MOBILE TELEPHONY : VIVIANE REDING PROMOTES HER VISION FOR ROAMING.

Viviane Reding is standing firm in defence of her method, which includes imposing a ceiling on gross and retail prices in order to cut the cost of roaming communications in the EU as soon as possible. During a debate organised by the Party of European Socialists at the European Parliament on 11 January, the commissioner for information society once again dismissed the French-British proposal despite it being well received by the Council for its flexibility).

Replacing the ceilings by average prices could be an "interesting model," she conceded, but added that the method would benefit frequent users of mobile telephones, ie businessmen, at the expense of occasional users such as tourists and students.

The commissioner also criticised London and Paris' desire to introduce a sunset clause,' allowing a six-month period of grace after the entry into force of the regulation...