EU's Kroes Mulls Ceilings On Roaming Phone Charges

BRUSSELS -(Dow Jones)- European Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes Tuesday said she may consider imposing ceilings on the 'roaming' charges of mobile phone operators but ruled out creating fixed roaming-service charges across Europe.

Speaking at a European Parliament committee meeting dealing with internal market and consumer protection affairs, Kroes also said she has written a letter to Slovakia, requesting information about reports the Slovak government offered a EUR53 million state-aid package to carmaker Peugeot-Citroen to set up production locally.

The aid package is reported to have helped lure the carmaker away from the UK, where it recently closed operations.

"There are reports in the press of aid and we've written to the Slovak authorities to request more information," Kroes said.

If Slovakia acknowledges the aid package, Brussels regulators must check if the package can be allowed under European competition rules.

-By John Miller, Dow Jones Newswires; +32-2-741-1483; john.miller@dowjones.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires "

Posted to the site on 2nd May 2006