The President of the Autorité de régulation des communications électroniques et des postes (Arcep –French Electronic and Postal Communications Regulation Authority) presents his vision of Telecommunications Regulation in favour of Network Neutrality.
A contract between Free (a French Internet Service Provider) and one of its subscribers contained a clause stipulating that access to audiovisual services was conditional upon the eligibility of the user’s telephone line for such services. The Court of Cassation deems that except in cases of force majeure, such a clause does not exempt the service provider from his strict liability to provide such services
The subject of neutrality brings to my mind a certain number of preliminary ideas and reminiscences.
First of all, the image of Buddha comes to mind, because it alone expresses the extent to which neutrality is an endless subject, since by thinking about the fact that he isn’t thinking about anything, Buddha is still thinking about something. It also makes me think of contemporary music’s constant attempts to attain a form of neutrality: yet this goal remains unattainable, because it is evident that the search for the neutral, in a sound or a timbre, can probably never be found.
FRENCH
Tout d’abord, la figure du Bouddha, qui exprime à elle seule combien la question de la neutralité est un thème sans fin, car en pensant qu’il ne pense à rien, le Bouddha pense malgré tout à quelque chose.
Il me fait penser aussi à la musique contemporaine, à son souci constant d’atteindre une forme de neutralité ; préoccupation à jamais déçue lorsqu’elle reconnaît ultimement que le neutre, en ayant toujours une qualité – un son, un timbre - est probablement introuvable.
SPANISH
El principio de los estándares de la neutralidad (el ejemplo de estándares de contabilidad)
El tema de la neutralidad trae a luz un cierto número de ideas preliminares.
Para comenzar, la figura de Buda viene a mente, porque él sólo expresa la naturaleza interminable que es el tema de la neutralidad, ya que al pensar en el hecho de que él no piensa en absolutamente nada, Buda aún así piensa en algo. También me hace pensar el intento constante de la música contemporánea de alcanzar una forma de neutralidad: pero este objetivo permanece inalcanzable, porque es evidente que la búsqueda de lo neutral, en un sonido o un timbre, probablemente nunca se podrá encontrar.
The European Commission conducted a competition inquiry on the competitiveness of European energy markets, because it believed that these markets functioned poorly, especially because they are insufficiently open to competition and their prices are too high. Proceedings were begun in December 2009 against E.ON, and were closed by this corporation’s May 4, 2010 legally-binding commitments to the European Commission to improve its competitors’ access to its natural gas transportation network. Access to transportation networks, which are essential facilities, is the heart of any regulatory system, and if access was not organized beforehand (ex ante), it can be arranged afterwards (ex post), as is the case in this affair, via an alliance between Competition Law and Contract Law, wherein the commitments take on the form of a sort of co-regulation (cf. infra brief summary)
FRENCH
Par une décision du 4 mai 2010, la Commission Européenne a accepté le les engagements proposés par la société énergétique allemande E.ON d’ouvrir davantage à ses concurrents l’accès à son réseau de transport de gaz.
La commission européenne a mené en 2007 une enquête sectorielle sur le fonctionnement concurrentiel des marchés énergétiques européens en estimant que ceux-ci fonctionnent mal, notamment puisqu’ils sont peu ouverts et leurs prix trop élevés. Une procédure ouverte en décembre 2009 contre E.ON est ici close par l’engagement de celle-ci envers la commission européenne d’ouvrir à ses concurrents son réseau de transport de gaz. L’accès au réseau de transport, facilité essentielle, est le cœur du système de régulation et s’il ne se fait pas {ex ante} il peut se faire alors {ex post}, comme on le voit dans cette affaire, par une alliance entre le droit de la concurrence et le droit du contrat, l’engagement devenant une sorte de corégulation (voir infra dans le bref commentaire).
GERMAN
Die Europäische Kommission hat am 4. Mai 2010 ein Beschluss veröffentlicht, in dem sie die Zusage des deutschen Energiekonzerns E.ON, der Konkurrenz effektiven Zugang zu seinen Gasleitungen zu öffnen, für verbindlich erklärt.
