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EU told to back Telecom Italia in Argentina
28 January 2010
A lobby organisation of European telecoms operators has been urged to support Telecom Italia, which has been ordered to sell its stake in Telecom Argentina
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ETNO
European Commission
Telecom Argentina
Telecom Italia
Telefónica
The European Telecommunications Network Operators’ Association is asking the European Commission to intervene in a dispute between Telecom Italia and Argentina. Telecom Italia has been ordered by Argentina’s antitrust commission to sell its stake in Telecom Argentina.
The Argentine commission said the domestic telecom market became a monopoly after Spain’s Telefonica acquired a minority stake in Telecom Italia.
ETNO director Michael Bartholomew has written to the European Commission, arguing that the order is “illogical” as Telefónica holds only an indirect minority stake in Telecom Italia of around 10%.
Telecom Italia has been given an August 25 deadline to sell its stake in Telecom Argentina by the country’s National Antitrust Commission. ETNO has asked the commission to take all possible action to clarify that a safe and reliable legal and political framework is a fundamental condition for all existing and future European investment in Argentina. GTB