BEREC Riga opens

2011-10-19
From wire reports

RIGA - The Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC) will focus in the short term on ensuring availability of next generation technology, networks and international roaming, BEREC chairman Chris Fonteijn announced during the official opening of the BEREC Office in Riga on Oct. 14, reports Nozare.lv. Fonteijn is convinced that the BEREC Office in Riga will make it possible to reach these goals.

Vice President of the European Commission and European Digital Agenda Commissioner Neelie Kroes emphasized that implementation of the digital program is yet another economic development resource.
The European Union is currently affected by the crisis; however, the focus must not be only on overcoming its consequences. The EU must think about economic development, warming up the economy, creating new jobs and developing various areas of the economy, said Kroes, adding that she is absolutely convinced that the EU’s future digital economy will provide many opportunities to improve the situation.

Latvian President Andris Berzins, who also participated in the opening ceremony, was delighted about the opening of the first EU level institution in Latvia, which encourages the country to move its central institutions outside Riga as well.
BEREC is responsible for the harmonization of the EU internal market in the field of electronic communications and significantly supports the implementation of the European Digital Agenda, thus providing new jobs for Europeans and promoting Europe’s global competitiveness in the area of information and communication technologies.

The BEREC Office provides expertise and analysis from member states, thus promoting quality, lower rates and accessibility to the services of electronic communications including broadband internet and mobile communications.
Latvia believes that the development of the sector is important and provides a basis for further economic progress, as well as improvements in the social sphere and education.

The decision to locate BEREC in Riga was made by the EU in May of 2010.