Main outcomes of 21 th ERG Plenary Roberto Viola, ERG Chair Brussels, 15 June 2007

Foreword The Oslo Agenda at a glance Improving harmonisation: a) Common Positions on WLA/WBA and early monitoring exercise b) Report on Regulatory Accounting in practice NGN/A: timescale for ERG activities Implementing the International Roaming Regulation Harmonising VoIP Improving organisation Documents published and new website address

The Oslo agenda at glance First ERG Plenary meeting hosted by an Observer NRA Very dense and challenging agenda, distributed along three days: 30 May: IRG Plenary 31 May: ERG Plenary 1 June: workshop on VoIP High degree of complementarities between organisational and regulatory issues

The ERG approach to harmonisation The ERG is pursuing an evolutionary strategy to improve harmonisation (see Madeira commitments and ERG letter of 27 February on institutional issues): 1.identification of priority areas for harmonisation 2.ERG Common Positions 3.NRAs’ committiment to take into utmost account ERG CPs 4.ERG to monitor NRAs’ compliance with CPs

Steps ahead in Oslo After consultation (ended on 2006), the ERG approved for publication: -two documents on principles of Harmonisation (ERG(06) 67 and ERG (06) 68); -two Common Positions on Bitstream Access remedies/WBA (ERG (06) 69rev1) and on Wholesale Unbundled Access remedies/WLA (ERG(06) 70rev1) The ERG agreed on a first monitoring exercise of WBA/WLA, to be carried out in Autumn 2007, based on the evaluation of available information The ERG committed to develop further parameters to monitor NRAs compliance to all future CPs.

Regulatory accounting in practice The ERG approved the third yearly update of the Report on Regulatory Accounting in practice (ERG(07)22) (based on data at Jan. 2007); The Report provides a wide set of data (cost bases, accounting systems, price control methods, auditing processes, WACC parameters and calculation methodologies, remedies imposed) and monitors level of harmonisation of national practices; Comparison with 2006 Report shows : 1.further consolidation in the use of CCA as the preferred cost base and of Long Run Average Incremental Cost (LRIC/LRAIC) methodologies (based on CCA), both for fixed and mobile termination); 2.an increasing level of harmonisation and a closer alignment to the 2005 EC Rec. on RA and to the ERG Common Position on RA.

NGA: timeline of ERG activities The ERG agreed on the following timetable of activities:  Consultation deadline is 11 June (late contributions will be handled with some flexibility);  the PT will examine contributions and will submit a Common Position for approval on beginning of September  the final document will serve as the ERG Opinion on NGN/A (requested by Commissioner Reding on 30 April and to be delivered by 14 September)  the NGN/A PT and the Review PT will work closely with the aim of delivering in parallel an ERG position on functional separation

Implementing the IR regulation In view of the approval of the EU Regulation on IR, the ERG agreed on a common approach to implementation issues, in order to ensure consistent application throughout Europe: On 7 June, EU Regulation on IR finally approved On 12 June, the ERG published a Statement (ERG (07) 38), outlining NRAs implementation commitments (in terms of data collection, publication of information and monitoring) and a timescale of activities Detailed ERG Guidelines will be published shortly

Harmonising VoIP VoIP has been identified as a key-area for harmonisation (pan- European potential prevented by non-alignment of national regulations) In Brussels, it was agreed to establish a Task Force aimed at drafting an ERG VoIP Common Position In Oslo, within a half-day workshop, the ERG agreed on early findings and on the path and timescale of activities: –on the topics candidate to harmonisation (number portability, numbering, access to emergency services); –on a close cooperation with responsible bodies for specific issues (localization of call to emergency numbers; legal interceptions); –on timing of next steps: draft CP to be discussed in Athens (Oct. ’07), in view of consultation and final approval in Rome (Dec.’07).

The success of the ERG evolutionary strategy relies also on the improvement of efficiency and level of organisation In Oslo, some important steps ahead have been agreed: -New rules of procedure for ERG Expert Teams on Art.7 Phase 2 cases (including automatic set up; closer contact with the Commission’s Task Force; rules for publication of reports); -agreement on selection process for the recruitment of three NRAs officials for the permanent Chair’s Secretariat (expected to be fully operational by September 2007) Improving organisation

Documents approved for publication Proposed ERG approach to harmonization (ERG (06) 67) Effective Harmonization within the European Electronic Communications Sector (ERG (06) 68) CP on best Practice in Bitstream Access Remedies (ERG (06) 69Rev1) CP on Best Practice in Wholesale Unbundled Access Remedies (ERG (06) 70Rev1) Report on Regulatory Accounting in practice (ERG (07) 22) MTR Snapshot update at 1 Jan (ERG (07) 27) All documents are available on the new ERG website available at (the old web address will be operational only until August 2007).erg.ec.europa.euwww.erg.eu.int