The GSMA (global trade association representing more than 750 GSM mobile phone operators across 218 territories) recently released data  showing that a 25% decrease in data roaming costs between April 2007 and April 2008 increased consumer usage by 75% (a price/demand elasticity that virtually any other industry should covet). So why exactly are these same mobile operators grumbling about an EU mandated cut in roaming data charges? (more…)

EU telecoms commissioner Viviane Reding today unveiled a new set of recommendations that could see mobile interconnection fees - the fees charged by mobile operators to handle each others calls - cut by as much as 70 percent. The new guidelines, planned to be phased in by 2011, aim to set mobile and fixed-line termination rates at around euro0.015 to euro0.025 per minute. This compares to current rates of around euro0.05 per minute for fixed-line and euro0.09 for mobile, depending on the EU state in question. While the proposals do not put a cap on fees, they set out the charges that can and cannot be included. The European Commission plans to formally adopt the guidelines in the autumn. (more…)

European Commission wrote to Romania’s government to request more information about state subsidies offered for a plant operated by mobile phone maker Nokia. This came after romanian government was forced to abandon a similar aid offered to Ford to buy a car factory here. This kind of aid seems like an official policy, altrough EU does not allow it.

It’s a record- 899 million dollars fine from European Union. Monnpnly stuff.

(BRUSSELS, EUBusiness.com) - EU newcomers Bulgaria and Romania are failing to deliver “convincing results” in cracking down on corruption and are running the risk of sanctions, the European Commission warned Monday. A little over a year since the Balkan states joined the European union on January 1, 2007, the bloc’s executive arm said, in separate reports, that they had made progress in some areas but more needed to be done. (more…)

It’s nice to know that some illegal practices are at least verified and maybe punished, altrough legal measures cannot always compensate thea real damages done to the industry. Well, European Union announced today they are reopening Microsoft investigation, this time for browsers. The last fine for Microsoft was for Windows Media Player, if I remember it well. (more…)

Inspite great setbacks, European Union approuved more public fund for Galileo satellite system, rival to american technology GPS (Global Positioning System). Read here.