EC to examine dismissal grounds for Romanian telecomm regulator president

After the dismissal of Dan Georgescu, president of the National Telecomm Regulation authority in Romania, the European Commission has an eye on the evolution of this market in Romania. HotNews.ro and other media reporters found out that the new president, Dorin-Liviu Nistoran, named on August 21, is involved in several companies active on the telecomm market, a fact that may affect his impartiality.

Asked by HotNews.ro for an opinion on the latest evolutions, the European Commission’s Spokesman for Telecommunications, Martin Selmayr, answered that the Commission will analyze the grounds for the dismissal of the former president and the impartiality of the new one.

The letter addressed by Selmayr to HotNews.ro:

„Please understand that it is nor for the Commission to comment on a specific appointment of the head of a national authority.

However, on a more general level, the Commission follows closely the implementation in all Member States of the EU telecoms rules, in order to ensure compliance with the EU law.

The Commission has always stressed the importance independent national regulators in order to guarantee effective and fair regulation in the interests of competition and consumer benefits. The Commission has made this very clear also in its exchange of correspondence with the Romanian authorities on the draft „law on the organisation and functionning of the NRA” that is still under discussion. We have done so also with regard to other EU Member States when considered necessary, and we even had to start formal infringement proceedings against Poland and Luxembourg because of a lack of independence of the national regulator.

The Commission will therefore examine carefully the recent developments in Romania. This includes the grounds for dismissal and the impartiality of the regulator ANRCTI”.