EU 'vigilant' about possible protectionism on Telecom Italia

0 Comments | AFP, April, 2007

BRUSSELS (AFP) — EU Telecoms Commissioner Viviane Reding has urged her colleagues to be on the look out for "protectionist pressures" on Telecom Italia, according to a letter obtained by AFP Thursday.

"I am convinced that we need to remain vigilant," Reding wrote in the letter to Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes, Internal Market Commissioner Charlie McCreevy, Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs and European Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso.

"Indeed, this episode shows that there are still protectionist pressures in member states that affect the telecommunications sector as well as the other strategic economic sectors," she added.

The letter, which was first reported on Thursday by the Financial Times, was sent on Monday.

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