ECO EFIS Workshop on 19 September 2017

More than 50 participants came together to discuss the EFIS database in an open workshop. Participants represented CEPT administrations, stakeholders from standardisation, radio equipment manufacturers and network operators, software developers, notified bodies(test houses), the European Commission and the ECO.

The workshop was held at the premises of the Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur) in Mainz. 

See the workshop programme: here.

A wrap-up of the discussions is available:here.

You can find the presentations: here.

 The workshop is followed on 20-21 September by the next ordinary meeting of the EFIS/MG where the results of the workshop will be further discussed and a summary be provided to the next WGFM meeting in October 2017.

The workshop has addressed the following items and the agenda consisted of several parts:

1) Guidance to the CEPT administrations about their possibilities when providing information to the EFIS.

2) Guidance to the interested public using the EFIS, and especially how to best find certain information.

3) An exchange of views amongst all participants of what would be useful to add in EFIS / suggestions for improvement.

Speakers were from the European Commission, ECO, national regulatory authorities, ADCO RED, RED CA, and a presentation about new planned possibilities using an application programming interface. The workshop gave an unique possibility to learn how to use the EFIS in the best way, save time, and ask questions. 

For questions about the Workshop: please contact [email protected] 

Background on EFIS: a key tool for information on spectrum utilisation 

Since the beginning in 2002, EFIS is administered by the ECO and managed under the supervision of the ECC through its ECO Frequency Information System Maintenance Group (EFIS/MG).

In 2007, EFIS became the 'European Spectrum Information Portal', fulfilling EC Decision 2007/344/EC on harmonised availability of information regarding spectrum use in the European Union Member States. EFIS also plays a key role in the European Union’s spectrum inventory, which is part of the programme of initiatives set out in the EU Radio Spectrum Policy Programme (RSPP).

According to Recital 24 of the Radio Equipment Directive (2014/53/EU),  Member States are to use the Frequency Information System (EFIS) of the European Communications Office (ECO) in order to make comparable information regarding the use of radio spectrum in each Member State available to the public via the internet (i.e. notified bodies, manufacturers  can refer to information in EFIS). 

Some 46 CEPT administrations now publish data in EFIS; the scope of the content is wider and there are many new features and facilities.

EFIS contains information about the ITU-R Article 5 (for Region 1), the European and national frequency allocation tables, the related spectrum utilisation (application) information, national radio interface information, regulatory and spectrum inventory documentation (EC Decisions,, ECC deliverables, and ETSI harmonised standards and system reference documentation), right-of-use (licence) information and related statistics. 

All information in EFIS is available to the public either via the ECO website or directly under efis.cept.org.

An overview of the main evolutions brought to the EFIS database across the last 4-5 years is shown below. During this period, EFIS has been significantly expanded regarding the nature and amount of available data and documentation on spectrum usage in Europe. Additional developments increased its usefulness, such as the implementation of graphical display tools and of modules for specific applications (mobile networks, short range devices, fixed service) and the enhancements of the interface.

The benefit of these continuous improvements is demonstrated by the statistics of EFIS use which have more than quadrupled during this period. 

Recently, we continued our upgrade of the EFIS tool having in mind two main objectives:

• Enhance the amount and quality of information on frequency use in Europe available in the database;
• Improve the interface to make EFIS easier to use for stakeholders and also to help CEPT administrations in making their national information available in the database.

Concerning additional features related to frequency information, the main improvements brought in 2016-17 are the following:

• The implementation of national information regarding Fixed Service use in Europe (ECO Report 04) has been finalised.
• The module on information on licensing of mobile bands in Europe (ECO Report 03) has been complemented with an additional search function based on the name of the mobile networks operators.
• The inclusion of the European Common Allocation Table (ERC Report 25) in EFIS has been enhanced with the availability of the Table in Excel format for download by any user.
• The inclusion and generation of ERC Recommendation 70-03 on spectrum use by SRD (including national implementation information);
• The inclusion and generation of ECC Recommendation 25-10 on spectrum use by audio and video PMSE (including national implementation information).

In addition, major improvements have been implemented with the interface and the graphical features to increase the usefulness and friendliness of EFIS:

• Update of the EFIS homepage;
• Improvement of the electronic export and import functions;
• Enhancements to the search functions in EFIS;
• Additional improvements of the showings and graphical visualisations.

The EFIS database was visited approximately 235 000 times in 2016 with a 14 minutes average visit duration by the interested public (e.g. frequency managers in industry, operators, administrations, test houses, vendors as well as interested users), with a substantial amount of users from outside of Europe.