Regina v Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, ex parte British Telecommunications: ECJ 12 Dec 1996

ECJ 1 Approximation of laws – Telecommunications services – Open network provision to leased lines – Directive 92/44 – Scope – `Telecommunications organizations’ defined as bodies holding special or exclusive rights – Concept
(Council Directives 90/387, Arts 1(1) and 2(1), and 92/44, Art. 2(1); Commission Directives 90/388 and 94/46, Art. 2)
2 Approximation of laws – Telecommunications services – Open network provision to leased lines – Directive 92/44 – Bodies holding special or exclusive rights – Identification – Fact of having been the subject of a notification made pursuant to the second subparagraph of Article 2(1) of Directive 90/387 – Holding of an operating licence required by national law but granted on a non-discriminatory basis – Enjoyment of special prerogatives granted on a non-discriminatory basis permitting telecommunications networks to be set up – Irrelevant (Council Directives 90/387, Art. 2(1), second subpara., and 92/44)
3 Approximation of laws – Telecommunications services – Open network provision to leased lines – Directive 92/44 – Bodies holding special or exclusive rights – Concept – Undertakings with exclusive responsibility for operating international lines – Undertaking responsible for the exclusive operation of a public telecommunications network covering part of the country – Included (Council Directives 90/387, Art. 2(1) and 92/44)
4 Approximation of laws – Telecommunications services – Open network provision to leased lines – Directive 92/44 – Obligation to provide a minimum set of leased lines imposed by a Member State only on certain telecommunications organizations – Whether permissible – Conditions
(Council Directive 92/44, Art. 7)
5 Community law – Principles – Proportionality – Obligation referred to in Directive 92/44 to provide, irrespective of whether there is an actual demand, a certain number of lines complying with certain technical characteristics – Breach – None

Citations:

C-302/94, [1996] EUECJ C-302/94

Links:

Bailii

Jurisdiction:

European

European, Utilities

Updated: 04 November 2022; Ref: scu.161462