On 15 February 2012 the European Parliament and Council confirmed the first EU Radio Spectrum Policy Programme (RSPP). Compliant with the Europe 2020 initiative and the Digital Agenda for Europe, the programme establishes a comprehensive plan for operation of the Common Market for wireless technologies and services.
The Radio Spectrum Policy Programme (RSPP) defines the general principles of regulatory policy, its goals and priorities and encompasses all types of radio spectrum use that affect the Single Market. The aim of the programme is to enhance the efficiency and flexibility of spectrum use as well as maintaining and encouraging competition.
Among concrete activities planned by the European Commission together with EU Member States by 2015 is the provision of the 1200 MHz spectrum to fulfil the rising demand for data traffic.
The Radio Spectrum Policy Programme (RSPP) requires that Member States grant the use of the 900/1800 MHz, 2.5-2.69 GHz and 3.4-3.8 GHz frequency bands to high-speed electronic communications services by the end of 2012, and the Digital Dividend frequency band of 800 MHz by 1st of January 2013; this is especially urgent when it comes to the coverage of sparsely populated areas, except in cases of certain individual exceptions.
