In its new capacity as Digital Services Coordinator, in 2024 ANCOM will focus on creating the conditions necessary for the development of innovative digital services by maintaining a safe online environment. To this end, the Authority will adopt the secondary legislation required to implement the Digital Services Act (DSA) adopted at European level. Alongside regulatory projects related to digital services, other major initiatives in 2024 concern the strategic planning of the communications sector, the mapping of service availability, and special attention will be paid to the postal services sector, as the designation of the provider of the universal postal service expires at the end of 2024. ANCOM’s Action Plan for 2024 has been adopted and published on the Authority’s website, here.
Regulation (EU) 2022/2065 of the European Parliament and of the Council (DSA)
To implement the European Digital Services Act in Romania, Law No. 50/2024 was adopted, designating ANCOM as the Digital Services Coordinator.
In order to fulfil the legal duties of ensuring a safe and transparent online environment, with a focus on the protection of consumers and minors, freedom of expression and the removal of harmful content, the Authority has developed and submitted for public consultation four draft decisions that complement the primary legislative framework: Draft decision on the information procedure for intermediary service providers, Draft decision establishing the procedure for handling complaints regarding digital services, Draft decision establishing the certification procedure for out‑of‑court dispute resolution bodies handling complaints against online platform providers, and Draft decision on the procedure for granting trusted flagger status. Following the public consultation process, these draft decisions will be formally approved.
Regulations on electronic communications services
For mapping the availability of electronic communications services, the Authority will implement projects such as publishing the list of areas without functional fixed broadband Internet services and the study to determine the territorial coverage of public fixed networks capable of providing broadband services.
To ensure that Romanian citizens have access to at least one functional fixed broadband Internet service, ANCOM will develop a decision to establish the reasonableness criteria for the provision of this type of service.
This year, ANCOM will the 2026 Electronic Communications Regulatory Strategy and will update the www.aisemnal.ro with the results of the 2024 national mobile signal coverage measurements.
Other projects included in the action plan are aimed at updating the decision regarding statistical data collection, reviewing the market for local access at fixed points, revising Decision No. 1023/2008 on communications to the Single National Emergency Call System, as well as the establishment of indicative access tariffs for certain road physical infrastructures, supporting ongoing implementation of the Infrastructure Law.
Postal service regulations
In the postal services sector, the Authority will carry out the procedure for the designation of one or more universal service providers, given that the designation of the universal service provider in the field of postal services expires on 31 December 2024. Another important project is the development of the 2025 Postal Services Regulatory Strategy.
Management of radio spectrum and numbering resources
In the field of radio frequency spectrum and numbering resource management, the Authority will prepare a decision establishing the allocation and assignment procedure for codes granted to Romania under international agreements for radiocommunication stations and will launch a public consultation on licensing options for the 1980–2010 MHz (Earth-to-space) / 2170–2200 MHz (space-to-Earth) frequency bands assigned to the mobile‑satellite service, following the expiry of the licenses held by Inmarsat Ventures SE and Echostar Mobile Limited pursuant to European Commission Decision No. 2009/449/EC.