TELECOMMUNICATIONS : EU'S NEW CROWN JEWEL': SINGLE MARKET FOR TELECOMS.

Digital Agenda Commissioner Neelie Kroes won the support of the College of Commissioners, on 11 September, for her Connected continent: Building a telecoms single market' package. President Jose Manuel Barosso announced the adoption of the package during his annual State of the Union' address , saying that "The proposals we have made today for a genuine single market in telecommunications are also essential for competitiveness and their adoption will be a high priority over the coming months".

Kroes pointed out that the package represents a significant step towards a single market for telecoms. "Citizens know that Europe has dramatically brought down their costs for roaming. Our proposal will strengthen guarantees and lower prices for consumers, and present new opportunities for companies. We know that in the future, trade will be more and more digital. Isn't it a paradox that we have an internal market for goods but when it comes to the digital market we have 28 national markets? How can we grab all the opportunities of the future that are opened by the digital economy if we don't conclude this internal market?" she pointed out.

Commentators have yet see the details of the package, but internet neutrality, which had been the main subject of discussion with the commissioners, remains in the document.

ROAMING

According to the proposal, consumers will not have to pay roaming fees when they receive calls while travelling in the EU. Roaming fees charged for calls made across borders will be capped. Data costs remain a challenge, although the package goes a long way toward addressing this point.

CONTRACTS

Contracts have been significantly improved in the new package in an effort to boost competiveness and make switching of service providers easier. Consumers will be able to terminate contracts after six months if they are unhappy with the service they receive. Several countries have such protection already but the package now aims to make this the standard.

Section 4 of the package, perhaps the most controversial, is seen as the biggest victory' for consumers. "There is clear and ample evidence of services being blocked or throttled' (degraded), harming the interests of consumers and of...