The European Commission indicated that there not should be any fundamental change to the basic concept, principles or scope of EU rules on Universal Service. This conclusion is based on a public consultation and its third periodic review of the scope of this service.

The Commission's conclusion on the Universal Service EU's rules is that there is currently no need to change its basic concept, principles or scope to include mobile telecommunications services and broadband connections at EU level. The Commission has also concluded that it would not be appropriate, at this stage, to set at EU level a single broadband connection speed under the universal service rules, given the very different stages of development of telecoms networks in the Member States and the potential costs involved. However, Member States retain the flexibility to include broadband connections in their national USO in justified cases. This will usually be when broadband take-up is already sufficiently high. To date, Finland, Malta and Spain provide for a minimum broadband speed in national law. These conclusions are based on a public consultation launched in 2010 and its third periodic review of the scope of this service

On the other hand, the Commission has indicated the areas where further guidance may be needed in the future to help Member States implement the universal service rules most effectively. These include the criteria used when Member States decide the data rate at which internet access is to be provided under their national universal service rules; mechanisms for designating universal service providers; calculating the net cost of universal service obligations (USO); financing mechanisms, including possible safeguards to prevent an undue burden falling on operators; measures for end-users with disabilities.

Current EU rules (under the EU’s Universal Service Directive of 2002) require Member States to ensure that citizens must be able to connect to the public phone network at a fixed location and access public phone services for voice and data communications with functional access to the Internet. The Directive also requires Member States to ensure that consumers have access to directory enquiry services and directories, public payphones and special measures if they are disabled. The Commission reviews the scope of the Universal Service Directive every 3 years.