BIPT The regulator Collaborations International relations - Telecom & Radiocom

International relations - Electronic and Radio communications

The electronic communications market does not operate within its own bubble.

Numerous international and regional bodies set out to enhance harmonisation and co-operation between the regulatory authorities and public or private operators. This also implies consultation with the users.

That is why BIPT has established relations with a large number of organisations.

BEREC

The Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications or “BEREC”, was founded by virtue of a European Regulation. With its activities, BEREC has to pursue goals that have been included in the European regulatory framework for electronic communications. 

BEREC in particular contributes to the promotion of connectivity and access to very high-capacity networks, the promotion of competition and efficient investments, the development and better functioning of the internal market for electronic communications networks and services and a better protection of consumers by striving after a consistent implementation of the EU regulatory framework. 

This body performs its tasks in cooperation with the national regulatory authorities (NRAs) and the European Commission. It does not only have to foster the collaboration among NRAs but also between the NRAs and the European Commission. 

Michel Van Bellinghen, Chairman of the BIPT Council, was elected BEREC Chair in 2021 and will take on the position of BEREC Vice-Chair in 2020 and 2022.

IRG

The Independent Regulators Group (IRG) is a forum created in 1997 by European regulators to share experiences on matters of common interest, such as interconnection, prices, universal service, etc. These matters play an important role in regulation and the development of the European telecommunications market.

The BIPT attends the IRG’s general assemblies and contributes to the IRG’s activities.

European Union

The BIPT actively participates in numerous committees and/or follows their activities from up close: the COCOM (or Communications Committee), the RSC (Radio Spectrum Committee), the RSPG (Radio Spectrum Policy Group), the TCAM (Committee tasked with the follow-up of the RED Directive regarding radio equipment), the eTEN Committee (Trans-European Networks in electronic communications) as well as in ad hoc groups summoned by the Commission. 

These Committees have been created in the context of related Directives of the Council and the Parliament.

CEPT

This conference was organised in 1959 by 19 countries (now there are 48) and initially united the national administrations charged with the postal and telecommunications sector. CEPT co-ordinated the cooperation between the Member States in terms  of commercial, operational, regulatory and standardisation issues. Since 1992 CEPT has been solely occupied with subjects of a regulatory nature. 

Within CEPT three Committees have been created: CERP (European Committee for Postal Regulation), the ECC (Electronic Communications Committee) and the Com-ITU (Committee for the ITU activities). The ECC also disposes of a permanent secretariat: the ECO (European Communications Office).

The BIPT participates in:

  • the CEPT plenary meeting;
  • the ECC plenary meetings and various ECC working groups;
  • the ECO Council;
  • the CERP plenary meetings and various ECC working groups.

ITU

The ITU is an intergovernmental organisation in which the public and private sectors collaborate with a view to the development of telecommunications and the harmonisation of the telecommunications policy in the countries associated. 

At a normative level the ITU-T co-ordinates the development of the systems and techniques shaping the new worldwide information infrastructure. 

As regards radio communications the ITU-R’s mission is to ensure rational, equitable, efficient and economical use of the radio-frequency spectrum and to carry out studies and adopt recommendations on radiocommunication matters. 

The mission of the "Telecommunications Development Sector” (ITU-D) is to facilitate and foster the development of telecommunications on a worldwide scale by providing for, organising and co-ordinating activities.

The BIPT participates in:

  • the Plenipotentiary Conference;
  • the Council of Administration (as an observer);
  • the World Radiocommunication Conference as well as its preparatory conferences;
  • the World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly;
  • the World Telecommunication Policy Forum.

OECD

The OECD’s mission is to reinforce the economy in its Member States, to improve its efficiency, foster the market economy, develop free trade and contribute to the growth of both industrialised and developing countries.

The BIPT participates in the meetings of the working group dedicated to “Communication Infrastructure and Services Policy”.

ETSI

ETSI was set up in 1988 by CEPT with the instruction to produce technical standards with respect to telecommunications. The Institute unites 700 members from 62 different countries: administrations, operators, manufacturers, service providers, research bodies and consumers.

The BIPT participates in:

  • the general assembly;
  • the ERM committee (Electromagnetic Compatibility and Radio Spectrum Matters);
  • the LI committee (Legal Intercept),
  • the EMTEL committee (EMergency TELecommunications).

HCM

The “HCM Agreement” is the name given to the Agreement concluded between the administrations of 17 countries, among which Belgium, regarding the coordination of frequencies between 29.7 MHz and 39.5 GHz, for the purposes of preventing mutual harmful interference to the Fixed Service and the Land Mobile Service and optimising the use of the frequency spectrum.

ICANN

ICANN (the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) is a non-profit organisation under Californian right, in charge of managing and co-ordinating the system of a number of unique Internet identifiers on the Internet on a worldwide scale. ICANN is also responsible for the co-ordination and operation of the DNS root name server.

Within ICANN, the BIPT takes part in the GAC (Governmental Advisory Committee), assembling the governments. Our role is to give advice to ICANN on matters of public policy, especially when there is a connection between the activities or the policy of ICANN and national legislation or international agreements. The GAC discusses matters with the ICANN Board and other ICANN-supporting organisations, advisory committees and other groups and regularly gives advice.

ENISA

ENISA, the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity, is a centre of expertise on cybersecurity in Europe. ENISA helps the EU and EU countries to prevent, detect and resolve problems in the field of information security. 

The Network Security Department monitors specific ENISA activities and actively contributes to the Art 13a Expert Group and the relevant work flows of the NIS Cooperation Group.

RAINWAT

This agreement (Regional Arrangement on the Radiocommunication Service for Inland Waterways) was signed on 18 April 2012 in Bucharest, mainly by Rhine and Danube countries.

The goal is to draft common safety principles and rules for people and goods on inland waterways considering that the harmonisation of the radiotelephone service will contribute to a safer navigation on inland waterways, in accordance with the provisions of Article 6 of the Radio Regulations of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to adopt the following provisions.

More information on http://www.rainwat.bipt.be/.

NATO

The BIPT participates in:

  • the CCPG (Civil Communications Planning Group) which deals with questions and issues advice relating to the electronic communications and postal sectors for the Civil Emergency Planning (CEP) within NATO.  
  • the FMSC (Frequency Management SubCommittee), which is the authority in the field of frequencies within the Alliance. The FMSC is the successor to the Allied Radio Frequency Agency (ARFA).


 

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