The Maltese Competitiveness and Communications Ministry has today published four separate public consultation documents.

Although the primary legislation implementing the EU directives on electronic communications networks and services has not yet been passed by Parliament (but has passed the Committee stage), the Ministry has released the draft principles of 67 secondary regulations, structured into six parts:

• Part I – Preliminary
• Part II – Regulation of the Market
• Part III – Access and Interconnection – Rights and Obligations
• Part IV – Universal Services and Users’ Rights
• Part V – General Authorisations
• Part VI – Miscellaneous

The consultation document also puts forward a proposed rights-of-way fee of 0.4 % of gross revenues or a minimum charge of Lm 120,000 (approx. €284000), under the Utilities and Services (Regulation of Certain Works) Act, Cap 81. on undertakings authorised to provide nation-wide fixed electronic communications networks.

The deadline for responses to this consultation is 19 Aug 2004. The full text of the draft regulations can be accessed by clicking here; the explanatory memorandum can be accessed by clicking here.

Separately, public consultation documents have been issued on:

Third Generation (3G) Mobile Telephony

Fixed Wireless Access (FWA)

Digital Broadcasting Strategy

These documents can be accessed by clicking on the titles above.