Bulgaria is on 11th place in the European Union on distribution of high-speed internet, with more than half (55%) of fixed network access subscriptions having a high-speed connection. That stated the Minister of Transport, Information Technology and Communications Ivaylo Moskovski at the meeting of the Council of the European Union for Transport, Telecommunications and Energy (Telecommunication format) in Luxembourg. He emphasized that mobile broadband subscribers are constantly growing. According to the new legal framework in the field of electronic communications, the broadband access is included in the scope of the universal service and will not be determined on the basis of minimum speed but on the basis of the possibility of using certain online services. A minimum set of 11 services is proposed and Member States will be able to supplement this list according to their national particularities.
The Ministers held a debate on the progress in the preparation of new Regulatory Framework for Electronic Communications. Minister Ivaylo Moskovski presented the Bulgarian position that an effective coordination mechanism contributes to the successful implementation of the common rules; however, each country has its own market specificity and even differences in the needs of the customers. The Bulgarian side takes into consideration that the implementation of the national agenda at the national level also requires a predictable environment for the regulatory bodies.
The future regulations provide for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a European Code for Electronic Communications. The proposal is part of a package of initiatives, including the Action Plan on 5G Connectivity for Europe, as well as a Regulation to Promote Internet Connectivity in Local Communities and Public Spaces (WiFi4EU).
Among the main goals of the project is better customer protection. Operators are required to provide a short form / summary of the contract containing the main clauses of the document. In addition, operators will have to allow the users to control their costs, as well as access to have access to the tools for comparing prices and quality of service. The package of documents also provides for a threshold on the wholesale prices that mobile operators assign to their fixed and mobile networks.
There are introduced texts on increasing the competition and investments predictability. A better use of the radio frequency spectrum is envisaged.
The Ministers reviewed “Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on cross-border parcel delivery services”. “We do support an effectively functioning cross-border postal market. For us, as a Member State located on the periphery of the European Union, it is of great importance in view of the opportunity to be a full part of the Digital Single Market,” said Minister Ivaylo Moskovski during the discussion. The main objectives of the proposal are to promote competition, increase the transparency of tariffs and the lower prices paid by the individual users and small entities, especially in the more distant regions.
