Paris, 2 December 2004
The law of 31 December 2003 on public telecommunications service and France Telecom established new financing rules for universal service that will apply for issuing the final figures for financial year 2002. In particular, it modified the allocation formula for universal service among operators (contributions are calculated according to turnover and no longer according to the volume of traffic).
The publication of application decree no. 04-1222 of 17 November 2004 on the obligations of public service and financing of universal service of electronic communications published in the Official Journal on 19 November 2004 established a regulatory base for the final evaluation for the year 2002. This is the first financial year for which contributions will be based on the turnover of electronic communications services and for which changes to the rules of calculating the net cost will be applied.
Therefore, ART:
- is making public its decision no. 04-1027 of 25 November 2004, which adopts the reporting of turnovers for calculating the final contribution to the universal service fund for 2002. Operators must return their report by 10 December 2004. Those who have already submitted their report are invited to submit a new report if necessary.
- is initiating a public consultation on the draft rules that would be used to apply articles R.20-33 to R.20-39 of the Post and Electronic Communications Code. The consultation will be closed on 10 December 2004.
N.B.: For further information, please contact:
Frédérique Vallet (+33 (0)1 40 47 70 71 - fax: +33 (0)11 40 47 71 93 - frederique.vallet(@)art-telecom.fr)
François Varloot (+33 (0)1 40 47 70 64 - francois.varloot(@)art-telecom.fr).
Linked documents
The following documents are available for consultation and downloading 
: decision n° 04-1027 of 25 November 2004 adopting the reporting of turnovers for calculating the final contribution to the universal service fund for 2002 and the integral reporting (
pdf file (pdf - 348KB) 
) the report form ( appendix 1 of the guide in Word format (doc - 27KB) ) the form entitled "Passage du chiffre d’affaires comptabilisé au chiffre d’affaires déclaré" ( appendix 2 of the guide (xls - 28KB) in Excel format) the optional form ( appendix 3 of the guide in Word format (doc - 29KB) ) also, submitted for comments :
- the consultation on the rules employed in applying the methods mentioned in articles R. 20-33 to R. 20-39 of the Post and Electronic Communications Code for consultation and downloading (pdf - 150KB) - the draft rules for the application of articles R. 20-33 to R. 20-39 of the Post and Electronic Communications Code ( pdf file (pdf - 263KB) )