91999E0927

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0927/99

by Fernando Fernández Martín (PPE) to the Commission

(7 April 1999)

Subject: Regulation of amateur radio operators in Europe

DG XIII of the European Commission is preparing for publication of the Green Paper on European policy on the use of the radio frequency spectrum. Amateur radio operators are not even mentioned, which can only mean that the Commission currently has no plans to regulate the sector.

This activity is regulated by the international conventions and agreements of the ITU (International Telecommunication Union). All Member States have signed them and apply them.

There are currently 300 000 amateur radio operators with an official licence in the European Union. They operate both on HF bands and on VHF and UHF, and as a group have a high level of training and technical knowledge. They carry out research and contribute to technological development in a wide range of areas, including propagation studies, new transmission systems and satellite communications. The Commission's failure to make any mention of the amateur radio sector in the green paper's preparatory documents should therefore be rectified.

What are the views of the Commissioner responsible for this area, and what action does he intend to take to correct this omission?

Answer given by Mr Bangemann on behalf of the Commission

(30 April 1999)

The Commission published on 15 December 1999 a green paper on radio spectrum policy(1) and thereby launched a consultation period calling on all interested parties to submit their views before 15 April 1999 on the questions and issues it raised. The Commission has also organised three public hearings (24 February 1999 for individual entities or companies; 17 March 1999 for interest groups or associations; 30 March 1999 for administrations). The International amateur radio union (IARU) participated in one of the meetings and had, and continues to have, the opportunity to put forward opinions.

Radio-amateurs as well as their national or European interest groups are welcome to submit in writing any view deemed relevant. All comments will be published on the web site http://www.ispo.cec.be/spectrumgp.

The green paper addresses spectrum policy related issues from a generic point of view pertinent to all sectors or applications, including the usage made by radio-amateurs which falls under the category of Research and development (R& D) discussed in the green paper. The Commission welcomes any comments which representative radio-amateur interest groups may wish to put forward on policy issues in relation with spectrum policy and will study proposals carefully in the context of all responses received.

(1) COM(98) 596 final.