International Stakeholder Forum Please note that these update slides - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

PROMOTING CHOICE • SECURING STANDARDS • PREVENTING HARM

International Stakeholder Forum

Please note that these update slides replace the March 2020 meeting, which has been cancelled due to coronavirus.

Ofcom March 2020

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Agenda

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Agenda

• 1. Upcoming EU Commission files: EU Digital Strategy
• 2. Transposition of the EECC
• 3. BEREC update
• 4. International Spectrum
• 5. Brexit
• 6. AVMS Directive and other Media/Online Policy
• 7. Post

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Upcoming EU Commission files: EU Digital Strategy

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Upcoming EU Commission files: EU Digital Strategy

• New and revised rules to deepen the Internal Market for Digital Services, by increasing and

harmonising the responsibilities of online platforms and information service providers and reinforcing the oversight over platforms’ content policies in the EU. (Q4 2020, as part of the Digital Services Act package).

• Also as part of the Digital Services Act package the Commission will consider ex ante rules to

ensure that markets characterised by large platforms with significant network effects acting as gatekeepers remain fair and contestable for innovators, businesses, and new market entrants. (Q4 2020).

• Ongoing evaluation and review of the fitness of EU competition rules for the digital age (2020-

2023) and launch of a sector inquiry (2020).

• Media and Audiovisual Action Plan to support digital transformation and competitiveness of the

audiovisual and media sector, to stimulate access to quality content and media pluralism (Q4 2020).

• European Democracy Action Plan to improve the resilience of democratic systems, support media

pluralism and address the threats of external intervention in European elections (Q4 2020).

• Digital Education Plan to boost digital and media literacy (Q2 2020).
• Delayed files from last Commission: Online Terrorist Content Regulation – March trilogue delayed

due to COVID-19. Link to EU Digital Strategy

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Upcoming EU Commission files: EU Digital Strategy

• Legislation on Artificial Intelligence (AI) to regulate "high-risk" applications

including healthcare, transport, energy, parts of the public sector and recruitment (Q4 2020). Set

• f mandatory requirements envisaged in new regulatory framework outlined in the White Paper
• n AI, open for public consultation until 31 May.
• As part of the European Strategy for Data, the Commission proposes to create a ‘single European

data space’ to leverage the advantages of cross-sector sharing of sophisticated data, and to achieve ‘technological sovereignty’ and leadership in the data economy based on ensuring the resilience of EU data infrastructure, networks and communications. Its proposal includes a legislative framework for data governance (Q4 2020), a possible Data Act (2021), and significant investment in data sharing architectures, governance mechanisms and data literacy. Open for public consultation until 31 May.

• Cyber security also features as a pillar, including plans for a review of the directive on security of

network and information systems (NIS Directive) in Q4 2020; legislation on the cyber resilience of the financial sector in Q3 2020; and a possible directive on critical infrastructure protection in Q4 2020. Link to White Paper on AI Link to Data Strategy

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Transposition of the EECC

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Ofcom consulted on our proposed Plan of Work for 2020/21 in January. We will publish a revised version at the end of April that takes account of the coronavirus crisis and provides a revised timetable for our work. However, for the purposes of transposition of the EECC, we can confirm in advance that:

• With immediate effect, we are suspending all existing consultation deadlines and

information requests and putting on hold new consultations, decisions and information requests.

• We understand that the implementation of new obligations may need to be
• delayed. Specifically, we are discussing with Government the implementation

deadlines of the EECC. For more information please see Ofcom information on coronavirus (Covid-19)

Transposition of EECC

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Sept: Draft SIs laid before Parliament

Timeline: March 2020 Access Spectrum End User Rights USO

March 2020 Sept 2020 June 2020 Dec 2020

TBC: DCMS consultation response

Q1: Ofcom consultation and statement on switching June: GCs final statement Apr: Access Review consultation closes June: CFI on social tariffs TBC: Access Review statement

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BEREC Update

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BEREC Work Programme

2020 Work Programme

• Work programme available on BEREC website:

https://berec.europa.eu/eng/document_register/subject_matter/berec/annual _work_programmes/8918-berec-2020-work-programme

Recent consultations

• Definition of very high capacity networks (VHCNs)
• Application of rules relating to Intra-EU calls
• BEREC Strategy 2021-2025

Documents available here: https://berec.europa.eu/eng/document_register/subject_matter/berec/press_rele ases/9044-press-release-berec-adopts-four-guidelines-and-launches-the-public- consultation-on-vhcn-guidelines-and-the-berec-strategy

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International Spectrum ECC / CEPT / RSC / RSPG

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Radio Spectrum Committee – March 2020

• 3 new RSC Decisions adopted – all revisions of previous EU Decisions
• 26 GHz - Harmonisation measure to reflect WRC outcomes (see next slide)
• 2.6 GHz - adoption of new technical characteristics to enable 5G deployment
• 2 GHz – updating of 5G technical conditions
• 2 new Mandates to CEPT proposed for work following WRC-19
• 5GHz RLAN
• mm-wave band – technical conditions for 5G in 40 GHz & 66-71GHz
• Intelligent Transport Systems – discussion of Decision to extend spectrum for

ITS from 5875 - 5935 MHz covering road / urban rail

• EU consultants looking at current and future use of 900 MHz band
• Next meeting scheduled July 2020

