BEREC input to the European Commission Implementing Act on fair use policy and sustainability of the abolition of retail roaming surcharges

The EC, in a letter from 20 June 2016, requested BEREC to deliver an opinion on:
(i) a first draft for the application of a FUP and on the methodology for assessing the sustainability of the abolition of retail roaming surcharges;
(ii) weighted average of maximum mobile termination rates across the EU.

BEREC opinion was initially expected by 8 October 2016. After discussions in the College of Commissioners on 21 September, the Commissioners endorsed a new approach for the FUP where costumers should be able to use their mobile devices abroad for periodic travel in the EU and providing, at the same time, certain safeguard mechanisms for operators.As a consequence of the new approach, BEREC received a new letter on 23 September containing an extension of the initial deadline for providing its formal opinion on the new text until 17 October 2016. The document includes an overall assessment of the impacts of RLAH, a summary of the main elements of the proposals of the EC for the FUP and the sustainability mechanism shared with BEREC, as well as BEREC’s assessment of the EC proposals.