BEREC opens public consultation on draft Work Programme 2026 to help shape EU digital future
A more connected, competitive and resilient digital Europe are key aims of the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC). The draft Work Programme for 2026, presented by incoming BEREC Chair Marko Mišmaš (AKOS, Slovenia) at a recent public debriefing, outlines these priorities and invites stakeholders to provide feedback on the document to help shape a practical and forward-looking work plan for 2026.
The draft Work Programme 2026 reflects BEREC’s commitment to serve as a body for thoughtful and proactive debate, providing advice to the European Parliament, the Council, and the European Commission on electronic communications and digital services. BEREC also aims to improve the consistent and harmonised application of regulations, enhance its working methods and engage in effective cooperation with stakeholders.
The draft Work Programme 2026 builds on mandatory tasks set out in the European Electronic Communications Code (EECC) and anticipates work on the forthcoming Digital Networks Act (DNA). BEREC will continue focusing on expanding gigabit broadband access, rolling out 5G across all EU regions, and reinforcing user empowerment in electronic communications.
Each year, BEREC holds two rounds of public consultations on its work programme. The first of which takes place in spring, where stakeholders propose topics for inclusion. In the second round, stakeholders are invited to submit feedback on the draft work programme. Contributions to the public consultation may be submitted until 3 November 2025. The final Work programme will be adopted during BEREC’s last plenary meeting in December and will be published shortly after.
Clarity and transparency in mobile and fixed termination rules
Greater clarity and transparency in the regulation of mobile and fixed voice termination rates across the EU would support the development of the internal market for electronic communications. At its most recent plenary meeting, the Board of Regulators adopted the Opinion on the European Commission review of the Delegated Regulation governing Union-wide termination rates, commonly known as Eurorates. In this document, BEREC reflects the collective views of European regulators and highlights the positive impact of the Eurorates, which replaced individual national cost models and has helped to reduce regulatory burdens.
Even with these positive features, BEREC expresses concern about several risks, including market misbehaviour such as fraud regarding calls from non-EU countries, cost recovery challenges in smaller markets, and other non-price-related issues. Therefore, BEREC urges that national regulatory authorities retain the power to intervene where necessary. The Opinion also notes that European Union and European Economic Area (EU/EEA) operators often lack information on whether non-EU/EEA operators apply termination rates aligned with the Eurorates, raising concerns on transparency in international rate-setting. BEREC considers it essential that cost modelling assumptions are realistic for all operators. In light of the results of the updated cost model on roaming and mobile termination services and the absence of evidence indicating hardship for operators or excessive prices for end-users, BEREC considers it justified to maintain the Eurorates at the current level. To further address these issues, BEREC suggests establishing an expert group to discuss costing and pricing aspects in greater detail.
Guidelines under GIA finalised
After the successful completion of public consultations and stakeholder engagement earlier this year, BEREC finalised its Guidelines on access to in-building physical infrastructure and the coordination of civil works under the Gigabit Infrastructure Act (GIA). These documents aim to support the consistent application of the GIA across the European Union, promoting cost-efficient and timely deployment of very high capacity networks. They provide regulatory clarity for network operators, building managers and public authorities, fostering infrastructure sharing and streamlined coordination of civil works. The finalised Guidelines will be applied as of 12 November 2025, in line with articles 5(6) and 11(6) GIA. In the coming years, BEREC will continue to engage stakeholders and provide updates on the guidelines through its communication channels.
Harmonising efforts to combat fraud
There is a critical need for stronger cross-border cooperation, improved real-time data exchange, and harmonised regulatory approaches across Europe to effectively combat fraud, concludes the BEREC summary report on the outcomes of the external workshop on preventing number misuse and fraudulent activities.
The workshop, held earlier this year, gathered regulators, enforcement authorities, consumer organisations and industry representatives to discuss practical challenges and solutions related to numbering resource misuse and emerging fraud trends. Poor coordination – especially at the EU level – was identified as a major obstacle to fraud prevention. Most participants agreed that clear regulatory provisions and joint efforts are vital in combating fraud.
BEREC underlines that addressing fraud goes beyond technical challenges, touching on broader issues of trust, security, and end-user rights as set out in the EECC. The workshop reflected BEREC’s commitment for collaboration among all relevant stakeholders, and highlighted the essential nature of cross-sectoral and cross-border cooperation. Presentation slides from the speakers are available on the BEREC website.
Helping shape EU digital regulation
Recently, BEREC has provided its responses to several European Commission (EC) public consultations, reaffirming its commitment to shaping effective digital regulation across the EU. In its response on the EC’s first review of the Digital Markets Act (DMA), BEREC expressed strong support for the Regulation while recommending enhancements to tackle the current challenges. Key proposals include strengthening interoperability obligations for messaging services, designating major cloud providers as gatekeepers based on qualitative criteria, and increasing oversight of services integrating AI. BEREC also underlined the need for improved coordination among regulators and harmonised data collection to support effective enforcement. It remains an active contributor to the DMA High-Level Group, ensuring a consistent and robust regulatory approach.
At the end of September, BEREC submitted its response to the European Commission’s public consultation regarding the revision of the Recommendation on relevant markets (RRM) that are susceptible to ex ante regulation. In its document, BEREC emphasized the need to maintain and strengthen the existing regulatory tools used in the RRM to ensure sustainable competition, investment, and end-user interests in EU telecom markets. Additionally, BEREC cautioned that market fragmentation and oligopolistic structures could limit competition, requiring flexible tools alongside traditional remedies. The European regulators emphasized that ex ante regulation based on significant market power designation remains essential, and the premature removal of the RRM would harm legal certainty, increase regulatory burdens,
Public documents available online
A full list of BEREC’s public documents adopted at the 64th ordinary meetings (2-3 October 2025) can be found on the BEREC website. The presentation and video recording of the BEREC public debriefing will be uploaded shortly. The 65th BEREC ordinary meeting will take place in Malta on 4-5 December 2025. The next public debriefing will be held on 10 December 2025 and will take place online.
Upcoming BEREC events
Registration is still open for the joint BEREC and BEUC workshop on end-user rights, scheduled for 15 October 2025 in Brussels. In December, the BEREC Digital Markets Working Group will host a workshop focused on submarine connectivity. The exact date and location will be announced soon. Save the date for the next BEREC Stakeholder Forum – scheduled to take place on 31 March 2026 in Brussels.
Note to Editor
BEREC promotes openness and transparency in its communications and is available for any further questions that you might have. If there are any other topics related to electronic communications that you would like BEREC to explore, we would be happy to assist you in any way we can. Contact us at: [email protected].