The European Commission is attempting to guarantee open, harmonised access to leased lines across the Community, adopting a directive on the subject. Discussion of the issue was initiated by vicepresident Filippo Maria Pandolfi, who also proposed the breakup of the telecommunications state monopolies’ hold over the satellite market. The Commission describes telecommunications as the nervous system of a modern economy and notes that leased lines are used not only for private corporate networks, but also for the provision of valueadded services such as online access to databases, electronic messaging and electronic funds transfer. The directive tackles interconnection, supply and usage conditions and tariff principles. It proposes that there should be no technical restrictions on interconnection of leased lines and that regulatory restrictions be lifted. Companies would also be required to disclose prices and notify users of price increases in advance. The directive provides for a standard set of four types of leased lines across the Community, splitting analogue and 64Kbps digital lines into two categories. The proposed directive still has to pass to the European Council for ratification, but assuming it is adopted, harmonised provision for both types of leased line will be in place by the time the directive comes into force on January 1, 1992. The only exception are digital lines operating at 2Mbps, which would have to be uniformly offered throughout the Community by July 1 1992.QY ..END
