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Law
Competition Policy

Sector inquiry into local loop

Access to the last mile of telephone lines into European homes or, as specialists say, the unbundling of the local loop (ULL), is essential to develop competition for the benefit of consumers and put broadband Internet within the reach of citizens.

Unbundling of the local loop, either in the form of full unbundling or of shared access, was mandated by a European Regulation of December 2000 and subsequently extended to the whole EEA area.

As competition law applies irrespective of the regulatory tool, the Commission and the EFTA Surveillance Authority decided in July 1999, in the framework of their respective competition powers, to launch a sector enquiry on local loop unbundling.

Study (May 2004)

Pricing methodologies for unbundled access to the local loop (May 2004)

This study  was a follow-up of the European Commission and the EFTA Surveillance Authority sector enquiry to review the competitive situation in the local loop in the European Economic Area (EEA). The study was carried out by Europe Economics for the European Commission.

Final report (3 March 2002)

Legal study on part II of the local loop sectoral inquiry . This study was carried out by Squire Sanders for the European Commission and the EFTA Surveillance Authority. (February 2002)
Annexes  to the legal study:

  • Annex 1: Questionnaire to operators (new entrants)
  • Annex 2: Glossary of terms
  • Annex 3: Particular problems identified by access seekers
  • Annex 4: EEA State reports
  • Annex 5: LLU Services Offered Across the EEA States
  • Annex 6: Number of Responses to the Questionnaire

For a short overview read the press release: "Slow progress in unbundling of the local loop: Commission publishes report on sector enquiry", IP/02/348, 01.03.2002.

Public hearing (8 July 2002)

Agenda 
Introduction
Industry views on local loop unbundling- the new entrants
Industry views on local loop unbundling- the incumbents
Infrastructure-based competition
Price distortions
The principle of non-discrimination

Press release: Unbundling of the local loop: Commission calls public hearing. IP/02/849, 12.06.2002

Opening of the inquiry (2000)