Institutional Aspects of EU Regulatory Reforms in the Telecommunications Sector : An Analysis of the Role of National Regulatory Authorities

This paper seeks to study the institutional aspects of the regulatory reforms undertaken in the telecommunications sector in the European Union. It discusses the core functions of the telecommunications regulatory authorities established by the Member States, as prescribed by EU law, as well as to provide an overview of the main institutional features of such bodies. It also attempts to speculate on how the status and role of NRAs will evolve as telecommunications markets become more competitive and regulatory intervention declines. In this regard, particular attention will be drawn to the 1999 Communications Review, a major policy document that was made public by the Commission in November 1999