The European Commission has told the Dutch telecom regulator Opta to ignore an appeals court ruling and lower its proposed termination rates in the Netherlands. Following an appeal by the operators, Opta was forced to amend its initial decision and notified the EC of the higher rates set by the court. In February, the EC suspended Opta's amended decision for three months, pending a review by the EU regulator Berec. The latter backed the EC's position that the rates set in the court ruling did not follow EU recommendations for the cost-based method to be used. The EC has now for the first time used its new regulatory powers to recommend Opta amend or lower the rates. In response, Opta said it would also like to see lower rates, but was bound under Dutch law by the court ruling, which is irreversible. The Dutch regulator said it aims to issue a new decision this summer.
