On 14 March 2013 the Communications Regulation Commission (CRC) adopted a final decision on the analysis of the Market for access to the public telephone network at a fixed location for residential and non-residential customers, the Market for publicly available national telephone services provided at a fixed location for residential and non-residential customers and the Market for publicly available international telephone services provided at a fixed location for residential and non-residential customers in accordance with the EU regulatory framework.

 

CRC’s final decision takes into account the public consultation carried out with the stakeholders, the opinion of the Commission for protection of competition and the recommendations of the European Commission (EC) submitted following the notification of the relevant markets.

 

The results of the analysis showed that the Market for access to the public telephone network at a fixed location for residential and non-residential customers, the Market for publicly available national telephone services provided at a fixed location for residential and non-residential customers and the Market for publicly available international telephone services provided at a fixed location for residential and non-residential customers are subject to ex-ante regulation, as effective competition does not exist in the relevant markets due to the presence of an undertaking with significant power on these markets.

 

CRC designated “Bulgarian Telecommunications Company” AD (BTC) as an undertaking with significant power on the analysed markets.

 

The remedies imposed on the undertaking with significant power on the relevant markets aim at overcoming the market failures, related to the presence of an undertaking with significant power on the retail markets for access to the public telephone network and publicly available telephone services provided at a fixed location to the detriment of the competitors, and in view of ensuring consumers’ interests.

 

With the adoption of CRC’s final decision the regulatory measures are immediately enforceable.

 

The final decision, the market analysis and the summary of the results from the public consultations with Commission for protection of competition and EC are available under the “Market regulation – electronic communications” section.