The new National Commission of Markets and Competition is born

Since the beginning of October, the Telecommunications Market Commission (CMT) has become part of the National Commission of Markets and Competition (CNMC), a new “super-regulator” that integrates the CMT’s expertise and that of six other supervisory bodies: the National Energy Commission (CNE), the National Competition Commission (CNC), the Rail Regulation Committee, the National Postal Industry Commission (CNSP), the Airport Economic Regulation Commission (CREA) and the State Council for Audiovisual Media (CEMA).

The body will have four general directorates: Competition, Telecommunications and Audiovisual Sector, Energy and Transport, and Postal Services. In turn, each department will have its respective general sub-directorates. The implementation of this body means a saving of €28 million, slashing managerial costs by between 35-40%, according to government figures.

The CNMC will be “independent”, but will be attached to the Ministry of Finance with its headquarters in Madrid. Chaired by José María Marín, director of the Bank of Spain (Banco de España), the body will also have a vice-president and 8 board members. Therefore, the number of directors will decrease from the current total of 50 to just 10.

The Telecommunications Market Commission (CMT), which has just rolled out a new statistics website called CMTDATA, will keep its headquarters in the building inaugurated just three years ago in Barcelona. The body was formed in 1996 during the process of liberalisation in the telecommunications sector, and its functions include establishing and supervising the obligations required of telecommunications market operators, promoting competition in audiovisual sector markets, and resolving disputes between operators.