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ECTA Annual Regulatory Conference 2006 15th - 17th November 2006, Management Centre Europe, Brussels

"The annual meeting place for Europe's policy-makers, regulators & operators"

*** Commissioner Reding Keynote presentation 16th November 2006 ***

Speakers include:


Speakers from left to right:

Commissioner Viviane Reding, DG Infoso, EU Commission, Keynote Address.
Philip Lowe, Director General, DG Competition, EU Commission, Keynote Address
Lord David Currie, Chairman, Ofcom, The UK Openreach model - has it passed the test?
Roberto Viola, General Secretary, AGCOM (Chair elect ERG), How can the ERG work to harmonise remedies?
Iris Henseler-Unger, Vice President, BNetzA, Accelerating Europe's Powerhouse
Jacques Champeaux, Corporate Senior Vice-President, Regulatory Affairs, France Telecom, NGN debate in France
Earl Comstock, President and CEO, Comptel, From structural separation and back again - the US perspective
Liisa Ero, Director General of the Communications Department, Ministry of Transport and Communications Finland, How can Governments drive forward the Lisbon agenda?

Introduction
The European Commission's recent proposals for the 2006 Telecoms Framework Review have raised some interesting questions including whether access should be separated from services to boost competition, whether we are ready to relax retail regulation, and whether the Commission should have more powers over the decisions of national regulators. In parallel, regulators and industry are currently debating how to handle the move to next generation networks and VoIP in a way that is pro-competitive and fosters investment. All these questions and much more will be addressed at ECTA's annual regulatory conference as well as up-to-the-minute perspectives on political priorities for telecoms, the latest competition law developments and decisions by key regulators and the Commission.

Summary of Conference and Workshop Topics
- How far-reaching should the 2006 review be? How will the Commission's proposals on the list of relevant markets affect regulation and commercial developments across Europe?
- What is the right balance of ex-ante regulation and reliance on competition law? How effective has competition law been in combating anti-competitive behaviour in telecoms?
- Behavioural solutions - Is functional separation an answer to compliance? Are there lessons that can be learnt from other sectors e.g. Gas industry?
- What does the future hold for regulation of next generation networks - particularly relating to UK, Dutch and German markets
- Economic regulation of VoIP - will the evolution of voice delivery using new technologies require a completely new regulatory approach?
- What role will spectrum play in intensifying competition? What are the implications of proposals to liberalise spectrum management and harmonise spectrum use?
- Can regulators cooperate to create harmonisation across Europe and a consistent approach to remedies?
- What is the future for regulation of converged services?
- How will the future TV without Frontiers Directive impact the provision of online content and how will it affect communications operators? Is action needed to ensure open access to content?
- How will bundling and new technologies with different cost profiles affect the ability of regulators to guard against anti-competitive behaviour?
- Is there a two-speed Europe between EU 15 and EU 10? Are different regulatory approaches needed?

In addition to live issues such as those above, the ECTA regulatory conference will also continue to address the latest proposals and developments from the EU Presidency, ERG and the Commission's article 7 task force as well as significant precedents in national and European policy and implementation.

For information about sponsoring this conference or for more information about attending the event, please contact Vicki Crombie at vcrombie@ectaportal.com



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