Telecoms: EU seeks single-day change of operator rule 

According to the commissioner, the time it takes to switch operator varies dramatically across the EU, ranging from one day in Ireland and Malta to 38 days in Poland. 

The EU executive wishes to follow up on previous successes in "empowering consumers" in the telecoms market. 

"European consumers pay 34.5% less for making phone calls and sending text messages than they did five years ago," noted Reding. 

The right to switch operator "puts pressure on telecoms companies to offer the most competitive deals," she argues. Current divergences in switching times within the European single market are "intolerable" and "distort competition", she believes. 

Reding said international experience proves that "switching phone operators – whether mobile or fixed – within a single day" is "very doable". 

"I was recently in Hong Kong," recalled the commissioner, "where consumers can switch operator while keeping their number within two hours". 

Reding added that in the context of the economic crisis, "Europe should be ambitious when it comes to empowering our consumers. Because empowered consumers are the best recipe for strong competition in the market". 

The commissioner said she would "discuss this matter very seriously this week with the European Parliament and the EU Council of Ministers". The EU executive's actions should "strengthen fair competition and the purchasing power of our citizens," she added. 

Earlier such moves by the Commission included the 'roaming regulation'. Accompanied by a widespread publicity campaign, the regulation was dismissed by mobile phone operators for being driven by a "populist agenda" (EurActiv 23/05/07).