EC warns Croatia, Netherlands over 700 MHz delay
November 9, 2018
The European Commission is to initiate proceedings against two Member States for not complying with EU spectrum rules. Two letters of formal notice will be sent to Croatia and The Netherlands requesting full implementation of the European radio spectrum rules on the grounds of the 700 MHz Decision (EU) 2017/899.
In line with these EU rules, Member States were obliged to adopt and make public their roadmap including detailed steps for allowing the use of the 694-790 MHz (700 MHz) frequency band for mobile broadband by June 30th 2020. The due date to adopt and publish these roadmaps was at the end of June 2018. The States have either not adopted and published such a roadmap or they notified documents which do not fulfil the key requirements for a roadmap.
Roadmaps serve to pave the way to 5G. As the roadmaps are not adopted, the development of 5G might be delayed in Croatia, the Netherlands and its surrounding countries. 5G connectivity is one of the top priorities for the Commission, following the agreement of the future telecom rules – the Electronic Communications Code. The new rules will ensure that 5G radio spectrum is available in the whole EU by 2020. If Croatia and The Netherlands do not act within the next two months, the Commission may send reasoned opinions on this matter.