Brussels, 23/10/2006 (Agence Europe) - The European Ombudsman P. Nikiforos Diamandouros has opened an investigation into a complaint made by the German mobile telephone operator O2. The company alleges that the European Commission failed to grant it proper rights of defence during a sectoral investigation opened six years ago concerning roaming service charges invoiced by certain operators. The Ombudsman is requesting that the Commission responds to the company's allegations before 31 December. Following a sectoral investigation in 2000, the Commission decided in March 2001 to open proceedings against the operators T-Mobile, Vodafone and O2. In a letter sent to O2 in July 2004, the Commission criticised the company for abuse of dominant position on the roaming service market by charging excessive fees. According to O2, the Commission did not respect its right of defence by failing to provide access to files and information as well as for failing to allow for a reasonable timeframe for responding to allegations. The Ombudsman points out that the opening of an investigation following a complaint does not mean that the allegations of the complainant are justified. (il)