Brussels, 21/06/2011 (Agence Europe) - In a letter sent to Belgium on 21 June the European Commission expressed a number of concerns on a proposal by the Belgian audiovisual regulators concerning the regulation of broadcasting services in Belgium. It also raised some questions on the Belgian telecommunication regulator's proposal to regulate broadband access. The Commission is asking the Belgian regulators to take full account of market developments in both markets and to support its reasoning more with regard to the broadcasting market.
The proposals of the Belgian regulator oblige Belgacom (the historical operator) and cable operators to make it easier for alternative operators to compete in the markets for both cable and the xDSL (where data is transmitted over telephone networks). Thus Belgacom would have to give its competitors access to its broadband network (using telephone lines) and the cable operators (Telenet, Brutélé, Numéricable, Tecteo and AIESH) access to their cable network, for the final benefit of consumers who would have greater choice at lower prices. This objective is supported wholeheartedly by the commissioner responsible for the Digital Atrategy, Neelie Kroes. However, the regulators have to analyse market developments carefully and avoid imposing disproportionate obligations on market operators, as this may create unnecessary burdens and ultimately stifle investment and innovation, the Commission underlines. The Commission has therefore asked the Belgian regulators to carefully examine the competitive conditions in the markets concerned and provide further evidence for their proposed measures. The Commission's role is to oversee the details of remedies proposed by national telecoms regulators to address competition problems, so as to ensure that customers and businesses are able to benefit from a fair and competitive single EU telecoms market, and that operators have the regulatory certainty they need to operate confidently EU-wide. (I.L./transl.fl)