommunications for the Needy: How Needy are they?, Informatica Economică 13 (2009) 2, pp. 175–188, available at http://revistaie.ase.ro/content/50/020%20-%20Puga.pdf; Study on the Development of the Information Society in EU Rural Development and Regional Policies, SMART 2007/0029, 28 November 2011, available at http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/newsroom/cf/itemdetail.cfm?item_id=7613; Zickuhr/Smith, Digital Differences, Report of Pew Internet & American Life Project, 21 April 2012, available at http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2012/Digital-differences.aspx.

  32. 32.

    ITU, Measuring the Information Society 2011, p. 24, available at http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/ict/publications/idi/index.html.

  33. 33.

    ITU, Measuring the Information Society 2011, p. 24, available at http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/ict/publications/idi/index.html.

  34. 34.

    Fourth Protocol to the General Agreement on Trade in Services. S/L/20 from 30 April 1996.

  35. 35.

    Moos, Die Bindung der Telekommunikationsregulierung durch das GATS-Abkommen, 2003, p. 159; Gao, Annex on Telecommunications, in: Wolfrum/Stoll/Feinäugle (eds.), WTO – Trade in Services, Max Planck commentaries on world trade law (Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law) Vol. 6, 2008, pp. 692, 694.

  36. 36.

    Note by the Secretariat “Services Sectoral classification list”, MTN.GNS/W/120 of 10.07.1991.

  37. 37.

    On the status of the document see WTO Appellate Body, WT/DS285/AB/R, United States – Measures Affecting the Cross-Border Supply of Gambling and Betting Services (US – Gambling).

  38. 38.

    The classification of the GATT Secretariat corresponds to the version CPCprov. Currently, there is the fourth version, CPC Ver.2: http://unstats.un.org/unsd/cr/registry/regcst.asp?Cl=9&Lg=1.

  39. 39.

    Decision on Negotiations on Basic Telecommunications Services of 15 April 1994, para. 1.

  40. 40.

    See negotiations documents: MTN.GNS/TEL/1, paras. 23–26, 39–44; MTN.GNS/TEL/2, paras. 104–136.

  41. 41.

    See, for example, GATS/SC/46 (Japan), GATS/SC/90 (USA), GATS/SC/31 (EC) and other.

  42. 42.

    See similar criticism in the Communication from the EC TN/S/W/27, S/CSC/W/44, para. 4.

  43. 43.

    Bronckers/Larouche, A Review of the WTO Regime for Telecommunications Services, in: Kern/Andenas (eds.), The World Trade Organization and Trade in Services, 2008, p. 325.

  44. 44.

    See GATS/SC/31/Suppl.3. The EC explicitly excludes broadcasting from the telecommunications services.

  45. 45.

    Bronckers/Larouche, Telecommunications Services and the World Trade Organization, Journal of World Trade 31 (1997) 3, p. 19.

  46. 46.

    Paragraph 1 Annex; Tuthill, Users’ Rights? The multilateral rules on access to telecommunications, Telecommunications Policy 20 (1996) 2, p. 91, available at http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0308596195000623; Drake, The rise and decline of the international telecommunications regime, in: Marsden (ed.), Regulating the global information society, 2000, p. 156.

  47. 47.

    Tuthill, Users’ Rights? The multilateral rules on access to telecommunications, Telecommunications Policy 20 (1996) 2, p. 94, available at http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0308596195000623.

  48. 48.

    Fredebeul-Krein/Freytag, Telecommunications and WTO discipline: an assessment of the WTO agreement on telecommunication services, Telecommunications policy 21 (1997) 6, p. 477 (485–486), available at http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308596197000293; Tuthill, The GATS and new rules for regulators, Telecommunications Policy 21 (1997) 9/10, p. 792, available at http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308596197000487.

  49. 49.

    See, e.g., Tuthill, Users’ Rights? The multilateral rules on access to telecommunications, Telecommunications Policy 20 (1996) 2, p. 93, available at http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0308596195000623; Gao, Annex on Telecommunications, in: Wolfrum/Stoll/Feinäugle (eds.), WTO – Trade in Services, Max Planck commentaries on world trade law (Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law) Vol. 6, 2008, p. 703.

  50. 50.

    Compare in Paragraph 5 (e) Annex: “no condition is imposed on access and use of public telecommunications transport networks and services other than necessary”; Tuthill, Users’ Rights? The multilateral rules on access to telecommunications, Telecommunications Policy 20 (1996) 2, p. 93, available at http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0308596195000623.

