Prima pagină » English » EU Telecoms Commissioner Proposes Infringement Against Romania Over Telcom Regulator

EU Telecoms Commissioner Proposes Infringement Against Romania Over Telcom Regulator

EU Telecoms Commissioner Viviane Reding will propose to the European Commission this week the launch of infringement procedures against Romania for state interference into the independence of the national telecom regulator.
EU Telecoms Commissioner Proposes Infringement Against Romania Over Telcom Regulator
26 ian. 2009, 16:32, English

A decision in this respect might be announced Thursday, Reding’s spokesman, Martin Selmayr, told MEDIAFAX Monday.

Selmayr reminded the Commissioner’s intention to call for infringement on Romania was announced last year, when she expressed concern over the independence of the Romanian telecom regulator and sent a series of letter to Bucharest authorities in this respect, requiring an answer by October 24.

In a letter addressed to former communications minister Karoly Borbely on October 17, Reding said “the independence of national regulatory authorities is one of the core principles of the EU regulatory framework on electronic communication and no EU regulatory policy for the Telecom market can function unless the member states themselves ensure that the national regulatory authorities can function independently”.

The EU Commissioner also urged Romania to inform the Commission on the reasons that led to the dismissal of regulator president Dan Georgescu, on August 18, a decision later suspended by a Bucharest court.

Instead of reinstating Georgescu at the helm of the regulator, the Romanian government decided to reorganize the institution by emergency decree.

Selmayr said several answers were received from Romanian authorities, but all were unsatisfactory. He added Romania not only breaches EU telecom rules, but also disregards the rule of law by not applying a final court decision.