International Business

EU Agrees on Telecom Measure: The European Commission, the executive body of the European Union, agreed on one of the final pieces of its telecommunications liberalization plan, ordering national governments to open basic phone service to competition by Jan. 1, 1998. It told EU members they must also allow new telecommunications operators to bypass state phone companies and use “alternative networks” such as those operated by utility companies to carry other telecom services by July 1. The commission agreed in principle on the new rules, which will be announced at a news conference today.