By Simon Zekaria - 9th January 2004
Brussels antitrust regulators are showing concern over prospective new laws in France that would ease pricing regulation on its flagship telecommunications operator France Telecom.
The European Commission is worried the new law would soften the powers of the French telecoms watchdog, Autorité de Regulation des Telecommunications (ART), to regulate tariff pricing and future commercial services launched by FT.
The law would allow regulatory intervention by ART only after the launch of offerings and tariff pricing plans; potentially after complaints by rival telecoms operators.
EU competition chief Mario Monti and information commissioner Erkki Liikanen have written to French finance minister Francis Mer and industry minister Nicole Fontaine to complain about the measures.
Although the legislation was passed on Thursday, the new system still has to be formally adopted by the French senate – after which EU intervention could become more urgent.
The commission on Friday ruled out any further action at this stage.
“We are not opening infringement proceedings – the law has not been fully passed yet,” said a spokesman.
“We really need to discuss this further.”
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