Press Release: State aid: the procedure for awarding France’s fourth 3G mobile phone licence did not involve state aid

The European Commission has ruled that the procedure for awarding France's fourth 3G mobile phone licence in 2009 did not involve any state aid under the EU rules. In the Commission's view, the award was made by way of a transparent and open procedure in accordance with European Union regulations and resulted in a competitive outcome. The Commission has therefore rejected the complaints filed by the three mobile phone operators currently active in the French market.