About Us

We are a network of independent European telecom regulators. The Independent Regulators Group (IRG) was established in 1997 as a group of European National Telecommunications Regulatory Authorities (NRAs) to share experiences and points of views among its members on important issues relating to the regulation and development of the European telecommunications market at the beginning of the liberalisation of the markets with the 1998 so-called ONP (Open Network Provision) framework. IRG was registered as a not-for-profit organization under Belgian law (ASBL) and has a small Brussels-based secretariat. The statutes (English version) were published in the annex of the Belgian State Gazette on May 27th, 2008.

The European Regulators Group (ERG) for electronic communications networks and services was set up with a Decision of the European Commission 2002 as an advisory group to the Commission when the "new" regulatory framework for electronic communications networks and services was enacted in 2002. The ERG's task is to provide a suitable mechanism for encouraging cooperation and coordination between national regulatory authorities and the Commission, in order to promote the development of the internal market for electronic communications networks and services, and to seek to achieve consistent application, in all Member States, of the provisions set out in the Directives of the new regulatory framework.

The group is the EU's primary forum for exchange of best practice, benchmarking, knowledge management, education and in-depth and forward-looking discussion on current and future regulatory challenges in communications.

The Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC) and the Office were established by the Regulation (EC) No. 1211/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 November 2009. BEREC is comprised of a Board of Regulators consisting of Heads of 27 national regulatory authorities (NRAs). The EU Commission, EFTA States (Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein and three EU candidate States (Turkey, Croatia and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) participate as observers to the Board of Regulators. BEREC is the successor of ERG with an enhanced role in the new regulatory framework.

We are:

• a network of Heads of European Regulatory Authorities
• an advisory group to the Commission
• a group to assist in the development of the internal market through the
• promotion of a consistent application of the Regulatory Framework for electronic communications in Europe

Our mission is to:

• Serve as a body of reflection, debate and provision of advice
• Co-operate to identify appropriate regulatory instruments to promote greater harmonisation in the application of the Framework
• Improve collaboration, mutual assistance and information exchange between NRAs and the Commission
• Work transparently in consultation with sector stakeholders and with European institutions

Our approach:

The group works in a collaborative manner organized in Expert Working Groups
Concerning harmonization within Europe, the development of Common Positions plays a crucial role
The group publishes its results in different forms (for example Common Positions and Reports) on its webpage
The group actively involves stakeholders in its work and provides transparency



Transparency | Harmonization

 

More info

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