Communications Law

Committee Update

The 6th Communications Law Committee Young Lawyers' Writing Competition was won by Laurent De Muyter. The winning paper was written on the topic "Does Europe need a single European telecom regulator?".

Committee Overview

Communication technology is at the cutting edge for development in the new millennium. Communication technology has created a virtual world in which the parameters for doing business are being re-defined. With the rapid convergence of technology, potentially there could soon be a single delivery mechanism, with on-line entertainment, information and e-commerce available at each computer terminal. Enforcement of existing laws on convergent technologies and the search for new solutions is likely to be the largest area of debate in the legal profession in the next decade. The impact of convergence is apparent, but the speed with which this technology will effectively change the world is a matter of conjecture. Improvements in telephony, satellite technologies including DTH, and Internet, have made a global marketplace accessible to business.

The Committee focuses on communication technology, delivery mechanism, services, equipment. Some of the areas covered are the following: 

• Impact of convergence on the telecommunications industry. 
• Impact of National Laws on satellite telephony, radio and television. 
• Treatment of satellite based services in different jurisdictions. 
• Privatisation and liberalisation of public telecommunication and broadcasting services 
• Regulation of monopoly providers of public service and norms for licensing. 
• Regulation of prices, terms and conditions of the communications sector 
• Application of Competition law to the telecommunications sector 
• Control of the supply, installation and connection of apparatus 
• Proprietary rights in standards, techniques and signaling used for telecommunications. 
• Contacts between operators and users 
• Conditions and regulations for Licensing of telecommunications and broadcasting services 
• Content Regulation of satellite and cable transmissions 
• Restrictions on free flow of information, for example, matters of national security or protection of the public 
• Electronic commerce 
• Use and development of new services by satellite and other techniques 

 Additionally, the Communications Law Committee works with the following Committees to form the Intellectual Property, Communications and Technology Section:

Art, Cultural Institutions and Heritage Law
Intellectual Property and Entertainment Law 
Media Law 
Space Law 
Technology Law

Committee Conferences

19th Annual Communications and Competition Law Conference
19 - 20 May 2008, Sofitel Bayerpost, Munich

This conference was co-presented by the IBA Communications Law Committee and the IBA Antitrust Committee, and supported by the IBA European Regional Forum.

This event discussed  topics of current interest including: the telecoms regulatory agenda; the new EU regulatory framework - the winners and losers; telecommunications regulatory vs competition law remedies; the "landscape" for EU antitrust after the Microsoft judgment and the increasing scope for private litigation in anti-trust cases in Europe.

To view the papers from this conference please click here.

For further information on any forthcoming or past IBA event, go to the conference homepage or contact the marketing department.

Committee Publications

The Communications Law Committee produces an annual newsletter.

Download the latest issue of the newsletter (July 2008).

For further details of all IBA publications including books, journals, newsletters, conference papers and free guides and materials go to the publications homepage. 

Members

Gain access to the IBA Member's Directory   

Links

Organisations and Authorities

www.erg.eu.int/links/index_en.htm
Provides links to National Regulatory Authorities

www.europa.eu.int/information_society/index_en.htm
www.europa.eu.int/comm/competition
European Commission

www.erg.eu.int
European Regulators Group

www.itu.int/aboutitu/
International Telecommunication Union

Legal Sources

www.law.cornell.edu/topics/communications.html
Overview on national and international laws concerning electronic communication

www.europa.eu.int/information_society/topics/telecoms/regulatory/index_en.htm
www.europa.eu.int/comm/competition/liberalization/legislation/
New EC Regulatory Framework for electronic communication networks and services

www.forum.europa.eu.int/Public/irc/infso/ecctf/library?l=/&vm=detailed&sb=Title
Decisions of the European Commission and the National Regulatory Authorities in the communications sector within the EU