RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE S/NGBT/W/9
7July1995
ORGANIZATION(95-1894)
Original: French Negotiating Group onBasic Telecommunications
COMMUNICATION FROM SWITZERLAND
Further Liberalization oftheSwiss Telecommunications Market
Thefollowing communication iscirculated attherequest ofSwitzerland tomembers ofthe
Negotiating Group onBasic Telecommunications.
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1. Consideringthattelecommunicationsarecharacterizedbyveryrapidtechnologicaldevelopment,
globalization ofthemarkets andliberalization onaworld scale, theSwiss Government hasexamined
various options inorder toestablish thepolitical priorities which willmake itpossible tomaintain and
improve thelevel ofcompetitiveness oftheeconomy andtelecommunications inSwitzerland, and
moreover inorder nottobeleftbehind when theinformation society becomes areality inthenext
century.
2. TheSwiss Government findsthatthepresent Telecommunications Actdoesnotafford sufficient
freedom ofaction andistherefore inurgent needofamendment, withtheaimofachieving thethorough
liberalization ofthemarket. Atthesame time, itisnecessary toensure theefficient andprofitable
long-term basic coverage ofthenational territory.
3. TheSwiss Government hasinstructed theMinistry ofTransport, Communications andEnergy
tosubmit, in1995, adraft amendment oftheTelecommunications Actwhich itcanbring before
Parliament. Theaimofthisdraftistheliberalization ofallthetelecommunications andinfrastructure
services before 1January 1998.