  51. 51.

    WTO Panel, WT/DS204/R, Mexico – Measures Affecting Telecommunications Services, para. 4.181.

  52. 52.

    WTO Panel, WT/DS204/R, Mexico – Measures Affecting Telecommunications Services, para. 7.311.

  53. 53.

    One of the arguments is that the exemplary list of Paragraph 5 (f) Annex does not refer to pricing measures and does not contain any conditions that were similar to pricing measures. See WTO Panel, WT/DS204/R, Mexico – Measures Affecting Telecommunications Services, paras. 7.324-7.327.

  54. 54.

    WTO Panel, WT/DS204/R, Mexico – Measures Affecting Telecommunications Services, para. 7.328.

  55. 55.

    WTO Panel, WT/DS204/R, Mexico – Measures Affecting Telecommunications Services, paras. 7.337-7.338.

  56. 56.

    WTO Panel, WT/DS204/R, Mexico – Measures Affecting Telecommunications Services, paras. 7.341-7.342.

  57. 57.

    WTO Panel, WT/DS204/R, Mexico – Measures Affecting Telecommunications Services, para. 7.335. Questions of the cost orientation of prices, as well as of the inclusion of universal service cost in the prices will be dealt with in more detail in the next Chapter.

  58. 58.

    WTO Panel, WT/DS204/R, Mexico – Measures Affecting Telecommunications Services, paras. 4.368-4.369.

  59. 59.

    WTO Panel, WT/DS204/R, Mexico – Measures Affecting Telecommunications Services, para. 7.388.

  60. 60.

    WTO Panel, WT/DS204/R, Mexico – Measures Affecting Telecommunications Services, para. 7.388.

  61. 61.

    WTO Panel, WT/DS204/R, Mexico – Measures Affecting Telecommunications Services, paras. 7.277-7.288.

  62. 62.

    WTO Panel, WT/DS204/R, Mexico – Measures Affecting Telecommunications Services, paras. 7.331-7.332.

  63. 63.

    Gao, Annex on Telecommunications, in: Wolfrum/Stoll/Feinäugle (eds.), WTO – Trade in Services, Max Planck commentaries on world trade law (Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law) Vol. 6, 2008, p. 706.

  64. 64.

    Note by the Chairman of NGBT for scheduling Basic Telecommunications Services, S/GBT/W/2/Rev.1 of 16 January 1997.

  65. 65.

    Bronckers/Larouche, A Review of the WTO Regime for Telecommunications Services, in: Kern/Andenas (eds.), The World Trade Organization and Trade in Services, 2008, p. 329.

  66. 66.

    The data is based on author’s own research and analysis of the WTO Members’ schedules of commitments. See Annex to this paper with the table of countries’ schedules.

  67. 67.

    Brazil Trade Policy Review, WT/TPR/S/212/Rev.1, p. 117.

  68. 68.

    Note by the Chairman of NGBT for scheduling Basic Telecommunications Services, S/GBT/W/2/Rev.1 of 16 January 1997.

  69. 69.

    Tuthill, The GATS and new rules for regulators, Telecommunications Policy 21 (1997) 9/10, p. 786, available at http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308596197000487.

  70. 70.

    Cowhey/Aronson, Trade in Services: Telecommunications, in: Mattoo/Stern/Zanini (eds.), A Handbook of International Trade in Services, 2008, p. 406.

  71. 71.

    For instance, Bronckers, The WTO Reference Paper on Telecommunications: A Model for WTO Competition Law?, in: Bronckers/Quick (eds.), New Directions in International Economic Law, 2000, pp. 371–389; Bronckers/Larouche, A Review of the WTO Regime for Telecommunications Services, in: Kern/Andenas (eds.), The World Trade Organization and Trade in Services, 2008, pp. 319–379; Guermazi, Exploring the Reference Paper on Regulatory Principles, unpublished paper, 2004, available at http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_E/serv_e/telecom_e/workshop_dec04_e/guermazi_referencepaper.doc.

  72. 72.

    WTO Panel, WT/DS204/R, Mexico – Measures Affecting Telecommunications Services, paras. 7.96-7.143.

  73. 73.

    Guermazi, Exploring the Reference Paper on Regulatory Principles, unpublished paper, 2004, pp. 7–8, available at http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_E/serv_e/telecom_e/workshop_dec04_e/guermazi_referencepaper.doc.

  74. 74.

