Senate began committee study of the bills to declare information and communication technologies as a public service
29 septiembre 2021

ARGENTINA

On September 29, the Senate Committee on Systems, Media and Freedom of Expression met to debate the bills that intend to declare ICTs as a public service. There are six bills presented by senators of the ruling party and the opposition, which qualify Internet and mobile telephony as a public service. The meeting was attended by government officials, specialists and representatives of consumer associations. Finally, the president of the committee, Alfredo Luenzo (Frente de Todos), announced that they will soon receive other stakeholders in the matter. 

The bills under discussion are listed below. You may access a comparative table prepared by the Committee by clicking here

  • S-1802/21 – Alfredo Luenzo (Frente de Todos – ruling party) – Bill amending its similar law No. 27.078 Argentina Digital
  • S-1290/20 – Juan Carlos Marino (UCR – opposition) – Bill declaring the Internet as a universal human right
  • S-1100/20 – Gladys González (PRO – opposition) – Bill declaring mobile telephony and internet as a public service
  • S-955/20 – Antonio Rodas (Frente de Todos – ruling party) – Bill that incorporates Article 15 on competing public service to Title III of Law 27.078 Argentina Digital
  • S-467/20 – Silvia Sapag and Oscar Parrilli (Frente de Todos – ruling party) – Bill declaring mobile telephony and internet as a public service
  • S-1850/21 – Daniel Lovera (Frente de Todos – ruling party) – Bill incorporating mobile telephony as a public service

At the beginning of the meeting, Luenzo said that “in the Argentine provinces the digital gap is significant” and “connectivity is not in the market calculations”. He also reaffirmed the importance of Decree 690/20 for contemplating “the principle of progressiveness in communications”. On the other hand, he informed that the senators of Juntos por el Cambio (opposition) abstained from participating in the meeting because they considered that it should be held in situ and not virtually, and that they will soon receive other stakeholders interested in the issue.

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