The USUR Directive will regulate the new communications sector
in Europe. It will apply to digital TV, internet, and mobile
network services providers, as well as traditional telecom
providers.
The Directive will impose an obligation on operators to provide
access and interconnection to each other’s networks, and also the
promotion of more open licensing agreements.
The protection of consumer rights is addressed by setting up a
complaints mechanism. According to the draft, consumers are to
receive effective internet access, easy to understand contracts,
good choice, and transparent price structures.
The Committee’s amendments provide a clause that will produce an
obligation on service providers to keep consumers fully informed of
data privacy issues and any network security breaches that may
affect them.
The Committee indicated that the USUR Directive still requires a
great deal more work before it can be implemented.
