The European Ombudsman is investigating claims that the EC violat...
The European Ombudsman is investigating claims that the EC violated O2’s right to defend itself against antitrust charges, the office said Mon. The Commission began looking into complaints about excessive mobile roaming charges in 2000; in 2004 it charged…
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O2 with abusing a dominant market position. The mobile operator accused the EC of hampering its defense by not granting proper access to files and data, by failing to allow a reasonable time for O2 to respond to the allegations and by infringing the company’s right to be heard in the case. The ombudsman will decide if the EC committed maladministration. The Commission, which has until Dec. 31 to respond to the complaint, doesn’t think the allegations are well-founded, because “we have scrupulously respected their rights of defense,” a spokesman said Mon. The Competition Directorate General has a hearing officer whose role is to ensure that, he said.