Spain: EU pressures Spain over failure to analyze telecomms sector

The European Union’s competition authorities have opened a new file against Spain, denouncing the National Commission for Markets and Competition (CNMC) over its failure to carry out a proper analysis of the telecommunications sector within the last five years, despite the big changes in pricing and services offered within the industry in that time.

“Close analysis of the telecommunications markets is vital because the sector is evolving rapidly and the rules that existed five years ago may now be obsolete,” said European Commission Vice-President Andrus Ansip. Brussels has given the CNMC a period of two months to present the report before “breaching its obligations”.

A report should be sent to the EC every five years, according to the European Electronic Communications Code approved by the EU’s executive branch in 2016. The CNMC sent its last analysis in March 2012.

The Brussels setback comes amid a struggle between the Energy Ministry and the CNMC over the regulator’s powers. The CNMC has been denouncing for months that the Government wants to tie the regulator’s hands; the Executive contends that, as the Commission’s rebuke shows, the CNMC does not make adequate use of its powers.

Full Content: El País

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