FINAL REPORT - Stakeholders - Ofcom

• Regulation on the interoperability of the European ATM network, setting out a
draft regulation designed to achieve interoperability between the Community's air
navigation service providers and the creation of an internal market in equipment,
systems and associated services. This includes the establishment of European
technical ATM standards in co-operation with EUROCAE and, where relevant,
with EUROCONTROL.
The regulations are compatible with, for example, ICAO, ECAC and EUROCONTROL
standards. They build on these already established frameworks by providing the
conditions for seamless integration of ATM in member States. Also, many aspects of the
regulations give legal strength to already familiar concepts. Good examples are the
Flexible Use of Airspace, or new standards such as the EUROCONTROL Safety
Regulatory Requirements (ESARRs); which are very close to existing practices within
some EU states.
2.4.2 The Maritime Community
When referring to regulatory, standardisation or other international considerations a
number of international bodies are involved in the maritime scene. The key regulatory
provisions are addressed in section 4sections 6.16, 6.17 and 46.18 below. This section is
designed to provide the reader with a brief overview of the key bodies mentioned in the
following paragraphs.
At the regulatory level the key body in Europe is the European Union and a number of
Directives, Decisions and other instruments are addressed in the following text, notably
the Marine Equipment Directive and the Radio and Telecommunications Terminal
Equipment Directive.
Two United Nations specialised agencies play a major role in maritime activities. The
Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention of the International Maritime Organisation
(IMO) obliges contracting states to ensure that relevant ships carry safety related
equipment on board. The Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS), an
integral part of the SOLAS Convention, utilises radiocommunications to provide a
homogeneous global emergency system for distress communications and the
dissemination of safety information. Radio frequencies and associated technical matters
are the responsibility of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) via its
Convention, Constitution and Radio Regulations as well as Recommendations and other
instruments of its three specialist sectors i.e. Radiocommunications, Telecommunications
Standardisation and Development.
The regional regulatory telecommunication organisation for Europe is the European
Conference of Postal and Telecommunications administrations (CEPT). This body works
with the European Union in a co-operative manner with respect to electronic
communications. Of particular relevance to this study is CEPT’s work on licensing,
frequency management (including a common European frequency table), spectrum
engineering and preparing the European position for ITU World Radio Conferences.
CEPT also has an agreement with ETSI, the European Telecommunications Standards
Institute concerning parameters within standards that may impact spectrum utilisation.
ETSI together with CENELEC (European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization)
and CEN (European Committee for Standardization) make up the trio of European
standardisation bodies, which can be mandated by the European Commission to produce
harmonised standards which can provide a presumption of conformity with the essential
requirements of ‘new approach’ Directives (e.g. inter alia the EMC and R&TTE
Directives). These bodies also produce other voluntary technical standards.
ETSI also co-operates with IEC (see below) and CENELEC concerning maritime and
electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) issues respectively. In very simplistic terms ETSI can
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