91997E3875

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3875/97 by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Commission (5 December 1997)

Subject: Information society - rolling action plan

The Commission has submitted a communication to the Council, the European Parliament, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on 'Europe at the Forefront of the Global Information Society: Rolling Action Plan' (COM(96) 607 final).

Will the Commission take all the measures provided for in the rolling action plan to ensure proper management of universal service, licencing and protection of privacy?

Answer given by Mr Bangemann on behalf of the Commission (21 January 1998)

The Commission has every intention to follow through the actions as set out in the information society action plan. With regard to the specific areas mentioned by the Honourable Member, developments have taken place since the action plan was submitted.

Directive 97/13/EC of the Parliament and of the Council on a common framework for general authorizations and individual licences in the field of telecommunications services ((OJ L 117, 7.5.1997. )) was adopted on 10 April 1997.

With respect to the correct implementation of provisions regarding universal service, the Commission intends to publish a communication at the beginning of 1998 following up its two communications on the subject in March 1994 ((COM(96) 73 final. )) and November 1996 ((COM(96) 608 final. )). In addition the amending voice telephony directive ((COM(97) 531 final. )) which defines the scope of universal service is due for adoption early in 1998.

The Directive concerning the processing of personal data and the protection of privacy in the telecommunications sector has been adopted on 1 December 1997. Together with the already adopted general Directive 95/46/EC on the processing of personal data and the free movement of such data ((OJ L 281, 23.11.1995. )), it will provide the necessary safeguards for the privacy of Union citizens.