EU telecoms authority to be "substantially smaller"

The European Telecoms Authority is to be "substantially smaller" in both size and responsibilities than originally planned, the European Commission (EC) has announced.

EC proposals to create a single telecoms market for the bloc, made in November 2007, came under scrutiny by the European Parliament and the Council of Telecoms Ministers.

The EC has now published new legislative documentation which takes into account the concerns and suggestions raised, including reducing the remit of the European Telecoms Authority to cover regulation and not network security and spectrum issues.

In addition, it will no longer be integrated with the European Network and Information Security Agency (ENISA) but will remain separate.

"We now need to move beyond this consensus on the objectives [of strengthening the single telecoms market] and reach agreement also on the concrete legislative texts," said EU telecoms commissioner Viviane Reding.

"With the text proposals published by the commission today, we intend to facilitate the work of the European lawmakers."

The next stage in the process will be a meeting of the Council of Telecoms Ministers on November 27th.