End Users
The End Users Working Group (EU WG) focuses on promoting consumer choice and empowerment by developing policies that assist consumers in making better-informed choices and ensure access to electronic communications services for all, regardless their skills and impairment. The EU WG aims to reinforce the practical implementation of consumers’ rights, identifying and disseminating best practices among members of the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC). The EU WG fosters consistency in the application of Directive (EU) 2018/1972 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the European Electronic Communications Code – the EECC, ensuring that directly or indirectly, consumers benefit from simpler and better contractual relations with their providers in order to receive quality electronic communications services.
Working Group Co-chairs
Work in 2025
In 2025, the EU WG will continue working on related topics, based on the BEREC Work Programme 2025.
BEREC Opinion on the review of Universal Services
The European Commission (EC) must review the scope of the universal services, pursuant to Article 122 of the EECC, by 21 December 2025, and every five years thereafter, in light of social, economic, and technological developments. The review should take into account, inter alia, the mobility and data rates of the prevailing technologies used by the majority of end users, in particular with a view to proposing to the European Parliament and to the Council whether the scope should be changed or redefined.
BEREC intends to assist the EC in the review process by providing all necessary information, collecting relevant data from the Member States and providing an Opinion on relevant aspects of the report.
BEREC report on switching and termination of contracts
In November 2022, a joint workshop between BEREC and the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) was organized, where, among other things, the switching process was discussed, which also means the procedure for terminating the contract with the existing operator. A transparent and secure switching process contributes to market competition and strengthens the right of end users to choose the services that best suit their wishes and needs at a given moment. Various challenges were identified in this procedure, especially related to service interruption, compensation for delays and loss of service together with problems in switching bundled services.
BEREC believes that it would be worthwhile to identify the problems that still persist among the Member States, bearing in mind the provisions of the EECC that will be in force for a longer period, as well as the best solutions implemented among Member States. The report will focus on the national implementation of the measures provided for by Article 106 of the EECC and, among other things, will cover issues related to the details and the timing of the switching and porting processes, porting-failures and switching processes for bundles.
BEREC external workshop on practical issues preventing number misuse and possible fraudulent activities as a result of impact of new technologies
In recent years, the fraudulent activities and misuse of numbering resources have increased significantly. It has affected end users and market players. A lack of trust in the authenticity of numbers can lead to broader concerns regarding privacy, security, and trustworthiness in digital interactions. Article 97(2) of the EECC states that “Member States shall ensure that national regulatory or other competent authorities are able to require providers of public electronic communications networks or publicly available electronic communications services to block, on a case-by-case basis, access to numbers or services where this is justified by reasons of fraud or misuse and to require that in such cases providers of electronic communications services withhold relevant interconnection or other service revenues”.
Therefore, the workshop could address these challenges comprehensively, considering their implications beyond the telecommunications sector and seeking holistic solutions to ensure confidence and trust in electronic communications systems. Moreover, in the workshop, the cross-sectoral effects stemming from fraudulent activities and number misuse could be evaluated and discussed. The discussions with market players could be organised to increase the knowledge and seek long-lasting and sustainable solutions, especially employing newly arising solutions.
BEREC-BEUC Joint workshop on end-user rights
The BEREC-BEUC joint workshop will provide an opportunity to bring together regulatory bodies and civil society organisations, especially consumer organisations, to discuss all aspects that can potentially impact European consumers in a rapidly developing digital environment. It will cover the potential effects of consumer-relevant elements such as quality of service, coverage, information, and marketing practices. By engaging in this comprehensive discussion, the workshop seeks to identify actionable insights and policy recommendations or legislative changes, especially taking into account the BEREC Opinion on Article 123 and EC views on the review of Title III of Part III on end user rights, which can empower consumers and strengthen their position in the digital marketplace.
Why is this important?
The electronic communications sector is highly dynamic, evolving rapidly with the introduction of new digital services and innovative ways to use them daily. Streaming platforms and various NI-ICS are increasingly merging with traditional electronic communications, blurring the boundaries between service categories. Therefore, it is essential to consider these developments with regard to end-user protection Well informed end-users use different types of services and expect a certain quality of user experience, simplicity in contracting and using the services, security of personal data and quick change of operator with effective resolution of potential problems. Throughout all aspects, it needs to be ensured that transparent information is available and end users have simple switching processes at hand. This calls for strengthening consumer protection in our future work to a high-level, particularly making information accessible.