Implementing decision 2013/195 - 2013/195/EU: Commission Implementing Decision of 23 April 2013 defining the practical arrangements, uniform formats and a methodology in relation to the radio spectrum inventory established by Decision 243/2012/EU establishing a multiannual radio spectrum policy programme (notified under document C(2013) 2235) - Main contents

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 113/18

An inventory of existing uses of spectrum, for both commercial and public purposes, has been established by Decision No 243/2012/EU. To implement this inventory, an implementing act shall be adopted to, on the one hand, develop practical arrangements and uniform formats for the collection and provision of data by the Member States to the Commission on existing uses of spectrum and on the other hand to develop a methodology for the analysis of technology trends, future needs and demand for spectrum in policy areas covered by the radio spectrum policy programme (RSPP), so as to identify developing and potential significant uses of spectrum, in particular in the frequency range between 400 MHz and 6 GHz (hereinafter ‘the relevant spectrum’).

The inventory should help identify spectrum bands in which the efficiency of existing spectrum uses could be improved, in particular bands that could be suitable for reallocation and spectrum-sharing opportunities so as to support EU policies set out in the RSPP, in order to match technology trends, and future needs for spectrum based, inter alia, on consumers’ and operators’ demand in Union policy areas. In order to help analyse the various types of use of the spectrum by private, i.e. mainly commercial, and public, i.e. governmental, users, there is a need to improve the level of detail, in particular, quantitative data available on supply and demand for certain parts of the spectrum or uses, as the data available currently varies considerably, depending on whether the spectrum is used for private, commercial or public purposes, and across Member States.

The spectrum inventory should be constructed progressively in order to lower the administrative burden on the Member States while some prioritisation is necessary depending on the type of use, by focusing first on the bands identified in Article 6 of the Decision No 243/2012/EU and the bands relating to Union policies identified in Article 8 of that Decision. The purpose is to set up an inventory which is improved continually and could help achieving an efficient management of the spectrum in all bands relevant to Union policies through gradual improvement of data availability and analysis. Some of the most urgent contributions from the inventory should be to identify at least 1 200 MHz of suitable spectrum for wireless broadband services, as provided by Article 3(b) of Decision No 243/2012/EU as well as to enhance efficiency and flexibility, inter alia, by fostering, where appropriate, the collective use and shared use of spectrum, as called for in Article 4(1) of that Decision.

Data should be provided by Member States in the most consistent way possible, either through the European Communications Office Frequency Information System (EFIS), or directly to the Commission, in cases for example where data gathered from public users and national authorities needs to be treated on a restricted or confidential basis. Specific uniform formats for the collection of data may vary considerably depending on the type of use and frequency band in...