    Fredebeul-Krein/Freytag, The Case for a More Binding WTO Agreement on Regulatory Principles in Telecommunication Markets, Telecommunications Policy 23 (1999) 9, p. 625 (pp. 629–630), available at http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308596199000476.

  75. 75.

    Fredebeul-Krein/Freytag, The Case for a More Binding WTO Agreement on Regulatory Principles in Telecommunication Markets, Telecommunications Policy 23 (1999) 9, p. 625 (p. 629), available at http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308596199000476.

  76. 76.

    WTO Panel, WT/DS204/R, Mexico – Measures Affecting Telecommunications Services, paras. 3.1, 4.183-4.189.

  77. 77.

    WTO Panel, WT/DS204/R, Mexico – Measures Affecting Telecommunications Services, para. 4.177.

  78. 78.

    WTO Panel, WT/DS204/R, Mexico – Measures Affecting Telecommunications Services, para. 4.179.

  79. 79.

    WTO Panel, WT/DS204/R, Mexico – Measures Affecting Telecommunications Services, para. 4.180.

  80. 80.

    WTO Panel, WT/DS204/R, Mexico – Measures Affecting Telecommunications Services, para. 7.170.

  81. 81.

    See, for example, WTO Panel, WT/DS204/R, Mexico – Measures Affecting Telecommunications Services, paras. 7.134, 7.170-7.172.

  82. 82.

    WTO Panel, WT/DS204/R, Mexico – Measures Affecting Telecommunications Services, paras. 7.171, 7.173-7.174; for more details see Annex A and Annex F of ITU-T Recommendation D-140 (09/95) on Charging and Accounting in International Telecommunications Services: Accounting Rate Principles for International Telephone Service, available at http://www.itu.int/osg/spu/intset/itu-t/index.html.

  83. 83.

    WTO Panel, WT/DS204/R, Mexico – Measures Affecting Telecommunications Services, para. 4.198.

  84. 84.

    WTO Panel, WT/DS204/R, Mexico – Measures Affecting Telecommunications Services, para. 6.42.

  85. 85.

    WTO Panel, WT/DS204/R, Mexico – Measures Affecting Telecommunications Services, para. 7.168-7.177. Yet, at the time of the dispute, this was true for developed countries and there was no clear evidence that this method was suitable for developing countries. See Neven/Mavroidis, Mexico – Measures Affecting Telecommunications Services (WT/DS204/R: DSR 2004:IV, 1537). A Comment on „El mess in TelMex“, in: Horn/Mavroidis (eds.), The American Law Institute Reporters’ Studies on WTO Case Law. Legal and Economic Analysis, 2003, p. 782.

  86. 86.

    WTO Panel, WT/DS204/R, Mexico – Measures Affecting Telecommunications Services, paras. 7.179-7.184.

  87. 87.

    Fredebeul-Krein/Freytag, The Case for a More Binding WTO Agreement on Regulatory Principles in Telecommunication Markets, Telecommunications Policy 23 (1999) 9, p. 625 (pp. 628–629), available at http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308596199000476.

  88. 88.

    Fredebeul-Krein/Freytag, Telecommunications and WTO discipline: an assessment of the WTO agreement on telecommunication services, Telecommunications policy 21 (1997) 6, p. 482, available at http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308596197000293.

  89. 89.

    At this point, it is very important to bear in mind that incorporation of regulatory principles into an international framework for trade policy is per se a significant achievement. For decades, telecommunications sector was regulated nationally with sovereignty as an overarching principle. See Drake/Noam, The WTO deal on basic telecommunications: Big Bang or Little Whimper?, Telecommunications policy 21 (1997) 9, p. 806, available at http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308596197000530.

  90. 90.

    Gao, Telecommunications Services: Reference Paper, in: Wolfrum/Stoll/Feinäugle (eds.), WTO – Trade in Services, Max Planck commentaries on world trade law (Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law) Vol. 6, 2008, p. 742; Krajewski, Article VI GATS: Domestic Regulation, in: Wolfrum/Stoll/Feinäugle (eds.), WTO – Trade in Services, Max Planck commentaries on world trade law (Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law) Vol. 6, 2008, pp. 168–177.

  91. 91.

    Blouin, The WTO Agreement on Basic Telecommunications, Telecommunications policy 24 (2000) 2, p. 140, available at http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308596199000798; Guermazi, Exploring the Reference Paper on Regulatory Principles, unpublished paper, 2004, p. 12, available at http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_E/serv_e/telecom_e/workshop_dec04_e/guermazi_referencepaper.doc.

