TELECOMMUNICATIONS : EUROPEAN TELECOMS REGULATOR TAKES SHAPE.

The Commission intends to create a European telecoms regulator which is able to impose its decisions on national regulators whose actions are found to be unorganised and inefficient. EU Information Society Commissioner Viviane Reding asked the European Regulators Group (ERG) to decide before mid February on an increase in Europe's regulatory powers which are currently limited to consultation, said a spokesperson recently, thereby confirming information in the press. The ERG will discuss the topic in Brussels on 11 January and the Commission will make proposals as part of the reform of the telecoms regulatory framework by the summer.

It is possible that "the European Commission's regulatory powers will be increased" or else an independent regulatory authority might be created with the right to "impose decisions on national regulators whose action are found to be inadequate," added the spokesperson. The Commission notes the lack of...