The European Competitive Telecommunications Association (ECTA) released on 11 December the Regulatory Scorecard 2006 report. This publication aims to evaluate the level of effectiveness of seventeen of the European Union (EU) Member States regarding the promotion of investment and competition in the electronic communications sector. One of the main ideas stemming from this report is the importance of governments’ and national regulatory authorities’ action and commitment in creating a framework favouring competition in the electronic communications sector.
The report underlines the fact that, since the current electronic communications framework has not yet been fully implemented in several Member States, consumers continue to pay excessive prices for the services and have access to limited services in many countries. The countries on the top of the ranking - United Kingdom (1st), Denmark (2nd) and France (3rd) - and which have favoured reforms leading to increasing competition, have a greater variety of telecommunications offers, as well as higher rates of growth and investment in the sector. Contrarily, countries on the bottom of this raking - Poland (17th), Greece (16th) and Germany (15th) - continue to struggle to reach an environment that favours competition in the sector, which has had a negative impact, both for consumers and the corporate fabric.
According to the report, Portugal, which ranks 10th, has the most favourable environment for electronic communications services specially aimed at companies, together with the United Kingdom, Netherlands and France, which is a key factor in economic growth. On the other hand, the report underlines that in Portugal, such as in Spain and Greece, regulatory entities have effective powers to enforce their decisions, which does not happen in several countries.
This year’s report was based on ninety seven criteria selected according to the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) and EU’s rules and guidelines. The three main elements of the analysis were the institutional framework, including the regulatory authorities’ independence, the general market access conditions, regarding the fair price principles and the non-discrimination rules, and the effective application of the electronic communications regulatory framework.
Consult:
- Regulatory Scorecard 2006, ECTA, December 2006 https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?contentId=440868
Further information:
- Benchmark telecoms study shows Europe still a patchwork picture of liberalisation http://www.ectaportal.com/en/upload/File/Regulatory%20Scorecards/Press%20Release%20Regulatory%20scorecard%2011%2012%2006.pdf
- ECTA-European Competitive Telecommunications Association (home page) http://www.ectaportal.com/
Related information on ANACOM's website:
- ECTA releases Regulatory Scorecard 2005 https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?contentId=319234
- Electronic communications - regulatory framework https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?categoryId=60209
