EU Telecoms Regulator Starts Work

A new pan-European telecommunications regulatory body, which will help set the agenda for broadband access and mobile communications, has begun work.

The Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (Berec), created last year in the Telecoms Reform package, met on Thursday to elect a chairman. The group is currently based in Brussels, while it decides on a permanent home. Its remit is to advise the European Commission on telecoms regulation such as next-generation broadband access (NGA), net neutrality and universal service obligations. Berec's establishment was "an important milestone for telecoms in Europe", outgoing information society and media commissioner Viviane Reding said. (Jan 29)