EU electronic communications law. Competition and regulation in the European telecommunications market

Abstract:

The rules regulating the telecommunications markets have expanded alongside the increased competition in the market following the withdrawal of monopoly power. The regulatory framework might be considered complete. Designed and adopted through the interaction of the European Commission, the European Council and the European Parliament, the code is now ready for implementation in Member States. From thereon the European Court of Justice/European Court of First Instance will address the unresolved issues and continue the development of the legal framework. This work offers invaluable insight in this complex area of law.

The book is organised over seven chapters. Chapter one opens with some general observations on the New Regulatory Framework and goes on to consider such issues as the institutional aspects, convergence within the industry and its probable evolution, and the WTO Rules responsibilities for the telecommunications market. Chapter two examines the principles and general rules applicable throughout the framework. The third chapter explores the law dealing with the access to facilities and other resources controlled by other undertakings of a sector specific nature, whilst chapter four deals with the rules concerning access to resources under general competition law. Chapter five offers analysis of the issues surrounding universal service, public service, and services of general interest. Litigation and dispute resolution are the focus of chapter six, then chapter seven closes the work with an analysis of specific issues which, by virtue of their special importance in underpinning the principles of the regulatory framework, require such added attention.

The work will interest scholars, students, researchers and practitioners engaged in European competition law and telecommunications law.

Paul Nihoul is Professor of Law at the University of Louvain, Belgium, where he holds the Jean Monnet Chair on the European Information Society. He is also Professor of Law at the University of Groningen, the Netherlands.

Peter Rodford is a head of unit in the European Commission’s Directorate General for the Information Society, with particular responsibility for the implementation of the European regulation on electronic communications.