ROBERT MOURIK has been a commissioner at the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) since 2019 and is the chair of BEREC for 2025. He has previously worked at Cubic Telecom, Telefónica and Vodafone. He spoke with Intermedia on a number of many and varied issues.
INTERMEDIA: What do you see as the most important tasks facing BEREC this year? Do you expect to see any changes of direction under the new European Commission?
ROBERT MOURIK: We have a very challenging work programme of around 50 projects. Many of these projects we are legally obliged to do, such as advise the Commission on the implementation of the roaming regulation. Having said that, BEREC are also putting a lot of effort in areas such as sustainability and network security. But the biggest task for this year is our contribution to the debate about the new Digital Networks Act (DNA). The Commission is preparing for new legislative proposals by the end of the years and as BEREC, we of course want legislation that is fit for purpose. In the end, national regulators will have to apply the legislation. BEREC members are independent and have access to a lot of market data, so we are in a strong position to advise the Commission, the European Parliament and the Council on these matters.
IM: You have extensive experience of policymaking from both an industry and government perspective. Do you think that the telecoms operators in Europe are broadly well-placed to succeed in the digital communications marketplace or does there need to be more change, such as mergers to create greater scale?
RM: We hear from a lot of European telecoms companies that profit levels are not what they used to be, they have less money to invest, and that they are struggling. We even see big telcos sell assets because they are forced to. As BEREC we take these developments very seriously. However, it is what you would expect in a competitive market; prices are competed down, and the consumer is the big winner. As telecom regulators, we want good consumer outcomes. We promote both competition and efficient investment and we are seeing very high levels of investment in fibre in particular.
IM: The calls from telcos for ‘fair competition’ are continuing. Is the argument around network fees now largely played out, or is there still a debate to be had?
RM: At the moment it is quiet on that particular front because everyone is waiting on what the European Commission will propose in the Digital Networks Act. But the debate will then need to be resolved by the co-legislators. As BEREC, we have given and will continue to give our views on that topic.
IM: Do you worry about divergence from the US, and globally, over the regulation of large platforms? How do you think European policymakers should respond to a US government actively seeking to remove swathes of regulation?
RM: This is a highly political issue that a regulator and technocrat such as myself doesn’t like to comment on. Regulation is adopted by elected officials because there are good reasons for it. Over the last few years, the EU has adopted many new pieces of digital regulation for very valid reasons, and if we strongly believe in these reasons that’s our prerogative. But we can do a lot to fine tune it over time to make the regulation predictable and fair.
I think that objectives such as ‘promoting growth’ or ‘competitiveness’ are better implemented at a governmental or European level
Strong allies and trading partners as the EU and the US are should strive for a regulatory environment that broadly aims for similar outcomes.
IM: There seems to be more pressure now for regulators to promote growth as a primary objective and more scrutiny from politicians. Is the global regulatory environment shifting and how should regulators adapt?
RM: Regulators execute the legal mandate that they have been given. If they stray beyond that, they act illegally, and their decisions will be challenged. If you want regulators to do anything you have to start with the mandate and the regulatory tools at their disposal. As telecoms regulators one of our primary objectives is to promote competition and once a market is competitive, to de-regulate. We used to regulate 18 (product) markets and at the moment we are regulating only two. There is a long-standing view that competition is good for efficiency and competitiveness.
I think that objectives such as ‘promoting growth’ or ‘competitiveness’ are better implemented at a governmental or European level, and that they can be difficult to execute by telecom regulators without causing market distortions. Our current primary objectives, such as ‘promoting competition’ and ‘promoting efficient investment’ already capture that essence.
IM: What advice would you give to a young person keen to pursue a career as a policymaker?
RM: I would say that you should find a policy area that you are genuinely interested in, because when you like something it doesn’t feel like work. And secondly, try and look at that area from different perspectives. Try to work for a public body in that area for some years, and then move to a company to see that same area from another angle.
Quickfire
IM: What was the last book you read?
RM:I just finished ‘Gabriel’s Moon’ by William Boyd. Great novel about a travel writer becoming an accidental spy. Hopefully it will be the first in a long series.
IM: Starters or puddings?
RM: Neither really, but more a starter person despite my sweet tooth.
IM: Favourite movie or show?
RM: That’s an impossible question but ‘Slow Horses’ was amazing.
IM: What song would you like played at your funeral?
RM: Anything by Bach. Who else?
IM: Where did you last go on holiday?
RM: County Kerry on the south-west coast of Ireland. Some of the most amazing scenery in Europe.
