The economics of antitrust and regulation in telecommunications. Perspectives for the new European regulatory framework

Abstract:
This work arises from a year long project and the culminating conference held in Brussels in September 2002. It aims to address the integration of economics with the factual specificities of the telecommunications industry in order to further enhance the treatment of antitrust cases in the sector.

The volume is organised in three parts. Part one opens with an introduction by the European Commissioner for Competition, Mario Monti, who presents the main challenges of competition and regulatory policies in the electronic communications sector. The contributions follow in five sections: The New Regulatory Telecommunications Framework; Market Definition in Telecommunications Markets; Economic Analysis of Collective Dominance in Telecoms Markets; Economic Aspects of Access to Networks; Competition and Allocation of Scarce Resources: the case of UMTS. Part one closes with a roundtable discussion on The Economics of Antitrust and Regulation in the Telecoms Sector.

Part two is comprised of an evaluation of the sector inquiry instrument - a sector-wide investigation into commercial practices relating to an entire sector of the EU economy. Part three reproduces the main regulatory texts of the new regulatory framework and in particular the Directives, the Decision on the European Regulators Group, the guidelines on market analysis and the calculation of sufficient market power, and the Recommendation on relevant products and service markets susceptible to ex ante regulation.

The work will interest anyone connected to the telecommunications sector, and those interested in European competition policy and regulation which will include policy analysts, policymakers and scholars in economics.