Draft Act on Electronic Communication Services for comments in Finland

Finland is one of the first countries to implement the so-called Telecoms Package Directive in the national legislation. The Ministry of Transport and Communications circulated the draft Act on Electronic Communication Services for comments in November.

The consultation period on the draft will end on 16 January 2020. Among other things, the legislative reform aims to promote the availability of broadband networks and communications services as well as the consumer rights and the accessibility of the services.

The reform implements the requirements of the EU Directive on Audiovisual Media Services (so-called AVMS Directive) and the European Electronic Communications Code (so-called Telecoms Package Directive). At the same time, other parts of the national regulatory framework for electronic communications will be reformed. The government proposal of the Act on Electronic Communication Services is planned to be ready in the spring 2020 and the legislation should come into act by autumn.

The EU Telecom Directive includes provisions on the use of communications networks and radio spectrum; significant market power; universal service obligation; electronic communication services and end-user rights; numbering; and the authorities in the electronic communications sector. The AVMS Directive regulates the television broadcasting, on-demand programme services and video sharing platforms.