  92. 92.

    See Article III GATS on transparency and Articles II and XVII GATS on non-discrimination.

  93. 93.

    Gao, Telecommunications Services: Reference Paper, in: Wolfrum/Stoll/Feinäugle (eds.), WTO – Trade in Services, Max Planck commentaries on world trade law (Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law) Vol. 6, 2008, p. 742; Guermazi, Exploring the Reference Paper on Regulatory Principles, unpublished paper, 2004, p. 12, available at http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_E/serv_e/telecom_e/workshop_dec04_e/guermazi_referencepaper.doc.

  94. 94.

    WTO Panel, WT/DS204/R, Mexico – Measures Affecting Telecommunications Services, para. 7.337 et seq.

  95. 95.

    Gao, Telecommunications Services: Reference Paper, in: Wolfrum/Stoll/Feinäugle (eds.), WTO – Trade in Services, Max Planck commentaries on world trade law (Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law) Vol. 6, 2008, p. 743.

  96. 96.

    Fredebeul-Krein/Freytag, The Case for a More Binding WTO Agreement on Regulatory Principles in Telecommunication Markets, Telecommunications Policy 23 (1999) 9, p. 625 (p. 631), available at http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308596199000476; Bronckers/Larouche, A Review of the WTO Regime for Telecommunications Services, in: Kern/Andenas (eds.), The World Trade Organization and Trade in Services, 2008, p. 342.

  97. 97.

    Barfield/Anderson, Telecommunications in the multi-lateral trading system, in: Madden (ed.), World Telecommunications Markets. The International Handbook of Telecommunications Economics, Volume III, 2003, pp. 276–277; Zhao, Further Liberalization of Telecommunications Services in the Framework of the WTO in the 21st Century, International Journal of Communications Law and Policy 8 (2003/2004) 6, pp. 8–9.

  98. 98.

    Bronckers/Larouche, A Review of the WTO Regime for Telecommunications Services, in: Kern/Andenas (eds.), The World Trade Organization and Trade in Services, 2008, p. 325.

  99. 99.

    Kariyawasam, International Economical Law and the Digital Divide: A New Silk Road?, 2007, p. 67.

  100. 100.

    Kariyawasam, International Economical Law and the Digital Divide: A New Silk Road?, 2007, pp. 67–68.

  101. 101.

    Bronckers/Larouche, A Review of the WTO Regime for Telecommunications Services, in: Kern/Andenas (eds.), The World Trade Organization and Trade in Services, 2008, p. 371.

  102. 102.

    Background Note by the Secretariat “Telecommunications services”, S/C/W/299 of 10 June 2009, p. 4.

  103. 103.

    Similar Kariyawasam, International Economical Law and the Digital Divide: A New Silk Road?, 2007, pp. 80–81.

  104. 104.

    Work programme on electronic commerce. Progress report to the General Council by the Council for Trade in Services, S/L/74 of 27 July 1999, paras 19–21.

  105. 105.

    Kariyawasam, International Economical Law and the Digital Divide: A New Silk Road?, 2007, pp. 83–84.

  106. 106.

    The report of the Panel in the Mexico Telecoms case, unfortunately, has not contributed in a sufficient way to clarification of the notion a major supplier. The argumentation of the Panel is not very convincing as it says that Telmex had “patently met” the requirements being able to “materially affect the terms of participation” in the market, particularly regarding the price due to its role as an incumbent provider. WTO Panel, WT/DS204/R, Mexico – Measures Affecting Telecommunications Services, paras. 7.155f.

  107. 107.

    Background Note by the Secretariat “Telecommunications services”, S/C/W/299 of 10 June 2009, pp. 3–4. Doubts on the possibility to expand implementation of the Telecommunications Annex and the Reference Paper to universal service encompassing value-added services are also expressed in Burkart, Moving Targets: Introducing Mobility into Universal Service Obligations, Telecommunications Policy 31 (2007) 3–4, pp. 164–178, available at http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308596107000092.

  108. 108.

