Telecom Rules

Through the EU4Digital Initiative, the EU supports efforts to reduce retail prices of mobile services for citizens roaming in the Eastern Partnership (EaP) region, as well as to promote affordable access to high-speed and secure connectivity.

In support of these goals, the EU4Digital Facility Phase II will: 

• Assist in implementation of roaming agreement(s) among Eastern partner countries and, where appropriate, with the EU;  
• Design the roadmaps facilitating 5G private networks development in the Eastern partner countries as well as facilitate the timely implementation of the Regional Spectrum Agreement; 
• Develop guidelines towards secure 5G networks in the Eastern partner countries based on the EU toolbox for 5G security; 
• Promote access to competitive broadband internet services in the region, including an EaP Broadband Observatory to monitor developments, and promote networking and best practices exchange; 
• Support the empowerment of National Regulatory Authorities to monitor and ensure competitiveness in target electronic communications markets in the region through market analysis. 

These build on the successes of the Telecom Rules activities in Phase I, which include preparing a draft Regional Roaming Agreement. Despite the influences of the regional context of the COVID pandemic and the war in Ukraine, the goal of a reduction in retail-roaming prices among the Eastern partner countries has not changed. A draft Regional Spectrum Agreement was also prepared and support provided to the National Regulatory Authorities for electronic communications, including gap assessments and the drafting of national action plans.  

The Facility supports the priorities of the Eastern Partnership Electronic Communications Regulators Network (EaPeReg). This platform of National Regulatory Authorities has set out five pillars for its activity: 

• Legislative approximation and fostering NRA independence 
• Spectrum coordination 
• Harmonisation of roaming tariffs 
• Benchmarking studies 
• Broadband development 

By delivering these objectives in the area of telecom rules, EU support will bring clear benefits to citizens and businesses in the EaP region, in the form of lower roaming costs, stronger regulation that will lead to greater competition and investments, as well as consumer rights protections, and the prospect of new wireless broadband opportunities and 5G.