Die Europäische Kommission hat eine kartellrechtliche Untersuchung im Energiesektor durchgeführt, da sie die europäischen Energiemärkte für ineffizient hielt, vor allem aufgrund mangelnden Wettbewerbs und zu hohen Preisen.Mit dem Beschluss vom 4. Mai 2010 werden die von E.ON angebotenen Verpflichtungen, den Zugang zu den Gasnetzwerken für potentielle Konkurrenten zu öffnen, für rechtlich bindend erklärt. Zugang zu Transportnetzen, die als wesentliche Einrichtungen ({Essential Facilities}) zählen, ist zentral für jedes Regulatierungssystem. Wenn dieser Zugang nicht im Voraus ({ex ante}) organisiert ist, kann er trotzdem im Nachhinein ({ex post}) etabliert werden, wie es hier den Fall ist, durch ein Bündnis zwischen Wettbewerbsrecht und Vertragsrecht, indem das Unternehmen durch seine Verpflichtungen quasi mitregulierend wirkt (siehe unten {Brief Summary})
SPANISH
En una decisión del 4 de mayo 2010, la Comisión Europea acepta los compromisos de la corporación alemana de energía, E.ON, para mejorar el acceso de competidores a la red de transporte del gas natural.
La Comisión Europea llevó a cabo una encuesta sectorial sobre la concurrencia en los mercados europeos de energía, ya que sea cree que estos mercados no funcionan de manera eficaz, especialmente porque no son los suficientemente abiertos a la competencia y sus precios son demasiado altos. Los trámites comenzaron en diciembre del 2009 contra la E.ON y fueron cerrados por ésta ante sus compromisos vinculantes ante la Unión Europea del 4 de mayo 2010 de mejorar el acceso de competidores a la red de transporte de gas natural. El acceso a las redes de transporte, que son facilidades esenciales, se encuentra al centro de cualquier sistema regulatorio, y si el acceso no fue organizado anteriormente (ex ante), puede ser organizado posteriormente (ex post), como en este caso a través de un alianza entre la Ley de la Concurrencia y la Ley de Contrato, donde los compromisos actúan de manera ‘co-regulatoria’ (VER. Infra para resumen breve).
In May 2011, Nasdaq OMX and its partner Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) were authorized by their respective boards of directors to perform a tender offer on the stock market operator NYSE Euronext. The American Department of Justice was worried about the consequences that this operation would have on competition, and despite the remedies proposed by the two companies, notified them that it would refuse the merger. On May 16, 2011, this potential refusal was enough for Nasdaq OMX and ICE to abandon their plan. This game of signals demonstrates the power of interregulation between merger review and the regulation of tender offers.
Capital market - Competition - Concentration - Financial market - Initial Public Offering (IPO) - Regulator - Self regulation - United States *
* In The Journal of Regulation, these keywords are done by the Editor and not by the Author.
Capital market - Competition - Concentration - Financial market - Initial Public Offering (IPO) - Regulator - Self regulation - United States *
* In The Journal of Regulation, these keywords are done by the Editor and not by the Author.
ITALIAN
Relazione tematica (Finanza): Il Dipartimento di giustizia americano ha informato Nasdaq eIntercontinental Exchange che rifiuterà la loro offerta pubblica iniziale su NYSE Euronext a ragione degli effetti anticoncorrenziali e le due società hanno quindi abbandonato il progetto.
Durante il mese di maggio 2011, Nasdq OMX ed il suo partner Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) erano stati autorizzati dai propri consigli di amministrazione a fare un’offerta sull’operatore di mercato NYSE Euronext. Il dipartimento di giustizia americano era preoccupato delle conseguenze che tale operazione avrebbe avuto sulla libera concorrenza e, malgrado i provvedimenti proposti dalle due società, aveva informato le società che avrebbe rifiutato la fusione. Il 16 maggio 2011, questo potenziale rifiuto bastò a Nasdaq OMX e ICE a far abbandonare il loro progetto. Questo gioco di segnali mette in rilievo il potere dell’interregolazione tra il controllo delle concentrazioni e la regolazione delle offerte all’asta.
Autoregolazione – Concorrenza - Concentrazione – Mercato finanziario – Mercato dei capitali – Offerta Pubblica Iniziale (IPO) – Regolatore – Stati Uniti d’America *
* In The Journal of Regulation, le parole chiave sono responsabilità dell’Editore e non dall’Autore.
SPANISH
Informe temático (Finanza): El Departamento americano de justicia informó a Nasdaq y ICE que rechazó su IPO sobre el NYSE Euronext a causa de sus efectos anticompetitivos, y que las dos compañías deben por lo tanto abandonar su plan. NYSE Euronext y Deutsche Börse han decidido merge.
En mayo del 2011, Nasdaq OMX y su partidario, Interncontinental Exchange (ICE), obtuvieron la autorización por sus respectivas juntas directivas para extender una oferta en el operador del mercado de valores, NYSE Euronex. El Departamento americano de justicia comenzó a preocuparse sobre las consecuencias que esta operación tendría sobre la competencia, y a pesar de algunos remedios propuestos por las dos compoañías, notificó que rechazaría la unión. El 16 de mayo del 2011, esta rechazo potencial fue suficiente para que Nasdaq OMX y ICE abandonaran su plan. Este juego de señales demuestra el poder de la inter-regulación entre el proceso de revisión de uniones y la regulación de ofertas públicas de adquisición.
