ESC adopts opinion on cable television networks
On 1 June 1995 the Economic and Social Committee adopted its opinion on the Commission's proposal to accelerate the use of cable television networks for the provision of telecommunications services. The opinion was adopted by 98 votes to 72, after a lively debate attended by Commissioner Karel Van Miert. Those in favour of the Commission's view preferred a faster liberalization process, while others advocated a slower and more cautious approach. Commissioner Van Miert, however, felt that too much time had been lost already and that rapid progress was needed to meet the challenges of the information society. The ESC considered that it would be premature to expect deregulation measures, originally planned for two years later, to be implemented by 1 January 1996. Each Member State should be allowed to decide if it wished to apply these measures earlier. The Committee also felt that restrictions on the use of cable television networks could not be abolished until a clearly defined regulatory framework governing the universal services had been established and thought given to how it would be financed.