In line with the principles of regulatory transparency and predictability as well as the need to ensure price stability, the Commission set out a band of prices within which it anticipates the Union’s average monthly full unbundled copper local-loop rental access price (net of all taxes) to fall when the recommended costing methodology is applied.

I believe that the market should define its own prices in accordance with the basic principles of healthy competition.

1. Member States shall ensure, on the basis of their institutional organisation and with due regard to the principle of subsidiarity, that, without prejudice to paragraph 2, electricity undertakings are operated in accordance with the principles of this Directive with a view to achieving a competitive, secure and environmentally sustainable market in electricity, and shall not discriminate between these undertakings as regards either rights or obligations.

1. Member States shall ensure, on the basis of their institutional organisation and with due regard to the principle of subsidiarity, that, without prejudice to paragraph 2, natural gas undertakings are operated in accordance with the principles of this Directive with a view to achieving a competitive, secure and environmentally sustainable market in natural gas, and shall not discriminate between these undertakings as regards either rights or obligations.

30. Considers that the water supply companies should charge their customers the costs for obtaining water, safeguarding and ensuring quality, treating and storing water, supplies for peak requirements and distributing water and treating and purifying waste water in their supply area; this is appropriate and is reflected in a uniform water price for the supply area concerned, whilst it must be ensured that excessive disparities do not emerge between supply areas; treatment costs shall be carried according to the polluter pays principle ...[+++];

(7) In accordance with the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality as set out in Article 5 of the Treaty, the objectives of this Directive, namely to set out broad principles for the licensing of railway undertakings and the mutual recognition of such licences throughout the Community, cannot be sufficiently achieved by the Member States on account of the manifestly international dimension of issuing such licences and can therefore, by reason of its trans-national implications, be better achieved by the Community. This Directive does not go beyond what is necessary to achieve those objectives.