18 October, 2017
ETNO note on the absence of key stakeholders from BEREC’s 5th Forum
Brussels, 18 October 2017 – ETNO, the Association representing Europe’s leading telecom operators, appreciates that European Institutions and bodies regularly give all stakeholders the opportunity to express their viewpoint on legislation and regulation governing our sector.
ETNO note on the absence of key stakeholders from BEREC’s 5th Forum
Brussels, 18 October 2017 – ETNO, the Association representing Europe’s leading telecom operators, appreciates that European Institutions and bodies regularly give all stakeholders the opportunity to express their viewpoint on legislation and regulation governing our sector.
Such opportunity, which stems also from rules and best practices for better regulation, is crucial to ensure that all those affected by regulation and policymaking are heard before, after and during the legislative and regulatory process. There is no good regulation without proper consultation of all stakeholders.
For this reason, we express surprise at the absence of any of the major European telecom operators from the programme of BEREC’s 5th Stakeholders’ Forum.
The members of ETNO are proud to be the first investor in Europe’s gigabit future, with €26bn/year in telecoms investment and a leadership position in 5G roll-out. We are also proud to employ the people who make digital communications and services possible for all European citizens, with our companies representing 83% of the total sector employment.
ETNO member companies are not only the main driver of the Gigabit Society, but also the direct recipient of most of the regulatory initiatives discussed in this year’s BEREC Stakeholders’ Forum. This absence renders the Forum’s programme hardly representative of BEREC’s full stakeholder community.
We respect and value the work of European regulators and we ask BEREC to honour it also through a continued representation of - and dialogue with - all stakeholders in order to benefit all Europeans. All future initiatives should ensure a constructive and inclusive exchange, as an essential enabler of better regulation.
