The Council held a policy debate on the upcoming review of the EU telecoms rules. The questions prepared by the presidency focused on next generation connectivity, equivalent treatment of equivalent services and the top priorities for the review. During the policy debate Hungary stressed that promoting connectivity to the next generation networks contributes to the achievement of the European connectivity goals. One of the top priorities should be to define the relations between OTTs and traditional electronic communication services, especially the possibility how and to what degree the new services should be subject to the existing rules. As far as regulation is concerned, we need to reduce regulatory burden, stimulate competitiveness, create legal certainty and establish a predictable legal environment.
The Commission is expected to present its proposals in 2016 as part of the Digital Single Market (DSM) strategy.
The presidency reported on the informal deal reached with the European Parliament on the draft directive on network and information security on 7 December 2015.
The presidency presented a progress report on the proposed rules to make public sector websites more accessible.
Under 'any other business', the Commission gave an update on the latest developments in Internet governance, including the transfer of the Internet Assigned Number Authority (IANA) functions and the World Summit on the Information Society +10 (WSIS+10) review process. The Commission informed the ministers on the progress made on telecommunications and information society issues in the ongoing trade negotiations with the United States (TTIP). Last but not least, the incoming Netherlands presidency presented its work programme in the field of telecommunications.
