Latvia to pay EUR 300,000 fine to EC for non-compliance with EP directive on electronic communications

RIGA - Latvia will have to pay a fine of EUR 300,000 to the European Commission (EC) for non-compliance with a Council of Europe directive in the field of electronic communications, LETA learned from the Court of Justice of the European Union.

The EC brought the action against Latvia on July 8,  2022, for non-compliance with the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. The EC asked the court to declare that, by failing to adopt all the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with Article 124(1) of the Directive establishing a European Electronic Communications Code or, in any event, by failing to notify those provisions to the EC, Latvia had failed to fulfil its obligations under the Directive.

The EC pointed out that Member States must adopt the provisions necessary to transpose the directives into national law within the period prescribed by those directives and notify them to the EC without delay.

The objective of the Directive is to achieve an internal market in electronic communications networks and services that leads to the deployment and take-up of very high performance networks, sustainable competition, interoperability of electronic communications services, affordability, security of networks and services and benefits for the end-user.

The Directive also aims to ensure quality, affordable, publicly available services throughout the European Union through full competition and choice, to address market failure to meet the needs of end-users, including disabled end-users, to access services on an equal basis with others, and to define the necessary end-user rights.