site.btaGovernment Proposes Effective Penalties for Breach of EU Roaming Rules

Government Proposes
Effective Penalties for Breach
of EU Roaming Rules


Sofia, January 7 (BTA) - Bulgaria's Council of Ministers on
Wednesday approved a bill to amend and supplement the Electronic
Communications Act, which is aimed to introduce effective penal
sanctions for breach of Regulation (EU) No 531/2012 on roaming
on public mobile communications networks within the Union.

The bill reflects the commitment of Bulgaria, as an EU member
state, to adopt measures to implement the Regulation. It seeks
to remove inconsistencies with EU law in the field of electronic
communications and proposes changes concerning the penalties
imposed by the national regulatory authority.

The bill proposes effective, proportionate, and deterrent penal
sanctions for violations of the Regulation. The size of the
proposed fines, ranging from 10,000 to 2 million leva, is
intended to have a deterrent effect, considering the importance
of developing a common mobile area in Europe and protecting
consumer interests.

The draft amendments will allow the Communications Regulation
Commission to require non-compliant enterprises to comply
immediately or within a reasonable deadline. This will be done
after the enterprise is given a chance to state its position.
The Commission will issue mandatory instructions about remedying
non-compliance and/or its effects and bringing the enterprise
in line with relevant requirements. PK/VE


/СН/