EU establishing a multiannual radio spectrum policy programme - Main contents

Summary of Legislation
Legislative text

1. Summary of Legislation

Radio Spectrum Policy Programme

SUMMARY OF:

Decision No 243/2012/EU establishing a multiannual radio spectrum policy programme

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE DECISION?

It establishes a radio spectrum* policy across the EU to assist in strategic planning in the use of spectrum for all EU policies relating to the internal market including electronic communications, wireless broadband, mobile communications and the Internet of Things (IoT), transport, energy, and audiovisual.

KEY POINTS

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The policy establishes an inventory of existing spectrum use, a radio spectrum policy programme (RSPP), and creates a roadmap for the future. It does not address spectrum issues in policy areas such as civil protection, security and defence, or affect EU countries’ rights to use spectrum for their own security matters.
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EU countries must cooperate to ensure the consistent application of the EU’s policy objectives, which are to:
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  promote innovation and investment through greater flexibility in the use of spectrum and its efficient management to meet increasing demand, reflecting its social, cultural and economic importance;
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  allocate spectrum to support EU objectives and the increasing use of wireless data, freeing up additional spectrum to enable the EU to take the lead in wireless broadband and new technologies;
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  encourage consumer take-up of digital technology and contribute to the digital agenda for Europe, with the highest possible broadband speed for all EU citizens;
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  promote the transfer or leasing of spectrum rights and infrastructure sharing, avoiding concentration of rights harmful to competition and facilitating general, rather than individual, spectrum authorisations;
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  avoid harmful interference through efficient use of spectrum and increasing device immunity to interference, as well as reducing the carbon footprint by improving energy efficiency.

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Sufficient coverage and capacity must be made available for the EU to have the fastest wireless broadband speeds in the world, not less than 30 Mbps for all citizens, by 2020. This could involve, in particular:
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  rapidly releasing additional frequency bands;
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  using the 800-MHz band throughout the EU;
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  using satellite or small cell solutions to enable internet access.

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EU countries must also ensure availability of radio frequencies for innovative audio-visual satellite and terrestrial broadcasting, where there is a clear need, and protect the following specific spectrum needs:
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  the global monitoring for environment and security (GMES) programme (subsequently replaced by the Copernicus programme);
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  the development and exploitation of space;
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  transport safety and management;
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  the Galileo global navigation satellite system;
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  radio-frequency identification (RFID)* and other IoT technologies.

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Decision 2007/344 ensures harmonised transparency on the use of radio spectrum in the EU through a common information point called EFIS.

FROM WHEN DOES THE DECISION APPLY?

It has applied since 10 April 2012.

BACKGROUND

Directive (EU) 2018/1972, which establishes the European Electronic Communications Code, introduces rules on the coordination of radio spectrum between the EU countries and harmonises the rules on managing this. It includes specific rules to facilitate market entry for new players and the shared use of radio spectrum. The directive repeals Directive 2002/20/EC and 2002/21/EC as from 20 December 2020.

For more information, see:

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Radio Spectrum Policy Programme: the roadmap for a wireless Europe (European Commission).

KEY TERMS

Radio spectrum: in electromagnetic radiation, the range of frequencies between 3 Hz and 3 000 GHz that corresponds to radio. The frequencies carry Wi-Fi and mobile telephone signals, and are important in transport, broadcasting, public safety and security communication.

Radio-frequency identification (RFID): a technology which uses radio-frequency electromagnetic fields to identify objects carrying tags when they come close to a reader. The tags generally feature an electronic chip with an antenna in order to pass information on to the interrogator (a base station or more generally, a reader).

MAIN DOCUMENT

Decision No 243/2012/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 March 2012 establishing a multiannual radio spectrum policy programme (OJ L 81, 21.3.2012, pp. 7-17)

2. Legislative text

Decision No 243/2012/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 March 2012 establishing a multiannual radio spectrum policy programme Text with EEA relevance

Contents

1.

Summary of Legislation

2.

Legislative text