European Union will have a new telecom regulator
08.02.2010
P. Todorov
A new regulatory body of EU in telecommunications will replace the recent
European Regulators' Group (ERG). The name of the new pan-European telecommunication regulator is
Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC).
The new body will not be fully operational until 2011. This way, the member states will have time to transpose the new telecoms directives.
Around 20 to 30 people will be recruited at the office of the new structure.
It will be most probably located in Brussels but the Council of Ministers have to decide on the location of its seat.
European union (11) -- Analyses -- 2010
The EU telecom reforms
08.02.2010
P. Todorov
On November 24, EU voted on its new Telecoms Package. The document is a set of Directives that
define Europe’s future network policy. The creation of the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC) is
an important stage in the realization of the Europe's policy in this sector.
The new body includes the national regulators of the 27 member states.
There will be two-thirds majority voting on most decisions,
rather than unanimity, as it was so far in European Regulators' Group (ERG).
BEREC will give only opinions - national regulators will not be enforced to apply measures accepted at Community level.
The executive's power of the new body was increased,
but it was not given a veto over national regulators' remedies for competition problems on European markets.
The first chairperson of BEREC is John Doherty, chair of ComReg, the Irish communications regulator.
"2010 will be a very challenging year for the electronic communications sector throughout Europe. The purpose of BEREC is to ensure the consistent
application throughout the
EU of the regulatory framework for electronic communications networks and services" commented Doherty.
Bulgarian