[{"id":3260964,"description":"BEREC Study trip to Japan yannick.stephan Tue, 03/11/2026 - 10:27 Latest News From 26 to 30 October, BEREC’s leadership visited Japan on a study trip aimed at strengthening international relations and exchanging experience with key partners from government, industry, research and academia. The delegation was led by BEREC Chair Marko Mismas (AKOS, Slovenia) and was made up of Vice-Chairs Alejandra de Ituarriaga (CNMC, Spain), Michel Van Bellinghen (BIPT, Belgium), Sarah Jacquier-Pelissier (Arcep, France), Giacomo Lasorella (AGCOM, Italy), Klaus Steinmaurer (RTR, Austria) and Robert Mourik (ComReg, Ireland). The representative of participants without voting rights, Milan Radulovic (EKIP, Montenegro), and the Director of the BEREC Office, Verena Weber, also joined the delegation. The visit was part of BEREC’s broader efforts to deepen dialogue with international stakeholders and to gather first-hand insight into developments in advanced digital and telecommunications markets. Japan, as a global leader in connectivity, technology and research, offered an ideal setting for discussions on the future of electronic communications and digital policy. Exchanges with public institutions During the visit, BEREC’s delegation met with representatives of the European Union Delegation to Japan and the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. Conversations focused on the broader policy and regulatory landscape, shared priorities in connectivity, digital transformation and emerging technologies, and EU–Japan trade links, with a particular emphasis on digital matters. Discussions with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications covered developments in fixed broadband, including fibre deployment, digital infrastructure development and international submarine cables, as well as trends in Japan’s mobile communications policy, notably in relation to 5G and 6G. Developments in non-terrestrial networks, Japan’s policy approach to network resilience and AI governance, including the Hiroshima AI Process and the activities of the Friends Group, were also addressed. Dialogue with industry BEREC’s leadership also met with Sony, SoftBank, NTT, Rakuten and Ericsson. Discussions with industry provided an opportunity to exchange views on market developments, innovation in telecommunications and digital services, investment in network infrastructure, future network technologies, cloud-native solutions, Open RAN, and security and sustainability. At NTT, the company’s vision for the Innovative Optical and Wireless Network (IOWN) was also touched on, with developments in next-generation communications infrastructure and future network architecture highlighted. In addition to the meetings organised, the delegation visited a dedicated briefing facility at SoftBank’s headquarters, where guests were presented with advanced technologies and solutions developed by SoftBank and its partners. The visit included live demonstrations and interactive presentations, covering areas such as high-altitude platform stations (HAPS), non-terrestrial networks, artificial intelligence, 5G and digital transformation. Perspectives from academia and research The BEREC leadership also met with representatives from the University of Tokyo and the RIKEN Centre for Computational Science. These visits offered academic and research perspectives on emerging technologies, artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, data-driven innovation and the future development of digital ecosystems. The study trip underlined the importance of continued international engagement for BEREC, particularly amid rapid technological change and growing global interdependence in the electronic communications sector. The visit also reaffirmed BEREC’s commitment to exchanging knowledge and best practices with public authorities, market players and research institutions worldwide. <div","source":"BEREC Office","pubDate":"Tue, 03 Nov 2026 14:32:41 +0100","url":"https://www.berec.europa.eu/en/news/latest-news/berec-study-trip-to-japan","titre":"BEREC Study trip to Japan"},{"pubDate":"Thu, 01 Oct 2026 14:34:59 +0200","url":"https://www.berec.europa.eu/en/news/latest-news/michel-van-bellinghen-elected-berec-chair-2028","titre":"Michel Van Bellinghen elected BEREC Chair 2028","id":3191419,"description":"Michel Van Bellinghen elected BEREC Chair 2028 yannick.stephan Thu, 01/10/2026 - 08:59 Latest News At its plenary meeting on 1 October 2026, the Board of Regulators elected Michel Van Bellinghen , Chair of the BIPT Council (Belgium), as the BEREC Chair for 2028. In the year preceding the chairmanship, he will join the Mini-Board and work closely with the incoming Chair, Alejandra de Iturriaga Gandini ( CNMC , Spain), helping to ensure a smooth handover of responsibilities and continuity in BEREC’s work. This will be the second time Michel Van Bellinghen serves as BEREC Chair. BEREC leadership in 2027 BEREC’s leadership is centred on the Chair, supported by the Vice-Chairs. The Mini-Board, composed of the Chair, the Vice-Chairs and participants without voting rights, provides support for the Chair in carrying out their leadership responsibilities. During the plenary meeting, the Board of Regulators also elected the Vice-Chairs for 2027. Klaus Steinmaurer ( RTR , Austria) and Karol Krzywicki ( UKE , Poland) will support the Chair in preparing and coordinating BEREC’s work, including plenary discussions, strategic planning and stakeholder engagement. Armer Juka ( AKEP , Albania) was elected as the representative of participants without voting rights to the Mini-Board for 2027. In addition, the incoming and outgoing BEREC Chairs – Michel Van Bellinghen and Marko Mismas ( AKOS , Slovenia) – will also serve as Vice-Chairs. The Vice-Chairs have two main functions. First, the incoming Chair – or, if necessary, one of the Vice-Chairs – may take over the role of Chair when the Chair is not in a position to perform their duties. Second, each Vice-Chair supports and follows the work of a specific cluster of BEREC Working Groups. The BEREC Chair decides the allocation of these clusters. In the year preceding the chairmanship, the incoming Chair is also responsible for preparing the annual work programme. What the BEREC Chair does The BEREC Chair plays a central role in guiding BEREC’s work during the chairmanship year. The Chair leads plenary meetings, represents BEREC externally, helps build consensus among national regulatory authorities and oversees the implementation of the annual work programme. The Vice-Chairs support the Chair in carrying out these responsibilities and help ensure continuity between the annual chairmanships. Together, the Chair and Vice-Chairs contribute to the effective functioning of BEREC and to the achievement of its objectives. The BEREC Chair is responsible for BEREC’s external relations and for representing its interests. The Chair informs members about external activities, reports on their outcomes and shares any relevant materials. When invited, the Chair also reports on the performance of BEREC’s tasks to the European Parliament and the European Commission. In addition, the BEREC Chair serves as Chair of the Mini-Board, convenes its meetings and informs the Board of Regulators about its activities. Appointment process The BEREC Chair is elected every year. To be nominated and elected as Chair, a candidate must be supported by at least four BEREC members, not including the candidate themself, and must have served for at least one year as Vice-Chair. Election requires the support of at least two-thirds of the Board of Regulators who vote in order to be elected. The Chair’s term of office is one year. Similarly, every year, the Board of Regulators elects at least two Vice-Chairs from among its members for the following year.","source":"BEREC Office"}]