Who Controls Polish Transmission Masts? At the Intersection of Antitrust and Regulation

• Authors: Ewelina D. Sage
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

This paper will be devoted to the most acute point of intersection between sector specific regulation and the enforcement of competition law – a parallel scrutiny of the market position and behaviour of EMITEL TP, an incumbent infrastructure holder in the Polish broadcasting transmission field, by the national telecoms regulator and the antitrust authority. After presenting the relevant EU background, the discussion will focus on four basic factors that have influenced the relationship between antitrust and regulation in this case. The peculiarities of national legislation transposing the EU liberalisation package will be considered first, followed by the state of competition in Polish telecoms and the potential existence of prohibited market practices. Emphasis will be placed here on the use of the antitrust concept of relevant market definition in the framework of sector-specific regulation. The analysis will continue with an assessment of the differences between the two types of market intervention noted by the authorities in the context of a potential competence dispute. In conclusion, the need will be presented to shift the current focus placed on the separation of antitrust enforcement and regulation, which has made them both ineffective in achieving their purpose, towards that of their combination in order to facilitate the emergence of competition in the Polish broadcasting transmission services field.

FR

L’article concerne le point le plus aigu d’intersection entre la réglementation sectorielle et le renforcement de la loi de concurrence – le contrôle parallèle de la position sur le marche et le comportement de EMITEL TP, le propriétaire d’infrastructure dans le domaine de la radiodiffusion en Pologne, par le régulateur national des télécommunications et l’autorité chargée de la politique de concurrence. Après avoir présenté le contexte de l’UE, la discussion se concentrera sur quatre facteurs clés qui ont influencé les relations entre les politiques de concurrence et la réglementation sectorielle dans ce cas-là. Les particularités de la législation nationale transposant le train de mesures de libéralisation de l’EU seront considérées d’abord, suivies par l’état de concurrence dans les télécommunications en Pologne et l’existence potentielle des pratiques du marche interdites. L’emphase sera mise ici sur l’usage de la définition du marché en cause aux fins du droit de la concurrence, dans le cadre de la réglementation sectorielle. Dans la partie suivante, l’analyse sera centrée sur l’évaluation de la différence entre les deux types d’intervention sur le marche notés par les autorités dans le contexte d’ un conflit possible en matière de compétence. Dans la conclusion, le besoin de tourner l’attention mise actuellement sur la séparation du renforcement de la loi de concurrence et la réglementation sectorielle, qui les avait faits inefficaces en atteignant leurs objectifs, vers la combinaison de les deux, afin de faciliter l’émergence de la concurrence dans le domaine des services de radiodiffusion.

Keywords

EN

antitrust enforcement; sector specific regulation; telecoms; market 18; transmission infrastructure; ‘relevant’ market; access to infrastructure; co-operation procedures; procedural intertwining

• Publisher: Uniwersytet Warszawski. Wydział Nauk Ekonomicznych
• Journal: Yearbook of Antitrust and Regulatory Studies
• Year: 2010
• Volume: 3(3)
• Pages: 133-163

Dates

published

2010-12-01

Contributors

author

Ewelina D. Sage

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