Brssels, 30/11/2009 (Agence Europe) - In a letter just sent, the European Commission welcomed the proposal of the Lithuanian regulatory authority for telecommunications, Ryðiø reguliavimo tarnyba (RRT), to decrease mobile termination rates (MTRs) in Lithuania by around 60% in the coming two years. MTRs are the wholesale prices which mobile operators charge for terminating calls on their respective networks. As a result of RRT's proposal, mobile termination rates in Lithuania will be amongst the lowest in the EU. In addition, as from 31 December 2012 at the latest, RRT plans to set MTRs at the level of the cost of an efficient operator, based on a cost model in line with the Commission's Recommendation on Termination Rates of 7 May 2009. However, RRT wanted to reserve the possibility to introduce a transitional period until July 2014 prior to reaching efficient termination rates. The Commission's letter stresses that no such additional transitional period should be granted. The Commission also reminded RRT that the obligation for operators to grant access to their respective networks to competitors is unilateral and unconditional. (O.L./transl.fl)