PhoneAbility

11. The future of universal service

In announcing the arrangements for review of the Framework Directives, the Commission had promised a Green Paper on the future of universal service in 2008, to allow a full and considered discussion of the topic. This has not yet appeared and it may be that it will become a White Paper instead; in other words, much of the discussion may be pre-empted in further Commission proposals. While such a change of plan may be dictated by the timescales for negotiating the revised Directives, the loss of an opportunity to debate the basic principles of universal service in electronic communications would be a matter for concern. As the next section shows, the timelines for completing the actions arising from the 2006 review are tight and the desire not to lose the chance of dealing with important topics, because of the impending EU elections, is understandable. However, the NRAs (or the ERG) could be given the task of pursuing national consultations on this matter, and reporting back, without losing any urgency.