24.9.2011

Official Journal of the European Union

C 282/13

Reference for a preliminary ruling from the Cour constitutionnelle (Belgium) lodged on 15 July 2011 — Belgacom SA, Mobistar SA, KPN Group Belgium SA (formerly ‘Base’) v Etat belge

(Case C-375/11)

2011/C 282/25

Language of the case: French

Referring court

Parties to the main proceedings

Applicants: Belgacom SA, Mobistar SA, KPN Group Belgium SA (formerly ‘Base’)

Defendant: Etat belge

Questions referred

1.Do Articles 3, 12 and 13 of Directive 2002/20/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 March 2002 on the authorisation of electronic communications networks and services (Authorisation Directive), as they currently apply, permit Member States to charge operators holding individual rights to use mobile phone frequencies for a period of fifteen years, in the context of authorisations to install and operate on their territory mobile phone networks issued under the scheme instituted under the former legal framework, a one-off fee for the renewal of their individual rights to use frequencies the amount of which, relating to the number of frequencies and months to which the rights of use relate, is calculated on the basis of the former one-off grant fee that was associated with the issue of the aforementioned authorisations, when that one-off fee is additional to both an annual charge for making frequencies available (intended first and foremost to cover the costs of making frequencies available while at the same time also partially reflecting the value of frequencies, the purpose of the one-off fee and the annual charge being to encourage optimal use of the frequencies)?

2.Do Articles 3, 12 and 13 of the same Authorisation Directive permit the Member States to charge operators hoping to acquire new rights to use mobile phone frequencies a one-off fee the amount of which is determined at auction on the assignment of frequencies, in order to reflect the value of frequencies, when that one-off fee is additional to both an annual charge for making frequencies available (intended first and foremost to cover the costs of making frequencies available while at the same time also partially reflecting the value of frequencies, the purpose of the one-off fee and the annual charge being to encourage optimal use of the frequencies) and an annual charge for the management of authorisations to install and operate mobile phone networks issued under the scheme instituted under the former legal framework?

3.Does Article 14(2) of the same Authorisation Directive permit the Member States to charge mobile phone operators, in respect of the renewal of their individual rights to use mobile phone radiofrequencies, to which certain of them were already entitled, before the beginning of the renewal period, a one-off fee relating to the renewal of the rights to use frequencies they enjoyed before the renewal period, intended to encourage optimal use of the frequencies by way of reflecting their value, when that one-off fee is additional to both an annual charge for making frequencies available (intended first and foremost to cover the costs of making frequencies available while at the same time also partially reflecting the value of frequencies, the purpose of the one-off fee and the annual charge being to encourage optimal use of the frequencies) and an annual charge for the management of authorisations to install and operate mobile phone networks issued under the scheme instituted under the former legal framework?

4.Does Article 14(1) of the same Authorisation Directive permit the Member States to add, as a condition of acquiring and renewing rights to use frequencies, a one-off fee that is determined at auction, without limit, when that one-off fee is additional to both an annual charge for making frequencies available (intended first and foremost to cover the costs of making frequencies available while at the same time also partially reflecting the value of frequencies, the purpose of the one-off fee and the annual charge being to encourage optimal use of the frequencies) and an annual charge for the management of authorisations to install and operate mobile phone networks issued under the scheme instituted under the former legal framework?

OJ 2002 L 108, p. 21