Europa Press releases: The European Commission has adopted Guidelines on the application of EC Treaty state aid rules to the public funding of broadband networks. The Guidelines provide a clear and predictable framework for stakeholders and will help Member States to accelerate and extend broadband deployment. The Guidelines also contain specific provisions concerning the deployment of Next Generation Access networks, allowing public support to foster investment in this strategic sector without creating undue distortions of competition. The Guidelines take account of comments received during a public consultation.

CONFERENCE DAY 1, September 11
Morning Sessions

The first part of the conference was devoted to discuss the first annual report in a “Monitoring EU Telecoms Policy” series. This initiative will allow a regular examination of the work of the European Commission in the field of ICT’s regulation and competition, covering also the work of the ERG and the European Parliament. Every year, a report will be written by a group of economists known for their works on regulation and competition in telecommunications and media markets. The views expressed in the report will be those of the authors writing in a personal capacity. The annual NEREC Research Conference will provide a platform for discussing the report and presenting it to the broader public and the media.
The authors of the inaugural report are:

Martin Cave and Leo Fulvio Minervini, University of Warwick – Spectrum Policy.
Justus Haucap, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg - The Recommended Regulation of Fixed and Mobile Termination Rates: A Critical Appraisal.
Jorge Padilla, LECG - An economist’s look at the draft Community Guidelines for the application of State aid rules in relation to rapid deployment of broadband networks.
Andrea Renda, CEPS –The review of the EU telecoms framework: a tale of the anti-commons.
Brian Williamson, Plum Consulting - The regulation of next generation access networks and the draft Commission Recommendation.

Afternoon Sessions

The second part of the Conference was devoted to the presentation and discussion of the papers accepted by the NEREC Research Conference scientific committee composed by Martin Cave (University of Warwick), Eugenio Miravete (University of Texas at Austin), Jorge Padilla (LECG), Martin Peitz (University of Mannheim and ZEW), Georges Siotis (UC3M and DG COMP, Commission of the EU).

CONFERENCE DAY 2, September 12

Morning Sessions

Friday, September 11

15.30 – 17.00
Standardising wholesale super-fast broadband access: the public role
Chinyelu Onwurah, Ofcom. Presentation
Discussant: Antonio Castillo Holgado, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid

Investments in New Generation Access Networks: real options assessments in wholesale markets
F. Gallardo (Universidad Autónoma de Madrid)
A. G. Zaballos (Deloitte and Instituto de Empresa)
T. Pérez Amaral (Universidad Complutense de Madrid)
Presentation

Competition, Regulation, and Broadband Access to the Internet
Georg Götz, Department of Economics, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen. Presentation
Discussant: Juán José Ganuza, Universitat Pompeu Fabra. Presentation

17.00 - 17.30
Coffee break

18.00 - 19.30
Inversión en TICs y productividad: un breve panorama y una primera aproximación al caso de las regiones españolas
Ángel de la Fuente, Instituto de Análisis Económico, CSIC. Presentation
Discussant: José Manuel Montero, Banco de España. Presentation

The Effects of ICT investment on productivity in Spain
José María Rodríguez Ovejero Frontier Economics
J. Santamaría García Frontier Economics
K. Calderón Frontier Economics
Presentation

The effects of economy size on firm performance: evidence
from the telecommunications sector
Pavlos C. Symeou Judge Business School-University of Cambridge, Institute for Communication Economics-University of Munich Presentation