The European Commission has suspended plans of the Spanish telecoms regulator (CMT) to postpone by a year the introduction of cheaper mobile termination rates (MTRs). CMT planned to delay cheaper rates until January 2014, one year later than the Commission's recommended deadline. CMT has proposed to extend the transitional period for implementation by an additional year in order to protect the interests of the mobile industry in Spain. The Commission disagrees with CMT's argument that a significant reduction of prices by December 2012 would have too negative an impact on the mobile industry in Spain. The Commission believes the Spanish regulator has not shown that an extension to this deadline would be justified, in particular as the industry had since 2009 to adapt to the new MTR approach. In the letter sent to CMT, the Commission has explained that this proposal does not comply with the principles and objectives of EU telecoms rules which require member states to promote competition and the interests of consumers in the EU, as well as the development of the single market. The Spanish regulator has three months to work with the Commission and the body of European telecoms regulators Berec on a solution to this case.
