EU's national comms regulators clock in to BEREC

New EU telecoms regulatory body's first decision concerns where it should meet

EU's new telecoms regulatory body meets for first time

The EU's new telecoms regulatory organisation, the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC), has met for the first time in Brussels.

EU telecoms commissioner Viviane Reding said: "this will boost European telecoms services, which are evolving rapidly in areas such as mobile internet and can become a major driver of economic recovery in Europe.”

"I look forward to seeing real progress in further developing the European single market in telecoms and, in particular, to the positive impact that it will have for citizens of Europe," said EU competition commissioner Neelie Kroes.

First up on the agenda is to decide where the definitive seat of the BEREC office will be, according to the body. Provisionally, BEREC will be based in Brussels.

The EU said it hopes: "The new organisation will in particular help ensure fair competition in the single telecoms market, which in 2008 had revenue of €351bn (£304bn)."

Currently BEREC consists of 27 national telecoms regulators, and most decisions will be taken by two-thirds majority or by simple majority when BEREC gives opinions regarding measures pushed through to the European Commission by national regulators.