BRUSSELS -- The European Commission on Wednesday took the German government to court over a law that will allow Deutsche Telekom to block rivals from using its ultra-fast broadband network.
The European Union's antitrust regulator filed suit over the €3 billion ($4 billion) high-speed Internet network at the EU's highest court, the Luxembourg-based European Court of Justice.
EU media and information society commissioner Viviane Reding said she has repeatedly warned Berlin without success that the law -- which came into effect in February -- broke EU telecom rules.
"We want to ensure that Germany can benefit from a healthy, competitive and fully functioning market and encourage both competition and investment in broadband markets," she said. "This is why we have decided today to go to court."
German Economy Minister Michael Glos has said the protection is needed to ensure Deutsche Telekom's returns from the huge investment in building the network, which is intended to provide a vehicle for such services as Internet TV.
The European Union's antitrust regulator filed suit over the €3 billion ($4 billion) high-speed Internet network at the EU's highest court, the Luxembourg-based European Court of Justice.
EU media and information society commissioner Viviane Reding said she has repeatedly warned Berlin without success that the law -- which came into effect in February -- broke EU telecom rules.
"We want to ensure that Germany can benefit from a healthy, competitive and fully functioning market and encourage both competition and investment in broadband markets," she said. "This is why we have decided today to go to court."
German Economy Minister Michael Glos has said the protection is needed to ensure Deutsche Telekom's returns from the huge investment in building the network, which is intended to provide a vehicle for such services as Internet TV.
- 6/28/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
BRUSSELS -- The European Commission on Monday launched a "fast track" action at the European Union's highest court against the German government over a new law that will exempt Deutsche Telekom's ultra-fast broadband network from competition.
Aimed at hauling the German government before the European Court of Justice in the shortest possible time, the infringement process gives Berlin just 15 days to respond to a commission letter on the issue, a far shorter period than the usual two-month window granted to governments.
The law, which came into effect Saturday, restricts competitors' access to Deutsche Telekom's €3 billion ($4 billion) high-speed Internet network that is intended to provide a vehicle for services such as Internet TV. German Economy Minister Michael Glos said the protection is needed to ensure Deutsche Telekom's returns from the huge investment in building the network.
But the decision has generated a furious response from the EC.
"I regret that Germany has chosen to ignore the commission's concerns about this new telecom law despite several clear warnings from the commission," EU Media and Telecoms Commissioner Viviane Reding said.
Aimed at hauling the German government before the European Court of Justice in the shortest possible time, the infringement process gives Berlin just 15 days to respond to a commission letter on the issue, a far shorter period than the usual two-month window granted to governments.
The law, which came into effect Saturday, restricts competitors' access to Deutsche Telekom's €3 billion ($4 billion) high-speed Internet network that is intended to provide a vehicle for services such as Internet TV. German Economy Minister Michael Glos said the protection is needed to ensure Deutsche Telekom's returns from the huge investment in building the network.
But the decision has generated a furious response from the EC.
"I regret that Germany has chosen to ignore the commission's concerns about this new telecom law despite several clear warnings from the commission," EU Media and Telecoms Commissioner Viviane Reding said.
- 2/27/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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