Information Notice - Response to DG Competition Consultation on Empowering National Competition Authorities to be more Effective

The Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg), through the exercise of its ex ante regulatory role, seeks to create the conditions necessary for competition to develop by establishing the framework under which service providers may enter and operate within electronic communications markets. In parallel with this role and following legislative changes in 2007, ComReg also shares responsibility with the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) for investigating breaches of competition law in the electronic communications sector on an ex post basis. Further details in relation to ComReg’s competition law role and functions are available in the published 2010 Information Notice1. The European Commission, through the Directorate General (DG) for Competition, recently consulted with stakeholders on how to empower national competition authorities (NCAs) to be more effective enforcers of competition law2. In doing so, via a questionnaire DG Competition invited interested parties to share their experience and provide feedback on potential EU legislative actions to further strengthen the enforcement and sanctioning tools of NCAs. A copy of ComReg’s response is set out in Appendix A of this Information Notice.

The Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg), through the exercise of its ex ante regulatory role, seeks to create the conditions necessary for competition to develop by establishing the framework under which service providers may enter and operate within electronic communications markets. In parallel with this role and following legislative changes in 2007, ComReg also shares responsibility with the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) for investigating breaches of competition law in the electronic communications sector on an ex post basis. Further details in relation to ComReg’s competition law role and functions are available in the published 2010 Information Notice1. The European Commission, through the Directorate General (DG) for Competition, recently consulted with stakeholders on how to empower national competition authorities (NCAs) to be more effective enforcers of competition law2. In doing so, via a questionnaire DG Competition invited interested parties to share their experience and provide feedback on potential EU legislative actions to further strengthen the enforcement and sanctioning tools of NCAs. A copy of ComReg’s response is set out in Appendix A of this Information Notice.