The EU's telecoms chief said she no longer intends to subject access by new mobile phone operators to the networks of existing providers to specific scrutiny, but leave them instead to general antitrust rules.
In order to boost competition in former monopoly markets, the EU telecoms law has divided telecoms markets into 18 sectors such as retail and wholesale, broadband and fixed line that are under close watch by national regulators.
National regulators have to analyse their markets regularly to see whether there is proper competition in each of those sectors and enforce remedies if not.
EU Telecoms Commissioner Viviane Reding wants to take some sectors out of this specific framework, saying competition has flourished enough for them to be subject to general antitrust rules only, a step seen as giving industry more flexibility. ( Reuters )