The National Telecommunications Regulatory Agency (ANRT) guarantees the conditions for healthy and fair competition in various segments of the telecommunications market. To do so, it was given the authority and tools to ensure compliance with the rules in force.

Creating favourable conditions for sector development…

The National Telecommunications Regulatory Agency was awarded prerogatives to manage competition under law n° 55-01 amending and supplementing law n° 24-96 related to postal and telecommunications services.

Since its creation ANRT’s responsibilities in competitive regulation were intended to prepare the telecommunications market for new entrants, law n° 55-01 (entered into force November 4th 2004) has strengthened the Agency’s prerogatives, including monitoring to ensure fair competition and settle the concerned disputes.

To guarantee fair competition

In an effort to maintain the competitive viability of operators in the market, the Agency now has the opportunity to regulate in ex-post. This improved competences helps the Agency to guarantee a healthy competition and gives it the tools to punish any breach of the rules related to market functioning. The Agency is required to supervise the behaviour of operators, especially in terms of commercial offers, in order to address risks to competition and ensure compliance with regulations.

These new powers are justified by the complexity and technical nature of regulation in the telecommunications sector, as well as by the need to ensure effective action and procedural promptness.

Pursuant to decree n° 2-05-772 on proceedings before ANRT litigation, anti-competitive practices and economic concentration operations, the Agency’s mission is to make instruction about the disputes referred to it; it is also entitled to take its own initiatives if it finds irregularities in the market and to take the necessary measures in this regard.