(BRUSSELS) - The European Commission dropped on Thursday a court case against Sweden after Stockholm abolished partly state-owned Boxer's monopoly in digital terrestrial broadcasting.

Europe's top competition watchdog had sued Sweden in mid-October 2006 before an EU court for failing to abolish Boxer's monopoly as required by European law.

But the commission abandoned its case after Sweden did away with the licensing system that gave Boxer the exclusive right to handle certain digital terrestrial broadcasting services.

Since July 2003, EU members are required to ensure an open market for radio and television broadcasting.

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