European Spectrum Issues (1)

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ECC Plenary Meeting: March 2020

• Response to Commission's letter on 26 GHz following outcome of WRC-19
• Confirmed two-step approach and initial limit of −33 dBW/200 MHz TRP

for base stations

• Confirmed final limit of −39 dBW/200 MHz TRP for base stations but on

the condition that the band 22-23.6 GHz shall not be used for access systems that provide wireless broadband electronic communication service

• Recommended a transition date between the two limits of 1 January 2024
• Agreed other outputs relating to the 26 GHz band
• ECC Report 307 dealing with synchronisation issues
• Recommendation on coexistence with FSS earth stations
• Draft toolkit on authorisation regimes for 26 GHz other than

individual rights of use - for public consultation

European Spectrum Issues (2)

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European Spectrum Issues (3)

Radio Spectrum Policy Group: February 2020

• New RSPG Work Programme agreed following public consultation – see

https://rspg-spectrum.eu/work-programme/

• Topics covered in the Work Programme are:
• Spectrum Sharing – pioneer initiatives and bands
• Additional spectrum needs and guidance on the fast rollout of future

wireless broadband networks

• Role of Radio Spectrum Policy to help combat Climate Change
• “Good offices” to assist in bilateral negotiations between Member States
• Peer review and Member States cooperation on authorisations and awards
• WRC
• New Radio Spectrum Policy Programme (RSPP)

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World Radiocommunication Conference 2023

• Alexandre Kholod (Switzerland) elected chair of CEPT CPG (Conference Preparatory

Group) at ECC

• Discussions ongoing in respect of the structure of the CEPT preparatory process

This includes the allocation of agenda items to Project Teams and the identification

• f CEPT co-ordinators and Project Team Chairs.
• First CPG scheduled for end March postponed due to COVID-19

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Brexit

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Brexit update

UK / EU negotiations

• UK Government: on 27 February, the UK Government published a document setting
• ut its approach to the EU negotiations.
• EU: On 3 February, the EU published various documents on the Future EU-UK

Partnership, including a Q&A and an initial terms of reference document. On 25 February, the European Council adopted a decision authorising the start of negotiations and negotiating directives outlining the EU’s position. On 20 March, a draft text was published by the European Commission to support negotiations.

• Round 1 of negotiations took place in Brussels from 2-5 March.
• Coronavirus: Round 2 of negotiations were not held because of coronavirus. Both

sides are currently exploring alternative ways to continue discussions, including if possible the use of video conferences. The intention is that work on the legal texts on both sides will continue over the coming weeks.

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AVMS and Media/Online Content policy

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AVMS Directive

• Commission Guidelines on:
• “Essential Functionality” of Video Sharing Platforms (Recital 5)
• Calculation of share of European works and exemptions from
• bligations (Article 13(7))
• Still expected Q2 2020, pending sign-off

Transposition update Already transposed: HU Draft law discussed in legislature: FR, DE Draft law presented to legislature: DE, NL, FI Draft Law prepared: UK, IE, SE, ES, HR, BE(FL) Discussions started: BE (FR), IT, PL, NO

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ERGA – European Regulators Group

2020 work programme

• Subgroup 1 – Strengthening the Digital Single Market by enforcing European rules and values
• Subgroup 2 – Disinformation (mapping exercise of member states’ definitions, continued work
• n EU Code of Practice)
• Subgroup 3 – Ensuring prominence and non-discriminatory access of audiovisual media content

to all platforms (of EU Works and accessibility)

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EPRA

2020 Work Programme

• Plenary 1: Reconciling regulatory and market approaches
• Plenary 2: Ensuring media plurality in the age of algorithms
• Working groups on:
• Gambling/betting advertising
• Children’s content
• Regulators and citizens (how to engage with citizens in “multistakeholder-ism”)
• Competition law
• AI and regulators
• eSports and gaming

Taskforce on Media Literacy - plans to formalise and give more status as cooperation network Review of 3-year strategy - consultation open until 15 April - likely to be extended because … SPRING MEETING CANCELLED DUE TO COVID-19 – alternatives to exchange views being considered

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European Code of Practice on disinformation

• Voluntary self-regulatory code developed by platforms, launched in October 2018, part of

Commission’s Action Plan for tackling disinformation

• Commission’s review of Code’s efficacy expected by summer 2020
• ERGA assisting Commission by monitoring implementation of commitments in Member States

– Interim report published June 2019 – Full report and assessment of Code’s efficacy likely published end of March 2020

• These will contribute to Commission’s Democracy Action Plan (Q4 2020)
• Separately, European Court of Auditors also assessing Commission’s Action Plan for tackling

disinformation, including Code of Practice (2021) ERGA interim findings: – Platforms’ transparency improved over the course of the year – However, there is insufficient data for effective monitoring of their implementation of commitments – Platforms, in particular Facebook, have not done enough to empower researchers

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POST

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Post – developments post-Brexit

• With effect from 31 January, Ofcom ceased membership of

the EU postal regulators' network, ERGP

• Ofcom is active in other international postal networks e.g.

CERP (comprising Ministries and NRAs) and we also advise BEIS on UPU matters

• We are closely following changes to other regulatory

regimes, e.g. on USO services, to inform our own review of the postal framework, due by 2022