Between 1 and 2 October 2026, the 68th plenary meeting of the BEREC Board of Regulators (BoR), the 68th meeting of the BEREC Management Board (MB) and the 3rd meeting of the General Assembly of the Independent Regulators Group (IRG). Discussions will focus on the preparation of BEREC’s work programme for 2027, the future development of the European regulatory framework for electronic communications, the impact of artificial intelligence, and current challenges in the areas of competition, network infrastructure, cyber security and user protection.
Members are discussing the draft work programme for 2027, which is based on the BEREC Strategy 2026–2030 and places particular emphasis on promoting connectivity, competitive and open digital ecosystems, end-user protection, secure and resilient digital networks, and the further strengthening of cooperation between regulators. Discussions also cover possible changes to the organisation of working groups and a proposal for revised guidelines on the organisation of BEREC meetings, aimed at ensuring more efficient organisation, reduce costs and the administrative burden, and maintain broad participation by regulators whilst working in a hybrid format.
Elections to BEREC’s governing bodies also took place at the plenary session. Michel Van Bellinghen from the Belgian regulator BIPT was elected as BEREC Chair for 2028, having received the support of a large majority of regulators.
One of the key topics of the plenary session was the proposal for the Digital Networks Act (DNA). Representatives of the working groups presented to the regulators the progress made in preparing BEREC’s contributions to the legislative process and the discussions with the European Commission, the European Parliament and other stakeholders.
In the field of infrastructure development, discussions are ongoing regarding the implementation of the Gigabit Infrastructure Act (GIA), particularly concerning access to physical infrastructure for the construction of very high-capacity networks.
As BEREC Chair, AKOS emphasised in the discussion the importance of drawing up an ambitious, yet feasible work programme for 2027, which, in addition to regular activities, will also enable the effective handling of unforeseen or ad hoc regulatory issues. The Agency once again highlighted the issue of eSIM profile switching and drew attention to the need to address this area. Regarding the proposal to establish a new Data Working Group (Data WG), AKOS supported a cautious approach, whereby an analysis of needs and tasks would first be carried out within a dedicated project group prior to any organisational change. The Agency also supported the retention of the PFT working group, as it deals with strategic and forward-looking issues and makes a significant contribution to the preparation of the BEREC work programme. During the discussion on guidelines for organising meetings, AKOS welcomed the inclusion of more measurable organisational requirements, which will make it easier for host regulators to organise events and ensure a comparable standard of meetings.
The BEREC Office’s Management Board discusses organisational and strategic issues relating to the Office’s operations. Among other things, it is considering BEREC’s revised communication strategy, the communication activities plan for 2027, the implementation of the European Cybersecurity Regulation, and the use of artificial intelligence in the organisation’s operations. Particular attention is also being paid to ensuring an appropriate level of knowledge and the responsible use of AI systems amongst staff.
During the IRG meeting, discussions will focus on the association’s future work programme for 2027, the organisation’s financial framework and current regulatory issues from Brussels. In the area of carrier switching and number portability, members heard a presentation on the UK’s experience with the introduction of innovative regulatory solutions and discussed possible approaches for the further development of these processes.
