BEREC update survey on the implementation and application of the universal service provisions –a synthesis of the results

Document number: BoR (17) 41

Document date: 24-02-2017

Date of registration: 08-03-2017

Document type:
Author: BEREC

According to Article 15 of the Universal Service Directive (USD) the Commission has a legal obligation to periodically review the scope of universal service in light of social, economic and technological developments. The European Commission started working on potential revisions to the Universal Service provisions in 2014. At this time BEREC launched a questionnaire on behalf of the European Commission and, based on the results, adopted an internal report on the implementation and application of the universal service provisions among NRAs. In September 2016, the European Commission’s proposals included a review of the universal service provisions. Following these developments, this report provides an update to the 2014 internal report, reviewing the current state of implementation of Universal Service provisions among members of BEREC. It covers issues such as the designation of Universal Service Providers, assessment of net costs, compensation mechanisms, assessment of unfair burden, assessment of the impact of the Universal Service provisions upon competitive outcomes, and measures NRAs have implemented on the affordability aspect of universal service obligations, such as retail price caps. The report synthesises the responses from a total of 29 NRAs.