APPLICATIONOF ADMINISTRATIVELAW TOPRIVATZATIONS 7.3 Assignments OPTA was primarily charged with ensuring the transfomation of the telecommunication market from a monopolised market into a market featuring Also the supervision on the legality of the actions of the companies, as far as the telecommunication and post legislation and privacy regulations are concemed,is assigned to the OPTA. The man duties and powers ensuing from the aforementioned legislation are as follows designation of prov iders with significant market power, settlement of disputes between providers issuing various types of telephone numbers privacy protection; regulating the postalconcession n a close relation with these tasks the assignment to ma inta in the European rules regarding non-discrimination, transparency and tariffs can be seen. The fulfilment of these tasks is carried out in co-operation with the Dutch Authority for open As a specal assignment, linked with the characteristics of the market, are the resolutions of conflicts conceming the interconnection of networks of the telecom viders. A ruling of the OPTA in this respect can be contested before the dm inistrative law courts Another specal assignment is the issuing of ordinary telephone numbers as well as information numbers. It does so on the basis of number plans outlining the intended use of telephone numbers. OPTA maintains a public issue register available for inspection by the general public, and which shows which num bers have been issued and which remain availa ble 7.4 Powers To enable the OPtA to perform in this field, several powers are entrusted, as asking for information and gaining access to documentation developing proceduralrules in the event of disputes between providers; inquiring and call for co-operation im posing fines, maximum 500000euro cancellation of issued num bers The changing of the market itself is achieved in phases. Gradually the monopoly osition of the state is changed into an open market. The beginning of the operation can be placed in 1989. A part of the market was then libera lised. Step by step all phases are passed and finally the ast phase might be reached: an effective market ndercerta in rules and supervision of the oPtaAPPLICATION OF ADMINISTRATIVE LAW TO PRIVATIZATIONS 15 7.3 Assignments OPTA was primarily charged with ensuring the transformation of the telecommunication market from a monopolised market into a market featuring competition. Also the supervision on the legality of the actions of the companies, as far as the telecommunication and post legislation and privacy regulations are concerned, is assigned to the OPTA. The main duties and powers ensuing from the aforementioned legislation are as follows: - designation of providers with significant market power; - settlement of disputes between providers; - interconnection and end user tariffs; - issuing various types of telephone numbers; - privacy protection; - regulating the postal concession. In a close relation with these tasks the assignment to maintain the European rules regarding non-discrimination, transparency and tariffs can be seen. The fulfilment of these tasks is carried out in co-operation with the Dutch Authority for open competition. As a special assignment, linked with the characteristics of the market, are the resolutions of conflicts concerning the interconnection of networks of the telecom providers. A ruling of the OPTA in this respect can be contested before the administrative law courts. Another special assignment is the issuing of ordinary telephone numbers as well as information numbers. It does so on the basis of number plans outlining the intended use of telephone numbers. OPTA maintains a public issue register available for inspection by the general public, and which shows which numbers have been issued and which remain available. 7.4 Powers To enable the OPTA to perform in this field, several powers are entrusted, as: - asking for information and gaining access to documentation; - developing procedural rules in the event of disputes between providers; - inquiring and call for co-operation; - imposing fines, maximum 500.000 euro; - imposing enforcement orders; - cancellation of issued numbers. 7.5 Process The changing of the market itself is achieved in phases. Gradually the monopoly position of the state is changed into an open market. The beginning of the operation can be placed in 1989. A part of the market was then libera lised. Step by step all phases are passed and finally the last phase might be reached: an effective market under certain rules and supervision of the OPTA