Press Release: Competition: Commission refers Greece back to Court for failure to adopt new framework for broadcasting services

The European Commission has decided to refer Greece to the European Court of Justice for failure to fully comply with the Court's ruling of 14 April 2005. The ruling confirmed that Greece had failed to implement the electronic communications Competition Directive (2002/77/EC). While Greece has in the meantime implemented the Directive for all other electronic communications markets, it has still not adopted the appropriate national measures regarding broadcasting transmission services. The Commission is therefore referring Greece back to Court, this time with a request that the Court impose fines, consisting of both a daily lump sum of €6132 penalising Greece for continuation of the infringement between the Court's April 2005 ruling and the second Court ruling (or alternatively until Greece complies, if it does so before the second Court ruling), plus a daily penalty of €42310.80 starting on the date of the second judgment until full compliance (if Greece has still not complied by the second Court ruling). For background information on the calculation of lump sums and penalties see MEMO/05/482. The referral to Court is the third step of the EC Treaty infringement procedure for failure to comply with Court judgments (Article 228).