[ecrea] Telecom reform conference in Copenhagen

Telecom Reform Conference - 22 March 2012, Copenhagen

*A Quarter Century of Telecom Reform in Europe
- Assessing Performance and Prospects*

Venue: Aalborg University Copenhagen, Frederikskaj 1, Copenhagen

Weblink: www.telecomreform.aau.dk <http://www.telecomreform.aau.dk>

Organized by

· Center for Communication, Media and Information Technology (CMI), 
Aalborg University Copenhagen

· The Danish Teletechnical Society

· Info - The journal of policy, regulation and strategy for 
telecommunications, information and media

· IEEE Denmark Section

Beginning with the Green Paper in 1987, the EU has been engaged in a 
continuing program of telecom reform centered round liberalizing access 
to telecom and ICT markets through pro-competition policies implemented 
via National Regulatory Authorities (NRA). The goal has been to create 
seamless European-wide markets as a foundation for common markets in 
other economic sectors. After a quarter century of reforms, it is timely 
to take stock of progress to date and examine the range of possible ways 
forward.

It is obvious that the former structure of protected national telecom 
monopolies has been transformed into a more diversified market 
structure. But the establishment of seamless European-wide markets still 
seems a long way off. The existence of significant market power (SMP) is 
the dominant characteristic of most markets. The desired investments for 
the digital economy/broadband era do not seem to be forthcoming from 
these partially competitive markets.

Do these developments reflect the maturation of liberalization policy 
and suggest that other policy tools are needed to achieve the goal of 
seamless European markets? Do they reflect that, in practice, the 
implementation of liberalization policy via NRAs has not yet achieved 
its goals, and strengthened sector regulation is the primary need? Or 
are there other explanations?

This Conference will bring together the experience of participants in 
the telecom reform process and the results of research on the issues to 
examine the current status and future possibilities for the telecom 
reform initiative in Europe.

Topics of the conference:

· Successes, weaknesses and unresolved issues

· The liberalization agenda

· Telecom reform and the info/knowledge economy (Lisbon ambitions)

· New directions in policy and regulation for the next quarter century
(spectrum, BB subsidies, and common market applications)

Confirmed speakers:

   * Herbert Ungerer, European Commission, lead-author of the 1987
     telecom Green Paper
   * Jørgen Abild Andersen, Chairman ICCP/OECD

   * William Melody, LIRNE.NET and CMI
   * Eric van Heesvelde, Emeritus Prof. Ghent University, Ex BIPT and
     ERG Chairman
   * Rudolf van der Berg, ICCP/OECD
   * Ewan Sutherland , Ex-MD INTUG
   * Wolter Lemstra, Technical University of Delft
   * Colin Blackman, Info

Best regards

Anders Henten