The Government is proposing several separate amendments to the Act on Electronic Communications Services. The proposals would replace certain interim provisions with provisions that will remain in force until further notice and update the supervisory activities of the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency, Traficom.
According to the government’s proposal, the provisions of the Electronic Communications Services Act regarding the confidentiality of radio communications and the partial ban on telemarketing to mobile phone subscribers will remain in force until further notice. Their validity expires in the summer of 2024.
The objective of the amendment is to maintain the possibility of statistical processing of traffic data, in a way that does not undermine the protection of privacy and personal data, as well as the confidentiality of confidential communications. Another objective is to protect consumers from market disruptions related to telemarketing.
In addition, the government is proposing to include in the tasks of the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom the monitoring of compliance with regulations on roaming on public mobile telecommunications networks within the EU (roaming regulations) and regulations on electronic communications in the internal market.
The government proposal for these amendments was circulated for consultation from 21 February to 15 March 2024. Comments were solicited on the more extensive proposal. In the subsequent preparatory work, the proposal was split into two separate proposals in order to streamline and facilitate parliamentary deliberations. This first proposal contains the proposed amendments with the tightest timetable. The second government proposal is also due to be presented to parliament during the spring 2024 term.
Next steps
The referral debate on the government proposal will take place in the plenary session of the National Assembly. Information about the meeting schedule will be published on the National Assembly’s website. The proposal will be considered in a committee and, after the committee’s report, the matter will continue to be dealt with in the plenary session.
The legal changes are scheduled to come into effect in late June or early July, before the temporary provisions expire.
For further information:
Hanna Laurila, Senior Ministerial Adviser, hanna.laurila(at)gov.fi, tel. +358 295 342 025
