Utility regulators publish a statement on joint working

United Kingdom

On 8 October 1999, the five regulators for water, telecommunications, rail, gas and electricity set out arrangements for working closely together on a range of cross-industry issues. OFTEL, OFWAT, OFGEM , OFREG and ORR have issued a joint statement agreeing to strengthen and put on a formal basis their current arrangements for working together. The Regulators will continue to meet five times a year (as is the current practice) and in addition, joint working groups will look at specific issues, including the introduction of the new Competition Act. The statement sets out the areas in which joint working already takes place, and these include: · Competition Act 1998 · Millennium Problem · Best practice principles for multi-utilities regulation; · Procedures and criteria for testing transition from pre-competitive to competitive markets. Joint Statement by OFTEL, OFGEM, OFWAT, ORR and OFREG on Joint Working, October 1999 & OFWAT Press release PN 8/99