The European Commission (EC) has issued "reasoned opinions" to sixteen Member States which have failed to fully implement new European Union (EU) telecoms rules into national law, a process which should have been concluded by 25 May 2011.
Since the new rules give EU customers new rights regarding fixed telephony, mobile services and Internet access, the EC considers that consumers' rights in these 16 Member States are limited by the partial transposition of EU telecom rules.
The 16 Member States in question are: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, The Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia and Spain. Member States which do not fully implement the new laws risk referral to the EU's Court of Justice and potential financial penalties.
In Portugal's case, only the Privacy Directive is pending transposition, whereas the remaining Directives referring to electronic communications were transposed into the national legal system with the publication of Law no. 51/2011 on 13 September.
Further information:
- Digital Agenda: Commission presses 16 Member States to implement new EU telecoms rules http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/11/1429&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en
Related information on ANACOM's website:
- EC starts legal action against 20 Member States on late implementation of telecoms rules https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?contentId=1093890
- Community Framework - 2009 https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?categoryId=336176
- Amendment to the Law of Electronic Communications has been published https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?contentId=1099895
