Brussels, 05/03/2010 (Agence Europe) - On Friday 5 March, the European Commission ruled that Polish telecom regulator Urzad Komunikacji Eledktronicznej (UKE) should withdraw its plans to regulate the market for internet traffic exchange services in Poland. These services are used by internet service providers (ISP) to connect their clients to the internet. After two months of investigation, the Commission considers that UKE has not demonstrated that competition conditions in Poland warrant regulation of these markets which are not regulated elsewhere in the EU. “The Commission fully shares the objectives of the Polish regulator in seeking competitive markets, but our assessment is that regulation of these particular markets for internet traffic exchange services is not necessary to protect consumers or competition. If the market itself is able to provide for fair competition, don't disturb it with unnecessary regulations”, Neelie Kroes, Digital Agenda Commissioner, said.
Internet service providers are able to connect to the internet not only by using direct interconnection services provided by the incumbent operator in Poland, Telekomunikacja Polska (TP), but also by indirect interconnection via other operators. The Commission therefore takes the view that Polish consumers already benefit from competitive services without the need for extra regulatory burden, and that prices are falling. Furthermore, the Commission considers that, if these markets were regulated, this could injure the other operators offering transit services and discourage them from investment in network infrastructure. The Commission also refutes the way UKE has defined these internet provision traffic exchange markets. (I.L./transl.jl)