Brussels, 08/05/2012 (Agence Europe) - A report by the Centre on Regulation in Europe (CERRE) says that the European model for national regulatory authorities (NRAs) works and “the more independence and the more accountability, the better the perceived quality”.
The NRA model has developed in the course of liberalising telecoms, energy and transport in Europe and is based on independence and accountability. The findings of a CERRE report examining the role of competition authorities in three industries - energy, telecoms and rail - in five member states (Germany, Belgium, France, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom) were unveiled on Tuesday 8 May 2012, showing that the NRA system is effective.
In the report, the CERRE researchers compiled “an index of independence, towards market parties and most importantly towards the legislative and executive powers. They also develop a new index of accountability comprising the main elements that define accountability towards market parties, the legislative and executive powers, the European Commission, the courts and peers. These two indices are then analysed against an index of perceived quality of the work of NRAs”. The research shows a strong correlation of high NRA independence and accountability and a perception of high quality work. The CERRE says “independence and accountability do not need to contradict each other. They can be reconciled”.
The report has important implications for a number of issues currently affecting the provision of regulated services such as “regulatory holidays in Germany, network neutrality in the Netherlands, last-mile communication network regulation in Italy or rail and airport regulation and also assessment of the nuclear rent in Belgium”. (EH/transl.fl)