Overview
About BEREC
Chair
Strategy
Work Programme
Working Groups
Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications
With BEREC, the EU brings all European regulatory authorities and neighboring observers to one independent table working on electronic communications. Here we learn from each other using "best practices", implement them harmonized across Europe and advise the legislator with expertise.
This expertise is nourished by the large pool of experts from the member states. They come together in working groups and deal with important issues in order to move Europe forward. These topics build on the BEREC strategy in the medium term and on the BEREC work programme in the short term.
BEREC's Chair
Michel Van Bellinghen from the Belgian regulator BIPT chairs BEREC in 2021. Chair and Vice-Chairs are elected annually for the following year. Together they form the Mini Board.
One of the three additional Vice-Chairs is provided by the countries with observer status at BEREC. The Vice-Chairs support the Troika (Chair, Incoming and Outgoing Chair) in their strategic work. Usually each Vice-Chair is responsible for a specific topic.
The Mini Board meets twice a year and regularly before the plenary sessions to discuss current topics on the telecommunications markets and to ensure the implementation of the Work Programme.
| Chair | Michel Van Bellinghen | Belgium (BIPT) |
| Incoming Chair | Annemarie Sipkes | The Netherlands (ACM) |
| Outgoing Chair | Dan Sjöblom | Sweden (PTS) |
| Vice Chair | Alejandra Iturriaga de Gandini | Spain (CNMC) |
| Vice Chair | Jesmond Bugeja | Malta (MCA) |
| Vice Chair | Rainer Schnepfleitner | Liechtenstein (AK) |
A Strategy for Europe
The current BEREC strategy is valid for the years 2021 to 2025. It therefore runs parallel to the legislative periods of the European Commission in order to make BEREC's work more effective. The strategy itself follows the five priorities from the EECC:
- Promoting connectivity and access to, and take-up of, very high capacity networks;
- Promoting competition and efficient investment;
- Contributing to the development of the internal market;
- Promoting the interests of the citizens of the Union.
BEREC set itself three high-level goals derived from this:
- Promoting full connectivity;
- Supporting sustainable and open digital markets;
- Empowering end-users.
Work Programme 2021
In the current BEREC Work Programme the major topics are the promotion of connectivity, digital markets and end customers. In detail, BEREC will continue to promote the introduction of fiber optics and 5G. In addition, the EECC is still in focus. In this second phase, after the guidelines have been published, the focus is on the observation of developments that result from the implementation of the EECC. This is, for example, the evaluation of future technological developments as well as market developments, in particular in connection with end-user regulations in the area of electronic communication and the digital ecosystem.
Working Groups
The tasks of the Work Programme are distributed among the different Working Groups. The work for 2021 is assigned to the respective Working Groups according to the list below.
| End User (EU) | BEREC study on consumer behaviour and attitudes towards Digital Platforms |
| BEREC Report on how to handle third-party payment charges on mobile phone bills | |
| BEREC opinion foreseen in Article 123 of the EEC | |
| Fixed Network Evolution (FNE) | BEREC Report on a consistent approach to migration and copper switch-off |
| BEREC Opinion on the review of the BCRD | |
| BEREC Input to the European Commission regarding the evaluation and potential review of the EU State Aid Guidelines | |
| Market and Economic Analysis (MEA) | BEREC Report on regulatory treatment for backhaul |
| BEREC Report on the ex-ante regulation of digital platforms with significant intermediation power (carry-over) | |
| BEREC Report on the internet value chain | |
| Open Internet (OI) | Implementation of Regulation (EU) 2015/2120 and the BEREC Guidelines on the implementation of the Open Internet (OI) Regulation |
| Collaboration on the Net Neutrality Measurement tools | |
| Update to the BEREC Net Neutrality Regulatory Assessment Methodology | |
| Planning and Future Trends (PFT) | BEREC’s medium-term Strategy for relations with other institutions |
| BEREC’s medium-term strategy for international cooperation | |
| BEREC Work Programme 2022 | |
| The impact of 5G regulation (carry over): External Workshop and Summary Report, internal Co-Chair Workshop | |
| Regulatory Framework (RF) | BEREC Opinion on the national implementation and functioning of the general authorisation |
| External study: Post Covid measures to close the digital divide - BEREC study with a forward-looking approach which could help NRAs in designing the right conditions to improve digital inclusion for all citizens. | |
| BEREC Report on COVID-19 crisis – lessons learned regarding communication networks and services for a resilient society | |
| Workshop on the national experiences of the implementation of the EECC | |
| Remedies (REM) | BEREC Opinion on the Review of the Access recommendations |
| Internal Report on the applicability of BEREC’s Guidelines for the elaboration of Opinions in Phase II Process | |
| Internal workshop on Art. 32/33 EECC procedures | |
| BEREC Regulatory Accounting in Practice Report 2021 | |
| BEREC Report on WACC parameters 2021 | |
| Roaming (IR) | BEREC International Roaming Benchmark Data Report |
| BEREC Report on transparency and comparability of international roaming tariffs | |
| Ad hoc work – Inputs to the review of the Roaming Regulation | |
| BEREC input on the weighted average of maximum mobile termination rates across the EU | |
| BEREC Benchmark Data Report on Intra-EU communication | |
| Statistics and Indicators (SAI) | Workshop with OCAs on Guidelines to enable comparable national broadband coverage indicators throughout Europe |
| BEREC Report to enable comparable national broadband coverage indicators throughout Europe | |
| BEREC Report on the harmonised collection of data regarding OTT services, relevant to electronic communication markets (carry-over) | |
| BEREC Guidelines on the consistent implementation of the obligations established in Art 22(2), 22(3) and 22(4) of the EECC (carry-over) | |
| BEREC Report on termination rates at European level | |
| Sustainability ad hoc group | BEREC Report summarising conclusions from the internal workshop on sustainability |
| BEREC Report assessing BEREC’s contribution to limiting the impact on the environment | |
| External study: Evaluation and impact of the effect of electronic communications on the environment | |
| Wireless Network Evolution (WNE) | Workshop on NRA experiences with 5G |
| Workshop on EMF – How BEREC can best promote science-based EMF exposure limits recommended by experts | |
| Peer Review Forum for experts to discuss and exchange views on draft national measures related to internal market procedures for radio spectrum |