Industry Slams EU Council's Negotiating Stance on Gigabit Infrastructure Act
EU governments decided on a general approach to high-speed broadband rollout, the European Council announced Tuesday. The European Commission-proposed Gigabit Infrastructure Act (GIA) would replace the 2014 broadband cost-reducing directive. GIA is essential for Europe's connectivity objectives, it said. Among…
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other goals, the EC proposal aims to speed network rollout and lower the cost of deploying e-communications infrastructure, which is partly caused by complex permit-granting procedures. Ministers made changes to the proposal, including creating an exception for a transitional period for smaller municipalities and carve-outs for critical national infrastructure. They also approved amendments clarifying what factors must be considered in calculating fair conditions for access as well as making clear that not only fiber can be used to reach very high capacity. The European Parliament's negotiating position was approved Oct. 4 and the Spanish Presidency will enter "trilogue" talks with the council and EC. The Spanish Presidency "intends to make as much progress as possible in these negotiations until the end of the year," the council said. Belgium will take over the EU Presidency Jan. 1. The council's position drew strong disapproval from the European Telecommunications Network Operators Association, European Competitive Telecommunications Association, GIGA Europe and the GSM Association. The industry groups slammed ministers for omitting several EC-proposed provisions they said "positively support" the rollout of very high capacity networks (VHCNs). These include: (1) The need to recognize the importance of shorter permit-granting processes. (2) Dilution of the process to define exemptions on permit-granting, which must happen in an "effective and harmonized way." (3) The need to safeguard technology neutrality and enable VHCNs by refraining from either discriminating against or unjustly preferring particular kinds of infrastructure.