BEREC participation at the OECD Ministerial Meeting on the “Digital Economy: Innovation, Growth and Social Prosperity” in Cancún, Mexico

BEREC Chair Wilhelm Eschweiler represented BEREC at the OECD Ministerial Meeting on the “Digital Economy: Innovation, Growth and Social Prosperity” which took place in Cancún, Mexico, from 20-23 June 2016. In particular, Mr. Eschweiler participated as a speaker in the panel discussions regarding “Tomorrow’s Internet of Things (IoT)” on 23 June 2016 where he discussed the OECD report on IoT and highlighted the main messages of the BEREC Report on “Enabling the Internet of Things”.

“Since connectivity is an essential part of, and a precondition for, the Internet of Things, it is vital that regulatory frameworks concerning telecommunication are fit for purpose”, the BEREC Chair emphasized. Depending on national circumstances, regulatory telecom frameworks might need a ”refreshment” in order to create an environment where IoT services can thrive and which fosters innovation and competition. Therefore, legislators should consider reviewing their telecom laws in order to adjust them if appropriate. In this line, the BEREC Report on “Enabling the Internet of Things” examines if and where adjustments to the EU regulatory telecom framework might be required.

The BEREC Chair also pointed out that, from a regulator’s perspective, in particular the automotive industry and the energy industry are areas where the Internet of Things is becoming more and more important. For both types of IoT services – connected cars and smart meters – usually mobile connectivity and SIM cards are used. BEREC and national regulatory authorities in the European Union are in close dialogue in particular with these industries as well as network operators in order to remove existing barriers and to enable corresponding business models.