HAKOM at this year's third Plenary Session of BEREC

ZAGREB, 2 October 2015. -  The Plenary Session of BEREC (Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications) took place in Riga on 1 and 2 October 2015. The main topic of the session was the discussion on BEREC’s answers to the European Commission questionnaire on the revision of the regulatory framework. The plenary session was preceded by a workshop on switchover to new technologies (IP) in access networks.
 
Since the Republic of Croatia is more advanced in this respect than other EU Member States, Deputy President of the Council of the Croatian Regulatory Authority for Network Industries (HAKOM), Domagoj Jurjević, lectured on HAKOM’s experience in the process of migration of HT to new technologies in the access network, which is a process that has been defined in HAKOM’s decision and will be completed by the end of this year. The presentation was followed by a round table where it was concluded, among other things, that HAKOM’s practical experience may help other regulators with similar processes. The second topic of the workshop covered joint work of BEREC and ERGP. In accordance with requirements and EC’s plans to remove cross-border barriers in the traffic of packages and development of e-trade services, the workshop opened a discussion on key future challenges and possible resulting changes in the regulatory framework.
 
The most important topic of the Plenary Session was the revision of the regulatory framework since the EC, which is launching the revision of the regulatory framework, values BEREC’s opinion on key issues. The main discussion focused on the definition of services in the regulatory framework since the existing definitions were developed 20 years ago in a different framework and in part no longer correspond to the development of technologies, services and market. In addition to the discussion on BEREC’s replies to EC’s questionnaire in the process of revision of the regulatory framework, other topics include a report on OTT services and the report on the possibilities for development of the Internet of Things (IoT) that were put up for public consultation. A very important topic concerned the current status of international roaming. Considering the abolition of retail roaming fees, which will enter into force on 15 June 2017, it is very important at this moment to develop a legislative proposal on the level of prices of wholesale services that will enable lower prices for users and the coverage of all operators’ costs.
 
The final plenary session was attended by Deputy President of the Council of HAKOM. Domagoj Jurjević and Deputy Director, Marko Čavlović.
 

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.