[mti 10.12.06.] Hungary vows to pursue consensus among EU member states on the two key legislative dossiers in the field of telecommunications during the country’s EU Presidency said Dr. Zsolt Nyitrai, Minister of State for Infocommunications at a press conference in Brussels on Friday.
At the press conference following the conference of the EU Member States’ Telecommunications Ministers the Hungarian Minister of State said that the priorities of the Hungarian Presidency next semester in the field of telecommunications will be centred on strategy, security, and spectrum policy. He also pointed out that the strategy will be driven by the European Digital Agenda, one of the flagship initiatives of the EU’s new growth and competitiveness programme (Europe 2020). This sets out specific deadlines and actions, thus determining the direction to be followed in the EU. Another important task during the presidency will be the monitoring of the implementation of the Digital Agenda and the evaluation of results said Nyitrai.
One of the aforementioned key legislative dossiers will address the mandate, modernisation and budget of the European Network and Information Security Agency (ENISA). Information infrastructure protection will be an important connecting agenda topic. The radio spectrum policy programme is also entering the legislation phase. Decisions shall be adopted with a view to effective pan-European spectrum management, emphasized Nyitrai.
Other priorities include universal services, mobile roaming tariffs, net neutrality, and e-government services.
The Minister of State also talked about some of the important forthcoming telecom events to be organized during the Hungarian presidency. The first Digital Assembly will be organized with the participation of member state representatives, MEPs and industry stakeholders to review the first year’s progress on the implementation of the European Digital Agenda. Hungary will also organize and host the CIIP Ministerial level conference on network and information security in April 2011.
Zsolt Nyitrai also noted that he asked his colleagues to support and be partners in this endeavour during the presidency. Major preparations are already under way and he also referred to meetings with ministers from other member states, EU Commissioner Neelie Kroes and key opinion-leader MEPs.
