Independent Regulators Group/European Regulatory Authorities Institution-IRG/BEREC

In order to establish a common understanding in the application of European Union (EU) legislation, share experiences, and provide an opportunity for comparison between regulations targeting the electronic communications sector, the regulatory authorities in the telecommunications field of European countries came together in 1997 and established the Independent Regulators Group (IRG), which operates in a consultative and informal structure. Subsequently, the European Regulators Group (ERG), which includes the regulatory authorities of EU member states as well as the European Commission, was established by European Commission Decision dated 29 July 2002 and numbered 2002/627/EC, ensuring the conduct of joint activities of both groups. BEREC (Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications), which is the successor to ERG, was established by the publication of Regulation No. 1211/2009 on 25 November 2009 and in the Official Journal of the EU dated 18 December 2009. The institution's observer status in ERG continues in BEREC.

BEREC's main bodies are the Board of Regulators (BoR) and the Office. The BoR includes the Presidents of the National Regulatory Authorities (NRAs) of EU member states or their designated representatives, while the Office operates as a community body with legal personality. In addition to our country, candidate countries Montenegro, Serbia, North Macedonia, and Albania, as well as EFTA (European Free Trade Association) countries Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein are represented in BEREC with observer status.

BEREC can provide advice to the European Parliament, the Council, and the NRAs on its own initiative or upon request. BEREC plays an important role in the binding nature of European Commission decisions.

As in ERG, EU member states are represented in BEREC by the Presidents of the NRAs, and decisions are taken by majority rule as a general rule.

Participation in IRG/BEREC Activities

The Institution has been participating in ERG and IRG activities since February 2005 and closely follows, at the highest level, the General Assembly meetings of BEREC, which is the continuation of the ERG where it holds observer status, and of the IRG, of which it is a member.

Within the scope of these activities, regulatory authorities in the telecommunications sector from EU member and candidate countries come together at the highest level and exchange views on the implementation of the EU's electronic communications legislation. IRG and BEREC also play an important role in shaping Europe's policies in the electronic communications sector.

BTK President Dr. Ömer Fatih SAYAN was elected for the first time on behalf of our country as IRG Vice President, to represent non-EU member countries, at the Independent Regulators Group (Independent Regulators Group - IRG) General Assembly held in London, England, on December 10-11, 2015, where elections for the President and Vice Presidency for 2016 took place.