The European Parliament has approved proposals on telecommunications licensing and Open Network Provision. On the licensing front, the assembly proposed the creation of a telecommunications authorization and licensing regime, and is to consider establishing a European Regulatory Authority. But an amendment was suggested to require national regulatory authorities to be legally separate and functionally independent of all organizations offering telecommunications networks, services or equipment. The assembly also proposed that companies applying for individual licenses because they are not covered by a general authorization scheme should be granted a temporary license within two weeks. Deputies agreed that member states should publish their authorization conditions in the European Community’s Official Journal, and that the advisory European Telecommunications Committee created by the directive should publish its agendas and meet in public. The other proposal set out amendments to the framework Open Network Provision directive which sets out general principles for guaranteeing access by customers or competitors to public telecommunications networks. It removes references to the exclusive or special rights given to some countri es in the run-up to full liberalisation. The Parliament also proposed that governments be allowed to restrict access to public networks or services in order to protect the environment or for town planning purposes, adding that the European Commission should write a draft directive on financing universal service.
