The present Recommendation seeks: (i) to ensure a level playing field through the application of stricter non-discrimination rules; (ii) to establish predictable and stable regulated wholesale copper access prices; as well as (iii) to increase certainty on the circumstances which should lead to the non-imposition of regulated wholesale access prices for NGA services.

60. Stresses that the further opening-up of the EU road haulage market can only be acceptable if a level playing-field between transport undertakings is guaranteed and the protection of social legislation and of the working conditions of mobile workers is safeguarded in all Member States;

28. Underlines that further opening of the EU road haulage market can only be acceptable when a level playing field between transport undertakings is guaranteed and the protection of social legislation and working conditions of mobile workers is safeguarded in all Member States;

When the privatisation is carried out through a trade sale, it can similarly be assumed that no aid is involved if the following conditions are fulfilled: first, the company is sold by a competitive tender that is open to all comers, transparent and non-discriminatory; second, no conditions are attached which are not customary in comparable transactions between private parties and which may potentially reduce the sale price; third, the company is sold to the highest bidder; and fourth, bidders must be given enough time and information to carry out a proper valuation of the assets forming the basis for their bid (7).

25. Stresses the necessity to open up the network industries for competition by ensuring a level playing field and effective competition in European-wide integrated markets; in this sense, believes that public ownership in the electricity and gas markets is one of the main elements leading to distortions at the European level, and that the stimulus for competition in those markets must be further improved; is convinced that expansion, improvement and linking up European infrastructure, especially focusing on cross-border projects and interconnection between old and new Europe, should help to develop adequate conditions for substantial imp ...[+++]rovement in productivity of transport, energy and ICT sectors;

(1) The current regulatory framework for telecommunications has been successful in creating the conditions for effective competition in the telecommunications sector during the transition from monopoly to full competition.