Does the “new” EU regulatory framework spell the end of integrated telecoms companies? ask Matthew Bennett and Benoit Reillier
The current EU telecoms regulatory framework, the so-called 2003 new regulatory framework (NRF), is now four years old. However, a “new” NRF will be proposed before the end of the year. There is currently a consultation (see www.ec.europa.eu./information_society/policy/ecomm/tomorrow/index_en.htm) to revisit the 2003 NRF, which is trying to capture the views of various stakeholders in the market to update the framework, adapt it to new markets and technological realities, and remove some of the provisions that are no longer relevant.
The current NRF contains a set of approaches and methodologies that EU member states need to follow. As part of the framework, the European Commission lists the remedies available to the national regulatory authorities (NRA) to curb the dominance of firms with significant market power. While national regulatory authorities are allowed to propose their own market definitions or remedies if they believe their national circumstances require them to deviate from the framework, this option has rarely been granted.
It is worth noting that the
