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2008 marked a turning point in ANACOM's cooperation policy with the adoption of new processes and new tools aimed at a targeted approach to new paradigms of development at a global level, but especially at the sectoral level.

In recent years, ANACOM has accompanied the developments in the communications sector, with natural focus on markets of Portuguese-speaking countries, in which it has played a particularly important role in supporting the creation and empowerment of the regulatory bodies of communications. Today, this support has borne fruit in that all these countries have established independent and properly qualified regulatory authorities.

It is therefore imperative to embark on a new approach, establishing procedures and mechanisms for cooperation which correspond to the real and new needs of beneficiaries.

Similarly, responding to new paradigms of international development, the establishment is sought of new cooperation platforms in articulation with organizations and agencies with the aim of providing support and develop, in their public and private aspects.

Multilateral Framework

International Public Partnerships

ARCT-CPLP

In cooperation with Portuguese-speaking African countries (PALOP) and East Timor, in 2008 ANACOM held two training courses for technicians of the regulators of these countries, one on ''Spectrum Management'' and the other on ''Regulation of the Communications Sector''.

ANACOM also participated in the Fifth Technical Meeting on Telecommunications of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP), held in Praia (Cape Verde) in July 2008, on the topic of ''Prospects for regulation within the CPLP''.

This event was particular in that it was addressed by the Chairman of ANACOM's Board of Directors via videoconference. It was also the last technical telecommunications meeting of the CPLP, following the agreement to create an Association of CPLP Communications and Telecommunications Regulators, which will continue to promote the work previously developed in this framework.

As such, the Memorandum of Understanding was signed on 9 October 2008, establishing the Association of CPLP Communications and Telecommunications Regulators (ARCT-CPLP) with the mission of strengthening the historical ties of friendship and cooperation between the Portuguese-speaking countries which are part of the CPLP, through their national regulatory authorities.

ANACOM chose this project as a priority, presenting its availability to assume the duties of permanent secretariat of the Association, a position which was confirmed at the first General Assembly of the Association, in which the governing bodies were elected and approval was given to the activity plan for 2009. The World Bank and InfoDev Programme formally cited the importance of creating this association and demonstrate a willingness to support and establish partnerships from time to time.

ITU

Within the framework of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), ANACOM, jointly with the Spanish Government, has supported the creation of a Centre of Excellence (CoE) for African Portuguese and Spanish-speaking countries, which, as with those which already exist for Francophone and Anglophone countries, will work during the period 2009-2012 to help contribute to raising the level of institutional qualification of the participants of the sector in Portuguese and Spanish speaking Africa. The project has a budget of around 1.3 million dollars, to which ANACOM will make an overall contribution of around 750 thousand dollars.

The management and decisions on the activity plan of the centre falls to a Standing Committee, which includes representatives of the ITU, donor and recipient countries, and which has already developed the training programme for 2009.

Public-Private Partnerships

ANACOM participated and financially supported the AICEP General Assembly and XVI Forum, which was held in the city of Praia (Cape Verde) in April 2008, also making a presentation on the new challenges of regulation.

ANACOM also participated and supported the creation of the XII Congress of ACIST - Business Association of Telecommunications, which besides having contributed to raising awareness of the Cape Verde authorities with respect to the importance of ITED regulation, also included a technology fair for the presentation of Portuguese companies from the sector, with the promotion of the establishment of partnerships between different companies of the two countries.

Bilateral Framework

Portuguese speaking countries

PALOP and East Timor

In compliance with the new approach to international cooperation begun in 2008, ANACOM conducted several technical missions to PALOP countries and East Timor in order to make a real and transversal diagnosis of the type of intervention actually required in each of the countries evaluated.

Subsequently, Indicative Cooperation Programmes (ICP) were defined and agreed and the respective Annual Cooperation Plans (CAP) were contracted, specifically in Angola, Cape Verde and Mozambique. In the cases of São Tomé and Guinea Bissau, given the urgency of intervention, only the 2009 CAPs were contracted.

For East Timor, ANACOM agreed with the Portuguese Institute for the Support of Development (IPAD), in line with a protocol to be implemented in 2009, to include  ARCOM technicians in the Portuguese training programme which the institution has been running in Timor.

This new approach of cooperation involved the review of existing cooperation protocols, such as the agreement made with Sao Tome and Principe, and the conclusion of new agreements, particularly with Angola, Cape Verde, Mozambique and Guinea Bissau.

The option of using new channels of communication and training, including videoconferencing, has already led to the conclusion in October 2008 of a training session via videoconference between ANACOM and National Institute of Communications of Mozambique (INCM), focusing on postal sector issues. This initiative, which was supported by the Portuguese Embassy in Maputo, gathered about 22 technicians (from the regulator and from postal operators in Mozambique) and successfully concluded a broad training course at very low cost.

Brazil

The 12th ordinary meeting of the Coordination Commission ANACOM-ANATEL had one most positive outcomes ever, given the various commitments made by the two authorities, namely:

• The holding of a ANACOM-ANATEL Seminar (November 2008) on the occasion of ANATEL's eleventh anniversary, on the implementation of cost models, functional separation and broadband access;
• Exchange of information between ANACOM and the Brazilian Internet Steering Committee (CGI) on the regulation of service providers;
• Creation of a working group for cooperation with respect to the monitoring and control of the spectrum;
• Creation of a sub working group to review and update the Agreement on reciprocity between Brazil and Portugal on Amateur Radio;
• Conclusion of a joint ANATEL-ANACOM seminar, in respect of REGULATEL-IRG cooperation during the first half of 2009;
• Completion of a joint ANACOM/ANATEL study on mobile broadband.

Other Countries

In Budapest, Hungary in June 2008, a cooperation event was held on the various activities of monitoring and control of the spectrum. In a second phase, this time in Portugal, a team from the Hungarian regulator joined in the daily activity of monitoring and control of the spectrum of ANACOM's Spectrum Management Directorate.

Also in October 2008, a delegation of the Postal sector of Venezuela visited ANACOM with the objective of gathering information on public policies regarding the development of the postal sector and quality of service, supervision, and the granting of concessions or licenses.

ANACOM also received a visit from the postal regulator of Ecuador in November 2008. The regulator wanted to learn about the Portuguese experience in terms of regulation of the postal sector, particularly on market regulation, operator records, and consumer protection.

New Strategic Partnerships

The strategy of cost rationalization within the framework of technical cooperation carried out by ANACOM has led to a change in the models of activity, such as the use of distance learning platforms. Meanwhile, to optimize the actions and remove any duplication, several contacts were established in 2008 with third parties versed in international cooperation, to establish communication and coordination channels, as well as possible partnerships which will make some kind of contribution to better cooperation and plans for further optimization of human and financial resources.

In this respect, contacts were established during 2008 with the National Institute of Administration (INA) to allow the technicians and managers of regulatory bodies from PALOP access to the advanced training courses of INA. It is intended that these courses have a component which has more focus on the field of communications regulation, in line with the needs of the technicians and managers of the regulatory bodies of PALOP. These courses should be operational during the first half of 2009.

In 2008, contacts were initiated with IPAD with a view to concluding a cooperation protocol to ensure free Portuguese training for technicians of the regulatory body of East Timor(ARCOM), given by Portuguese teachers based in East Timor as part of the Portuguese training programme. IPAD has also supported ANACOM, allowing the free shipment of literature and equipment to PALOP countries, using containers which it regularly sends to these countries.

In a broader scope, contacts have been made with the World Bank and the heads of the InfoDev Programme to exchange information on ongoing projects, thereby avoiding duplication of activities and opening doors for the establishment of partnerships which may allow joint cooperation missions to PALOP.