HAKOM at this Year’s third BEREC Plenary Meeting

NEWS

At the meeting held in Bucharest, the main topics were related to an agreement on further steps for important documents such as BEREC mid-term strategy for the period 2018-2020, the BEREC 2018 annual work program, the document important for better implementation of  BEREC Guidelines on Network Neutrality and Further Discussion on the Revision of the Regulatory Framework for Electronic Communications.
 

ZAGREB, October 6, 2017 - This year's third Plenary Meeting of the European Regulatory Body for Electronic Communications (BEREC) was held in Bucharest, Romania. The main topics were related to the agreement on further steps for important documents such as BEREC mid-term strategy for the period 2018-2020, the annual work program of BEREC for 2018, a document important for  better implementation of the BEREC guidelines on net neutrality adopted last year and further audit debate regarding  the regulatory framework for electronic communications.

Since the existing medium-term strategy of BEREC is valid until 31 December 2017, its amendment for the new 2018-2020 period has been already made. Following two public discussion for this Strategy, at this BEREC’s meeting it was announced that the Strategy should be adopted. The BEREC annual work program, which is fully aligned with the mid-term BEREC strategy for the period 2018-2020, was adopted for the public discussion. The above-mentioned document as well as the BEREC's medium-term strategy covers all major challenges that are expected in the electronic communications market. Adoption of the 2018 annual work program is expected at the final Plenary Meeting of BEREC to be held in early December.

At the end of August last year, BEREC issued Guidelines to the EU regulatory bodies to help monitor and control the implementation of the Network Neutrality Regulation, which aims to provide non-discriminatory and transparent internet access to all users. At this BEREC Plenary Session, it was agreed to publish a document (methodology) that is actually important for better implementation of the BEREC Guidelines on Network Neutrality. In addition, the important topic of this Plenary Session, as well as the topic of two former plenary sessions held in Paris and Cascais, was discussion on  analysis  has been carried out by BEREC in each of the areas covered by the  review of regulatory framework.

The day before, the BEREC Plenary Meeting was held by ANCOM (National Authority for Management and Regulation in Communications of Romania). The meeting was held at the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the beginning of their work on the topic “Regulation 360 °” with the objective to show the period of 15 years from word/letter to the transfer of large amount of data measured in Terabytes (From Word to Terabyte in 15 Years). The workshop was divided into two parts. The first part, which discussed tremendous changes we had been witnessing over the last 15 years, tried to answer the question on how regulation changed in that period, how the regulators actually respond to strong market challenges and rapid changes and what we can expect within the  next 15 years. The second part showed all these changes, challenges and future expectations from the perspective of the Romanian electronic communications market.

On behalf of the Croatian Regulatory Authority for Network Industries (HAKOM Domagoj Jurjević, Deputy President of the Council at HAKOM and Marko Čavlović, Deputy  Director at HAKOM took part in the meeting. 
 

ABOUT HAKOM: HAKOM (www.hakom.hr) - Croatian Regulatory Authority for Network Industries – ensures preconditions for a fair market competition, stable growth and environment for innovations in the electronic communications and postal services market. HAKOM protects users’ interests and the possibility of choice among various communications and postal services at affordable prices, defines sustainable competitive conditions for operators and service providers under fair conditions for return on investment, and provides support to economic growth, public services and the quality of life in the Republic of Croatia by using modern technologies. HAKOM’ strategic goals are: to promote regulation of the electronic communications and postal services market, to support growth of investments and innovations in the electronic communications and postal services market, to provide efficient use of limited resources, to accelerate the growth of broadband products and services, to provide affordable offers of communications and postal services, to provide protection and informing of users, to build an efficient and comprehensive information system, to define and implement efficient processes, and to acquire multi-disciplinary competencies in market regulation.