The National ICT Regulatory Agency has announced that the latest amendments to the Electronic Communications Law are entering into force with their publishing in the Official Gazette today. The introduced amendments aim to create conditions for fair competition, consolidate the domestic electronic communications market and make better use of the radio spectrum, among other objectives, the Agency said in a press release.

The new provisions require operators to take all the technical and administrative steps to ensure the security and integrity of their networks and of the public services they deliver, authorizing the Agency to check and evaluate compliance.

Also, the new provisions set out a harmonized framework for regulating public electronic communications networks and services, associated infrastructure and services, and facilitation of access for users with disabilities so that they can enjoy the same offer of public services like most final users.

The amendments also strengthen user rights in aspects related to transparency and publicity of information of public interest, quality of services and contract conclusion.

The Law was supplemented with a new chapter governing protection of confidentiality in the electronic communications sector, requiring operators in particular to protect users’ right to privacy and personal data.

The amendments also contain a number of procedures designed to ensure harmonization with the EU standards.