19.09.2002

IRG agreed on a candidate for ERG Chairmanship

IRG 11A Plenary Meeting in Helsinki16-17th September 2002

The Independent Regulators Group - IRG - consisting of 19 European telecommunications regulatory authorities held a Plenary meeting on September 16 and 17 in Helsinki. The meeting was hosted and chaired by FICORA, the Finnish Communications Regulatory Authority.

IRG relationship with ERG

The European Commission published in July its Decision to establish a group of European independent regulatory authorities ("ERG") to advise and assist the Commission in consolidating the internal market for electronic communications networks and services.

IRG discussed the newly established ERG. There was general agreement that ERG can become an important platform for further co-operation between European independent communications regulators and the Commission. IRG, which gathers independent regulatory authorities with common concerns and interests, has been an appropriate forum to ensure the type of cooperation and coordination between regulators that the European market for electronic communications needs. For these reasons, and considering all previous and current work done, IRG has decided to continue and reinforce its own activities.

IRG members will also participate in ERG and would hope that this Group will in time become an efficient body, satisfying the needs of the European market place. As a first step, , Professor Heinrich Otruba, head of RTR and next chair of IRG, and for Vice Chairmanships, Ms. Rauni Hagman, current Chair of IRG and head of FICORA, and Professor Jens Arnbak, head of OPTA.

Relevant markets

IRG discussed the definition of mobile termination markets. Two possible approaches were discussed, either to define each mobile network as a relevant market or to define a national market for termination. As stated in IRG comments to the draft recommendation on relevant markets issued by the European Commission last June, the existing structural market situations at the national level have led to different market definitions. However, given the new EU regulatory framework, the majority of IRG members are in favour of the single network market definition in which the relevant market is defined as call termination on individual mobile networks. A further analysis of implementing the consequences of different approaches to market definition together with an in-depth study of a common approach to regulation of mobile operators will be undertaken by IRG in November 2002.

Broadband market and local loop

IRG is continuously reviewing the status of broadband deployment and competition. For this reason, IRG will hold a high-level policy seminar at the end of the year on the status of broadband deployment and possible margin squeezes.

All IRG members have fully implemented the EU regulation on local loop unbundling. In 2000, IRG agreed on Principles of Implementation and Best Practice (PIBs) regarding local loop unbundling. According to an internal follow-up, all IRG members have complied substantially with the LLU PIBs leading to a highly co-ordinated approach where necessary.

Development of 3G sector

IRG decided to start the follow up of the requests expressed by 3G operators to change the license conditions on rollout or commercial launch obligations, license validity periods, fees etc. No conclusions were drawn, but IRG will keep monitoring the need for co-operation.

Accession Countries

During the year 2002, IRG has organised together with the European Commission a workshop programme for Accession Countries to pass on experiences in implementing the EU regulatory framework. The third workshop will be held on 26-27 September in Budapest. Workshops have focused on the main regulatory matters that regulators in the accession countries are facing. In Helsinki, IRG decided to investigate the needs and wishes of their counterparts in the accession countries for the phase of development and co-operation.

Further information:IRG Secretariat: Co-ordinator Sylvia Alonso, tel. +34 91 372 43 18IRG Chair: Rauni Hagman, FICORA, tel. +358 9 6966 401Olli Mattila, FICORA, tel. +358 9 6966 849