The 1998 Volume on the regulation of communications markets is the third in a successful series of European Competition Law Annuals,founded upon open dialogue between technical experts, market analysts and legal practitioners. Gathering together academic papers and edited transcripts of expert discussions, it offers readers a lively and informed insight into the topical debate of whether governments, or the European Union, should intervene to prevent powerful firms from abusing their control of critical 'gateways' between consumers and communication information services. The Volume examines the technical and market evolutions that have allowed the development of single communications networks, which offer consumers a variety of telephone, audio-visual and computer data services. In an era of market liberalisation, the editors and contributors ask how private ownership of such communications networks may be reconciled with the need to ensure consumers easy access to the services that underpin our, so-called, 'information society'.Table of ContentsIntroduction - Claus D. EhlermannBiographical Notes on the ParticipantsPanel One: Regulating Access to Bottlenecks1 Panel Discussion2 Working Papers - Fod Barnes, Bernard Amory and Alexandre Verheyden, Jens Arnbak, Henry Ergas, Herbert Hovenkamp, Gunter Knieps, Daniel Rubinfield and Robert Majur, Joachim Scherer, Herbert Hungerer, James VenitPanel Two: Agreements, Integration and Structural Remedies1 Panel Discussion2 Working Papers - Mark Armstrong, Donald Baker, Eleanor Fox, Barry Hawk, Colin Long, Michael Reynolds, Alexander Schaub, Klaus-Dieter Scheurle, Mario SiragusaPanel Three: Institutions and Competence1 Panel Discussion2 Working Papers - Ulrich Immenga, Stuart Brotman, Ian Forrester, Frederic Jenny, Bruno Lasserre, Santiago Martinez Lage and Helmut Brokelmann, James Rill, Mary Jean Fell, Richard Park and Sarah Bauers, Giuseppe Tesauro, Robert Verrue, Peter Waters, David Stewart and Andrew Simpson, Dieter Wolf, Dimitri YpsilantiAfterword - Louisa Gosling

This third annual offers a lively and informed insight into the topical debate of whether governments, or the EU, should intervene to prevent firms abusing their control of critical 'gateways' between consumers and communication information services.

Panel 1 regulating access to bottlenecks: panel discussion; working papers - Fod Barnes, Bernard Amory and Alexandre Verheyden, Jens Arnbak, Henry Ergas, Herbert Hovenkamp, Gunter Knieps, Daniel Rubinfeld and Robert Majur, Joachim Scherer, Herbert Unerer, James Venit. Panel 2 Agrements, integration and structural remedies: panel discussion; working papers - Mark Armstrong, Donald Baker, Eleanor Fox, Barry Hawk, Colin Long, Michael Reynolds, Alexander Schaub, Klaus-Dieter Scheurle, Marion Siragusa. Panel 3 Institutions and competence: panel discussion; working papers: Ulrich Immega, Stuart Brotman, Ian forrester, Frederic Jenny, Bruno Lasserre, Santiago Martinez lage and Helmut Brokelman, James Rill, Mary Jean Fell, Richard Park and Sarah Bauers, Giusepe Tesauro, Robert Verrue, Peter Waters, David Stewart and Andrew Simpson, Dieter Wolf, Dimitri Ypsilanti.