On 17 December 2020, EMERG held a virtual meeting with BEREC for the signature of the Memorandum of Understanding between the two organisations. EMERG was represented by Samer Ali, EMERG Chair 2020 (MTIT Palestine) and Paola Calestani, Member of the EMERG Permanent Secretariat (AGCOM Italy); BEREC was represented by Dan Sjoblom, Chair BEREC 2020, Michel Van Bellinghen, Chair BEREC 2021, László Ignéczi, Director BEREC Office, Tom Boyce (ComReg, Ireland), Ola Bergström, (PTS, Sweden).
EMERG representatives underlined the importance of the renewal of the cooperation between the two regional platforms, giving continuity to the agreements and the activities fruitfully undertaken in the previous years: one of the main EMERG goals is the approximation to the European regulatory framework in the electronic communications sector and BEREC has been recognised more and more as crucial partner to help EMERG in reaching this strategic objective.
The two parts agreed on holding joint workshops and on setting up common experts working groups in the coming years, when feasible. In particular, the suggested topics of cooperative relationship are the followings:
- Promotion of competition in markets, services, infrastructures, supporting the digital transformation.
- Connectivity and 5G networks: regulatory challenges.
- Broadband deployment and promotion of NGA/VHCN roll-out.
- Promotion of investment by means of a pro-competitive regulation.
- How to overcome the Digital divide.
- Spectrum management.
- International roaming tariffs.
- Open Internet / Net neutrality.
- Consumer protection and end-users’ interests in the electronic communications ecosystem.
- Administrative procedures and operational issues concerning the NRAs’ activity.
