Christian Hocepied will discuss the decisive role of the European Commission in giving the consumer the freedom to choose his or her telephone operator. He will begin his talk with a history of the liberalisation of the telecommunications sector, which went faster than the opening of other network industries. He will then explain the current EU regulation applicable to the sector and how the current framework avoids over-regulation of the industry by national authorities. The impact of the liberalisation is impressive. At the same time, the liberalisation of the sector contributed to a better provision of public services obligations. The experience in the telecommunications sector shows that the fears of certain opponents to the draft services directive are unfounded: liberalisation goes hand in hand with more choice and better services for the weakest consumers.

The speaker will explain what can be learned from the telecoms experience. He will in particular highlight the main factors of a successful liberalisation of a network industry: equivalence of access for market entrants and the availability of speedy dispute settlements.

Christian Hocepied is head of the sector 'Liberalization Directives, Article 86' within the 'Telecommunications, posts and coordination of the information Society' unit of DG Competition of the European Commission in Brussels (Belgium). He is a specialist in the application of the EC competition law to the telecommunications sector and in particular to State measures. In DG Competition, he is coordinating infringement proceedings against Member States in this area.

He has been extensively involved in the drafting of the new regulatory framework and in particular as regards the original approach aimed at combining the application of sector specific regulation with horizontal competition law. He was in charge of the preparation of the launch of the sector inquiry in the telecommunications sector in 1999 in the three areas retained: leased lines, international roaming and local loop.

Mr. Hocepied has lectured to explain his area of practice to various audiences in several EU Member States.

Prior to joining the Commission in 1985, Mr. Hocepied was an official with the Belgian Senate and the Belgian Court of Public Auditors. He earned his licence in "Sciences commerciales et consulaires" in 1983 from HEC Brussels, his MBA in 1981 from Vlerick school - Gent, his Law degree in 1980 from the Gent State University.

Date
Wednesday 09 November 2005

Schedule
19h00: Beer and Pizza
19h30: Speaker

Location
Centre for the New Europe
23 rue du Luxembourg
1000 Brussels

The CNE Political Advisers Forum is Brussels' leading venue for "free beer, free pizza and free trade". It also provides an environment for like-minded PAs to meet and network.

Space is limited, so please notify
Cécile Philippe
if you'll be coming this month!