Comment Neelie (Kroes)

We have just come from the first meeting of the informal High Level Group on the future of the UHF radio spectrum band.sentence permalink

I am particularly grateful that Pascal Lamy has agreed to chair the Group, which is a sign of the importance of this issue for culture and business in Europe. If there is anyone who can broker an agreement between two important sectors it is Pascal.sentence permalink

Broadcasting and broadband are converging, and expectations are changing. The challenge now is to facilitate high-quality online content, supplied over fast broadband networks.sentence permalink

We want Europe to find a way forward that delivers for all: both more and better television and more and better broadband.sentence permalink

And these decisions matter for Europe; Europe needs to use spectrum more effectively if we want to benefit from the latest TV and internet developments. That's why we need a new consensus on how to use broadcast spectrum, and that’s why I made the coordination of broadband spectrum a central feature of our effort to build a telecoms single market.sentence permalink

Sometimes this debate can be rather sterile. The discussion on the 800 Megahertz band, which has already been released for mobile broadband, showed that the old battle lines are still there. We are trying to find a way forward, and a path towards a more constructive, beneficial outcome.sentence permalink

There has been much discussion about what would happen to the 700 Megahertz band. And important decisions will be taken in the ITU in late 2015, at the so-called WRC Conference. Well before that, Europe needs to know where we are going on this issue.sentence permalink

And for that, we need to have a wider view about the future needs and use of broadcasting as well as broadband, and the use of the UHF band as a whole.sentence permalink

There is no doubt about the importance of broadband data for our economy, for our citizens, for jobs. But the most significant use of broadband data at the moment is video content, and broadcasters and programme makers are adapting significantly to adjust to this.sentence permalink

The High level Group will be crucial in helping us to identify the way forward, and that is the challenge set for Pascal Lamy.sentence permalink

So I pass the floor to Pascal