PORTUGUESE
Informe temático (Finanças): O Departamento de Justiça dos Estados Unidos da América informou Nasdaq e ICE que ele iria rejeitar o IPO em NYSE Euronext por causa de seus efeitos anti-concorrenciais, assim as duas empresas abandonaram seu plano.
Em maio de 2011, Nasdaq OMX e seu parceiro Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) foram autorizados por suas respectivas diretorias a realizar uma oferta no operador do mercado de estocagem NYSE Euronext. O Departamento de Justiça dos Estados Unidos da América ficou preocupado com as conseqüências que esta operação teria na concorrência, e apesar dos contrapesos indicados pelas duas empresas, informou que ele iria recusar a operação. Em 16 de maio de 2011, esta recusa potencial foi suficiente para Nasdaq e OMX e ICE abandonarem seu plano. Este jogo de sinais demonstra o poder da interregulação entre revisão de operações e regulação de ofertas.
The Tribunal des Conflits ruled in a May 2, 2011 decision that administrative courts have jurisdiction over examining the Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF—French Financial Markets Authority)’s liability when the facts involved are unrelated to an individual decision against a corporate plaintiff, but rather pertain to the conditions under which applications for the approval of documents relating to public issuance of shares are examined: the AMF is a legal person incorporated according to public law, and this is not a case in where jurisdiction had specifically been transferred to civil courts of law.
* In The Journal of Regulation, these keywords are done by the Editor and not by the Author.
FRENCH
Le Tribunal des conflits pose, dans un arrêt du 2 mai 2011, que le juge administratif est compétent pour connaître de la responsabilité de l’Autorité des marchés financiers, lorsque les faits reprochés ne tiennent pas à une décision individuelle visant la société demanderesse, mais aux conditions d’instructions de demande de visa de documents d’appel public à l’épargne : l’AMF est une personne morale de droit public et nous ne sommes plus dans un cas précis de transfert de compétence au bénéfice du juge judiciaire.
SPANISH
Informe Temático (Finanza): La responsabilidad del Regulador Financiero debe ser examinada por una jurisdicción administrativa cuando los hechos involucrados no conciernen estrictamente una decisión individual, el único hipótesis cuando una jurisdicción civil es legalmente competente.
El Tribunal des Conflits decidió el 2 de mayo del 2011 que las cortes administrativas tienen jurisdicción sobre la revisión de la responsabilidad de la Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF – la Autoridad francesa de los mercados financieros) cuando los hechos a mano son independientes de una decisión individual contra un demandante corporativo, sino pertenecen a las condiciones bajo las cuales la solicitud para la aprobación de documentos relacionados de acuerdo con derecho público, y esto no es un caso donde la jurisdicción haya sido específicamente transferido a cortes civiles de justicia.
The Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF- French Prudential Supervision Authority) set up a Scientific Advisory Board under the supervision of its president Gérard Rameix, who is also president of the AMF.
The Scientific Advisory Board chose ‘Financial education in the digital era’ as the theme of its annual conference, which was held on 20 June 2016 in partnership with Paris School of Economics.
The conference was opened by François Villeroy de Galhau, Governor of the Banque de France (France’s central bank). He stated that financial literacy “shall help everyone make informed decisions”. In this regard, financial literacy is a “factor for economic efficiency and social fairness”, which justifies involvement from public authorities- including, namely, the Banque de France. In partnership with both the Autorité de Contrôle Prudentiel et de Résolution (ACPR- French Prudential Supervision Authority) and the AMF, the Banque de France ought to be a “caring educator, but an attentive regulator”, as it is “imperative that financial literacy and Regulation should be taken forward jointly, as to allow for new technologies to develop, which would be understood by all and for the benefit of all”.
Three roundtables followed. The first roundtable aimed at assessing financial literacy trends and their impact on the financial behaviour of consumers and investors in Europe. The second session focused on the opportunities opened up by new technologies (upon which Fintechs, e.g., crowdfunding platforms, data aggregators and automated financial advice services are thriving) as regards financial behaviours. Lastly, the third panel discussion, which involved several French (AMF, Institut National de la Consommation- INC, French National Institute for Consumer Affairs) and European (European Commission) Regulators, draw conclusions from the first two roundtables and discussed on the issues that an increasingly digitalised financial education raises for Regulatory authorities.
Since this conference raises many crucial questions for Regulation, it is important to recall what has been said in the panel discussion on the role of Regulator with regards to financial education (I.) before sharing some thoughts on this matter of particular interest (II.).
