On Wednesday 8 December 2021, Luxembourg's Chamber of Deputies (Parliament) approved Bill 7632 on new rights for consumers.
This bill transposes Directive (EU) 2018/1972 establishing the European Electronic Communications Code which aims to overhaul and modernise legislation in the area of electronic communications. This in turn aims to stimulate competition and increase investment in infrastructure, so that all individuals and businesses can enjoy high-quality connectivity, a high level of consumer protection and a wide choice of innovative digital services.
This modernisation of the current electronic communications framework is part of the Luxembourg government's connectivity policy within its 5G and ultra-high speed communications networks strategy.
With this extensive transposition law of 136 articles, the telecommunications services sector is getting a legal framework better adapted to the rapid changes in the telecommunications market, such as the development of 5G, internet of things (IoT) and machine to machine (M2M) services. For telecommunications operators, the rules governing operator access to networks are expected to encourage competition and make it easier for companies to invest in new high-capacity infrastructure, especially in sparsely populated areas. A significant drop in the costs of deploying the last mile is also expected, as is the facilitated deployment of 5G.
“At home, at work, at school or on the go, we all need reliable and secure connectivity. We know how important digital telecommunications services are in our daily lives and with this bill, we are considerably increasing the level of transparency and consumer security vis-à-vis these new services", said Luxembourg's Prime Minister and Minister for Communications and Media, Xavier Bettel.
Moreover, consumers will benefit from a higher level of protection as the framework creates new rights for consumers, for example with regard to obtaining clear and concise information when concluding a contract. Consumers are thus expected to be better informed by providing a contractual summary showing the essential clauses in a clear and easily readable manner.
In the same vein, the bill aims to strengthen the role of the Luxembourg Regulatory Institute (Institut Luxembourgeois de Régulation - ILR), in terms of both market regulation and consumer protection.
