Radio spectrum is a critical input for many sectors relying on wireless transmission such as broadcasting, transport systems and mobile telephony. How we manage this essential resource in Europe has a significant impact on consumer choices, growth and innovation potential. The proposed EU strategy aims to lower the barriers to access radio resources and to take advantage of the synergies resulting from a common European approach.
“Radio spectrum is fast becoming the lifeblood of the Information Society, whether you use a mobile phone or watch a TV broadcast.” said Information Society and Media Commissioner Viviane Reding. “The direct economic contribution of industries using the radio spectrum is already considerable, between 1 and 2% of national GDP in the EU, but could be greatly increased if national regulators and all stakeholders can identify common approaches at EU level to create a single market for equipment and services using radio spectrum.”
The development of an integrated EU market for innovative wireless devices and services promises to boost investments and economies of scale, assist trade flows, reduce prices and widen choices for consumers. It is however critically dependent on a common approach at EU level to managing radio spectrum resources. At the moment, radio spectrum usage is still fragmented among the 25 Member States, which prevents this important economic resource from being efficiently exploited across Europe. This is why the Commission proposes to develop common EU rules for a number of promising new mass-market applications, including Ultra Wideband and Broadband Wireless Access technologies as well as “wireless barcodes” for Radio Frequency Identification Tags (RFIDs).
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