But the project of Viviane Reding goes beyond

Viviane Reding, the EU information society Commissioner, yesterday presented its proposals on the regulation of telecoms from 2010. Paul Champsaur j.a. that the creation of a European telecoms authority will not solve the problems. He refuses to split France Telecom in two, while the Commission grows it. He believes that Viviane Reding "did not address the issues of the regulation of the future" and that it "do Europe in a way which will lead to stagnation.

Viviane Reding wants to create a European telecoms authority. Do you share this wish

No, we disagree on this point. It may be legitimate to create an entity to deal with the technical problems of the sector at European level, such as the security of networks or spectrum management. But the project of Viviane Reding goes beyond. The creation of a European regulator significantly alters the relations between the Member States and the Commission. Europe is not a federal State. The Union works in close cooperation between Member States and the European institutions. But they do not override States. There, it would be the case. However telecoms markets have a strong national dimension.

Then, the Commission is not sufficiently involved in the analysis of the markets for electronic communications since 2002 and has not used the expertise of the Group of European regulators (GRE). It did not give the impetus that could be expected of it on major strategic topics such as high flow or distortions of competition between fixed and mobile. That Viviane Reding wants to do by creating this agency, is to extend its powers through an additional layer of bureaucracy.

But the regulation is not applied in the same way depending on the country and this prevents the creation of a single market for telecoms...

Specifically, the Commission has never played this role of harmonisation at European level. On the only market transnational, international prices, it took a decision forced and forced. She has corrected distortion of market existing for several years, and has intervened only after January 2006, date on which GRE has called for strong action. What would the creation of an agency in Brussels change the situation The European Union has need of harmonisation. But needs to work across national supervisors, under the aegis of the Commission, to give the impetus on key issues and take decisions on harmonization.

The European Commission want to split the incumbent operators. Are you positive in France

The split of the operator, with a network and the other services, may be a solution in some countries. Nevertheless, in France, the conditions are not met to divide into two France. Telecom decide to separate the service network, is to acknowledge that the network, i.e. the local loop which connects subscribers (today copper), is a natural monopoly. It is the opposite philosophy which has so far guided Europe, based on competition by new entrants investment in their infrastructures.

For the Commission, each frequency band must be used for audiovisual services and telecoms. What do you think

There is a deficit of European frequency harmonization. It is extraordinary that the Union of 27 would not be able to define a common position for the World Radiocommunication Conference in Geneva, which is currently taking place and which must define the terms of use of the frequencies released by the shutdown of analogue television. Again, it is the role of the Commission. If the British give a frequency band to the highest bidder an operator Telecom and the Belgians gave the same audiovisual group, there will be a problem, because a television transmitter is 500 kilometres and Londoners will not be able to use the services of their mobile operator!

Overall, what eye wear on the proposals of Viviane Reding

They are globally negative. Viviane Reding did not address the issues of the regulation of the future, including incitement to the deployment of fiber optics. She left Europe in a way which will lead to stagnation and the conflict with the national regulators.