COUNCIL RESOLUTION of 14 December 1990 on the final stage of the coordinated introduction of pan-European land-based public digital mobile cellular communications in the Community (GSM) (90/C 329/09)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Notes with satisfaction that substantial progress has been made on the basis of recommendation 87/371/EEC (1) and Directive 87/372/EEC (2) with the implementation of the pan-European digital mobile cellular GSM system; It notes, however, that a number of issues will have to be tackled in order to make truly trans-European mobile services a reality and to develop the potential of the GSM system fully. Many of these issues are currently being addressed in the context of the work of the European Conference for Postal Administration and Telecommunications (CEPT), the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) and in the context of the implementation of the GSM Memorandum of Understanding; It also notes that Community action is required in a number of critical areas. These areas are in particular: - establishment of an interim scheme for the mutual recognition of approval of GSM terminals. An examination should in particular be made of the possibilities and criteria for implementing the principles set out in the future Council Directive concerning the approximation of the laws of the Member States on telecommunications terminals equipment including the mutual recognition of conformity on a provisional basis for GSM terminals only as a special case, before the formal procedures provided for in this Directive concerning terminals in general are fully operational. Given the central role of the European Telecommunications Standard on mobile stations of the pan-European digital cellular telecommunications system (NET 10) in this context, the Council urges the ETSI to commit itself to completing its discussions by a specific date, -implementation of mutual recognition of licences for the operation of GSM terminals in all Member States. The Council notes the work in the CEPT on this issue and urges the CEPT to complete it rapidly. The Council also calls upon the Member States to guarantee the free circulation and use of mobile stations throughout the Community, referring to the procedures being worked out within the CEPT, -examination of the possibilities of rapid extension of the technological potential and progressive development of the use of higher frequency bands for new personal communications network systems, e.g. DCS 1800, in order to create new mass markets for mobile telecommunication, taking the World Administrative Radiocommunications Conference (WARC 92) into account, -in the context of general relations between the Community and the countries of Central and Eastern Europe and their development, promotion of the use of the GSM system in those countries which aim - within the reconstruction of their economies - at rapidly building up their mobile systems, -encouraging the setting up of appropriate tariff and accounting arrangements, concerning in particular the inter-operator agreements which are needed to support international operation and use of mobile terminals, in accordance with Community law, -ensuring required measures concerning data protection in particular in the context of digital mobile telecommunications. It notes in this connection that it has received proposals from the Commission, which are currently being studied. The Council supports the development in Europe of conditions which will encourage a vigorous mobile communications market throughout the Community, by extending the benefits of mobile communications to peripheral areas of the Community using fully as necessary any relevant instrument for promoting such a development, such as the STAR programme. The Council is pleased to note that the Commission intends to address the overall future development of mobile communications in a Green Paper to be published before the end of 1991.(1) OJ No L 196, 17. 7. 1987, p. 81.

(2) OJ No L 196, 17. 7. 1987, p. 85.