Optimale Marktstrukturregulierung in der Telekommunikation

On January 1, 1998, the telecommunications markets were fully liberalised in most EU countries. The goal of liberalisation is to realise innovation potentials and to overcome the fragmentation of EU communication markets. This study develops a framework which allows to identify the market structures which are the best suited to achieve these goals. The model draws on the economic literature on standardisation to analyse the experience of the US and other countries.
On the basis of this market model the EU telecommunications regulatory framework is evaluated. Inefficiencies are identified which are due to an overemphasis of industry policy at the EU level (e.g. subsidies and ONP policy) and to the fact that the European Commission does not have the necessary power to impose legislation. The author concludes that it would be desirable to have an independent regulatory authority at the EU-level possessing the necessary statutory powers to regulate EU-wide markets effectively.
The author was a regulatory consultant in communications from 1991 to 1993. Since 1994 he has been working as Network Planner for GlobalOne.