    Note by the Secretariat “Services Sectoral classification list”, MTN.GNS/W/120 of 10.07.1991, p. 3. Eligibility of Voice over Internet Protocol service to become part of universal service is discussed in Commission Staff Working document, The treatment of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) under the EU Regulatory Framework: An information and consultation document, 14 June 2004, Brussels; Forbes, Can VoIP Providers Meet Their Social Obligations? Paper presented at Telecommunications Policy Research Conference 2005, available at http://web.si.umich.edu/tprc/papers/2005/502/forbes%20tprc%202005%20final.pdf; ERG, Report on “VoIP and Consumer Issues” prepared by End User Working Group, ERG(06) 39, 2006, available at http://www.irg.eu/streaming/erg_06_39_report_voip_cons_aspects.pdf?contentId=543137&field=ATTACHED_FILE; Xavier, From universal service to universal network access?, info, 10 (2008) 5/6, pp. 20–32, available at http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=1745081. Feasibility of inclusion of email in the universal service scope and its implications are discussed in Anderson/Biksan/Law/Mitchell, Universal Access to E-mail: Feasibility and Societal Implications, RAND, Center for Information Revolution Analysis, 1995, online publication available at http://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/monograph_reports/2005/MR650.pdf.

  109. 109.

    Kelsey, Serving Whose Interests? The Political Economy of Trade in Services Agreements, 2008, p. 168.

  110. 110.

    For the terminology, used by the EU, see Art. 2 (c) Directive 2002/21/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 March 2002 on a common regulatory framework for electronic communications networks and services (Framework Directive), OJ L 108/33 of 24.04.2002.

  111. 111.

    See Communication from Australia “Negotiating Proposal for Telecommunications Services”, Special session of Council for Trade in Services, S/CSS/W/17 of 5 December 2000, para. 12; Communication from Switzerland “GATS 2000: Telecommunications”, Special session of Council for Trade in Services, S/CSS/W/72 of 4 May 2001, para. 9.

  112. 112.

    See WT/MIN(05)/DEC.

  113. 113.

    Report by the Chairman to the Trade Negotiations Committee, TN/S/23 of 28 November 2005, p. 14.

  114. 114.

    Tuthill/Sherman, Telecommunications: can trade agreements keep up with technology?, in: Marchetti/Roy (eds.), Opening markets for trade in services: Countries and sectors in bilateral and WTO negotiations, 2009, pp. 162–163.

  115. 115.

    Communication from Cuba “Negotiating Proposal for Telecommunications Services”, Special session of Council for Trade in Services, TN/S/W/2 of 30 May 2002, esp. para. 7; Report of the meeting held on 5 and 6 June 2002. Special session of Council for Trade in Services. TN/S/M/2 of 10 July 2002, paras. 100–101, 111, 114, 125.

  116. 116.

    Blackman, The Public Interest and the Global, Future Telecommunications Landscape, info, 9 (2007) 2/3, p. 11, available at http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=1599338.

  117. 117.

    The ITU regularly holds symposiums and workshops on regulatory issues, often acting as an intermediary for knowledge and experience transfer between the developed and developing countries. See, for instance, the list of ongoing projects launched by the ITU Telecommunication Development Sector (http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/projects/proj_ongoing.asp) and events and projects on telecommunications regulation (http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/treg/).

  118. 118.

    See Preamble and Art. 1 of Constitution of the International Telecommunications Union of 22 December 1992 (ITU Constitution). Because of this, some scholars consider the ITU a more up-to-date model of telecommunications regulation. See Bronckers/Larouche, A Review of the WTO Regime for Telecommunications Services, in: Kern/Andenas (eds.), The World Trade Organization and Trade in Services, 2008, p. 370.

  119. 119.

    Kelly, International telecommunication regulation: a trophy or atrophy, in: Madden (ed.), World Telecommunications Markets. The International Handbook of Telecommunications Economics, Volume III, 2003, pp. 207–211.

  120. 120.

    Barfield/Anderson, Telecommunications in the multi-lateral trading system, in: Madden (ed.), World Telecommunications Markets. The International Handbook of Telecommunications Economics, Volume III, 2003, p. 277.

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  1. FB Rechtswissenschaft (ZERP), Universität Bremen, Universitätsallee GW 1 (Room C2160), 28359, Bremen, Germany

    Olga Batura

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  1. European Law, European and International Economic Law, University of Passau Chair for Constitutional and Administrat, Passau, Germany

    Christoph Herrmann

  2. Chair for Public Law and International Law, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany

    Markus Krajewski

  3. Chair for Public Law, European and International Law, Leuphana University Lüneburg, Lüneburg, Germany

    Jörg Philipp Terhechte

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Batura, O. (2013). The WTO Legal Framework for Telecommunications Services and Challenges of the Information Age. In: Herrmann, C., Krajewski, M., Terhechte, J. (eds) European Yearbook of International Economic Law 2014. European Yearbook of International Economic Law, vol 5. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-40913-4_9

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