EU telecoms ministers set to rebel over league tables

Date: 27/11/1997

By Peter Chapman

EU TELECOMS ministers are set to give the European Commission a frosty reception next week when the institution formally presents its latest 'progress report' on their efforts to liberalise telecoms markets.

Angry exchanges are likely in the wake of the Commission's decision to name names at an October news conference where the report was unveiled, and to warn that it planned to take legal action against a number of member states for failing to meet their obligations.

Competition Commissioner Karel van Miert, who shares responsibility with Telecoms Commissioner Martin Bangemann for overseeing the switch to liberalised phone markets, said then that Greece was 'champion' of the league of governments facing action, closely followed by Belgium, which had failed to turn a number of key texts into national law.

But sources say ministers will give Bangemann a roasting for this less than diplomatic way of portraying some member states as laggards in the push for open telecoms markets.

"I know there is a certain amount of bad feeling. Member states do not like their dirty washing being seen in public," said one EU diplomat.

The Commission has since told journalists that it will start legal action against a number of other errant governments, including Denmark, Germany, Italy Luxembourg and Portugal - a move which has also angered member states.

"The Commission spoke to the press before the letters went out to member states," said the diplomat.

The row between the Commission and Union governments first erupted last summer when Bangemann and Van Miert put member states into soccer-style ranks, from 'premier league' down to 'third division', to indicate their readiness to meet the 1 January 1998 deadline for opening their telecoms markets.

An unrepentant Van Miert admits the Commission's tough policy of 'outing' member states had upset governments.

But the EU's competition chief insists the Commission's close monitoring of the implementation of free market telecom directives "usually leads to progress" and will continue into 1998, when most markets should have been liberalised.

"Next year is a crucial period and we will continue to monitor. Even in countries where implementation has been in line with directives we will be looking to see if the goods are being delivered," he warned.