Telecoms: Commission calls on Italian regulator to comply with EU rules before changing access conditions to Telecom Italia’s network

The European Commission asked the Italian telecoms regulator (AGCOM) to notify it of the undertakings offered by Telecom Italia introducing significant changes in its internal organisation in order to ensure fair treatment of competitors. They have already been approved by AGCOM at national level. These undertakings implement an internal re-organisation of Telecom Italia and establish a special mechanism which aims to ensure non-discriminatory access for alternative operators to Telecom Italia's network. They therefore affect the ability of alternative operators to compete with Telecom Italia. Under the EU’s common telecoms rules, AGCOM is obliged to consult the Commission and other national regulators on changes that, like this one, can impact the EU's single telecoms market before implemented. The notification was necessary to achieve transparency at EU level and legal certainty in the regulatory process.