The Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC)

 

SUMMARY OF:

Regulation (EU) 2018/1971 establishing the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC) and the Agency for Support for BEREC (BEREC Office)

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE REGULATION?

• It establishes the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC) and its support agency (BEREC Office), replacing and succeeding the original organisations of the same name established under the 2009 Telecom Reform package by Regulation (EC) No 1211/2009.
• It sets out the new revised tasks for BEREC aiming to create an internal market for electronic communications within the EU while ensuring a high level of investment, innovation and consumer protection through increased competition.

KEY POINTS

BEREC general objectives

National regulatory authorities (NRAs) and other competent authorities as well as BEREC, the Commission and EU countries have the following general objectives in following the European Electronic Communications Code agenda:

• promoting connectivity and very high capacity networks, including fixed, mobile and wireless networks, for all EU citizens and businesses, by
  • enabling maximum benefits in terms of choice, price and quality through effective competition
  • maintaining networks and services security
  • ensuring protection for customers through specific rules and
  • addressing the needs of specific social groups, in particular customers with disabilities or special social needs and elderly customers, and ensuring equivalent choice and access for customers with disabilities;
• promoting competition in providing electronic communications networks and services, including efficient infrastructure-based competition;
• contributing to the development of the internal market for electronic communications networks and services in the EU, by developing common rules and predictable regulation featuring
  • an effective use of radio spectrum
  • open innovation
  • the development of trans-European networks
  • the availability and interoperability of Europe-wide services and
  • end-to-end connectivity.

BEREC’s regulatory tasks include:

• assisting and advising the NRAs, and EU bodies on technical aspects of electronic communications;
• assisting and advising the European Commission upon request, including in preparing legislative proposals in the sector;
• issuing opinions, in particular on
  • the resolution of disputes between EU countries
  • draft national market regulation measures
  • draft decisions and recommendations on harmonisation and
  • the determination of maximum EU-wide voice call rates;
• issuing guidelines on implementing the EU’s regulatory framework for electronic communications on
  • the consistent implementation of geographical surveys and forecasts
  • access and interconnection issues to facilitate competition between operators, e.g. by regulation, as well as specific regulatory treatment co-investment in very high capacity networks
  • service quality and measurement methods
  • implementing NRA obligations as regards open internet access
  • implementing the maximum EU-wide charges for international calls on the one hand and on ‘roaming like at home’ on the other
  • how to assess the effectiveness of public warning systems;
• BEREC will also need to support the Commission in the implementation of the contract summary template.

BEREC Office tasks include:

• providing professional and administrative support services to BEREC;
• collecting and sharing information from NRAs about the regulatory tasks assigned to BEREC;
• disseminating regulatory best practices among NRAs, in order to encourage consistent and better implementation of the regulatory framework for electronic communications;
• producing regular draft reports on specific aspects of developments in the European electronic communications market, such as roaming and benchmarking;
• assisting BEREC in setting up and maintaining registries and databases and an information and communications system;
• assisting BEREC in conducting public consultations.

FROM WHEN DOES THE REGULATION APPLY?

It has applied since 20 December 2018.

BACKGROUND

See also:

• BEREC Strategy 2018-2020
• BEREC Work Programme 2019
• Electronic communications laws (European Commission)
• Factsheet: Political agreement on the rules shaping the telecommunication markets in the 5G era (European Commission)
• Factsheet: Spectrum in the EU (European Commission)
• Factsheet: More and better internet connectivity requires investments in high speed and quality networks (European Commission)
• Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI) (European Commission)
• Connectivity for a European Gigabit Society (European Commission)
• Radio Spectrum Policy Group (RSPG) (European Commission).

MAIN DOCUMENT

Regulation (EU) 2018/1971 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2018 establishing the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC) and the Agency for Support for BEREC (BEREC Office), amending Regulation (EU) 2015/2120 and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1211/2009 (OJ L 321, 17.12.2018, pp. 1-35)

RELATED DOCUMENTS

Directive (EU) 2018/1972 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2018 establishing the European Electronic Communications Code (Recast) (OJ L 321, 17.12.2018, pp. 36-214)

Regulation (EU) 2015/2120 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 November 2015 laying down measures concerning open internet access and amending Directive 2002/22/EC on universal service and users’ rights relating to electronic communications networks and services and Regulation (EU) No 531/2012 on roaming on public mobile communications networks within the Union (OJ L 310, 26.11.2015, pp. 1-18)

Successive amendments to Regulation (EU) 2015/2120 have been incorporated into the original document. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.

Regulation (EU) No 531/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 June 2012 on roaming on public mobile communications networks within the Union (OJ L 172, 30.6.2012, pp. 10-35)

See consolidated version.

Regulation (EC) No 1211/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 November 2009 establishing the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC) and the Office (OJ L 337, 18.12.2009, pp. 1-10)

Decision No 676/2002/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 March 2002 on a regulatory framework for radio spectrum policy in the European Community (Radio Spectrum Decision) (OJ L 108, 24.4.2002, pp. 1-6)

Commission Decision of 11 June 2019 setting up the Radio Spectrum Policy Group and repealing Decision 2002/622/EC (OJ C 196, 12.6.2019, pp. 16-21)

Decision No 676/2002/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 March 2002 on a regulatory framework for radio spectrum policy in the European Community (Radio Spectrum Decision) (OJ L 108, 24.4.2002, pp. 1-6)

last update 12.07.2019