EU competition law prevents individual countries from giving financial aid to their national organisations, of which the public service broadcaster is one of the UK's.
Johnson was speaking yesterday in a debate in the House of Commons on the creation of the new super communications regulator, which forms part of the communications bill. He suggested that the BBC's "gentle approach to matters such as the single European currency and Europe generally may or not be linked to some deep cultural awareness that they depend for their very existence on the leniency of Brussels".
He added that many of the things the BBC does are not in line with EU rules on state aid. He said the corporation gave "flagrant plugs" for its commercial operations that are in direct competition with other privately owned brands.
Based on these grounds, Johnson said that it is "unfair and absolutely absurd that these serious competition questions should not fall within the scope of Ofcom".
He said that although he did want the BBC to be abolished or privatised, "it's difficult to see how any sensible decisions can be taken about competition when the BBC falls outside [Ofcom's] purview".
Ofcom, which is being proposed as part of the new communications bill, is set to replace the current line-up of five UK broadcasting and communications regulators: the Broadcasting Standards Commission, the Independent Television Commission, the Office of Telecommunications (Oftel), the Radio Authority and the Radiocommunications Agency.
However, in its current format it will have no powers over the BBC, which will continue to be run by its board of governors.
The Labour government wants the new regulator to help Britain compete in the fast-changing world of communications, but the Tories argue that the proposals have been badly thought out and under-debated.
Earlier yesterday, shadow culture secretary Yeo accused the government of failing to address the key issues, including the digital switch-over and the relaxation of media ownership rules.
While Ofcom is being established now, it will not begin operations until the end of 2003 after the government introduces new regulations in a separate communications bill, which has yet to be published.
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