About the Authority

The Regulatory Authority of Post and Electronic Communications (ARPCE) hereinafter the ARPCE or « Regulatory Authority » is an independent institution with a legal personality and financial autonomy, created by Law No. 2000-03 of 5 Jumada al-Awwal 1421 corresponding to 5 August 2000, as amended and supplemented, laying down the general rules relating to post and telecommunications, repealed by Law No. 18-04 of 24 Sha’ban 1439 corresponding to 10 May 2018 laying down the general rules relating to post and electronic communications.

Missions

The mission of the Regulatory Authority is to promote the development of the postal and electronic communications sectors through various actions.

The Regulatory Authority, under Articles 13 and 15 of Law No 18-04 of 10 May 2018, carries out the following missions:

Ensure that there is effective and fair competition in the postal and electronic communications markets by taking all necessary measures to promote or restore competition in these markets;
Ensure that electronic communications infrastructure is shared, while respecting property rights;
Assign frequencies to operators of electronic communications networks open to the public in the bands allocated to it by the National Frequency Agency and monitor their use in compliance with the principle of non-discrimination;
Prepare and update reports on the frequencies it assigns to operators and send them regularly to the National Frequencies Agency;
Establish a national numbering plan, examine requests for numbers and allocate them to operators;
Approve reference offers for interconnection and access to electronic communications networks;
Order general authorisations for the establishment and/or operation of electronic communications networks and the provision of electronic communications services, authorisations for private networks as well as authorisations for the provision of postal services and facilities;
Certify postal and electronic communications equipment, in accordance with the specifications and standards set by regulation;
Resolve disputes between operators concerning interconnection, access, infrastructure sharing and national roaming;
Settle disputes between operators and subscribers;
Gather from operators all the information needed to carry out the tasks assigned to it;
Cooperate, within the framework of its roles and responsibilities, with other authorities or bodies, both national and foreign, having the same corporate purpose;
Prepare and publish regular reports and statistics for the public relating to post and electronic communications;
Prepare and publish an annual report containing its decisions, opinions and recommendations, subject to the protection of confidentiality and business secrets, which will be sent to both Houses of Parliament, the Prime Minister and the Ministry responsible for Post and Electronic Communications;
Publish its decisions in the official bulletin of the Regulatory Authority, subject to the protection of confidentiality and business secrets;
Monitor compliance by postal and electronic communications operators with legal and regulatory provisions pertaining in particular to postal services, electronic communications and cybersecurity;
Oversee the protection of the rights of subscribers to electronic communications services and postal users;
Implement a procedure for handling subscriber complaints;
Publish any useful information for the protection of subscribers’ rights and organise awareness campaigns for their benefit;
Be part of Algeria’s representation in international organisations with competence in the fields of postal services and electronic communications;
Pay contributions and miscellaneous costs owed by Algeria to regional and international organisations specialising in the fields of postal services and electronic communications of which Algeria is a member, on the basis of supporting documents sent to it by the Minister responsible for postal services and electronic communications;
Perform any inspection within the scope of its responsibilities in accordance with the regulations in force and the provisions of the operators’ terms of reference.

Under Article 14, the Regulatory Authority will be consulted by the Minister responsible for the Post Office and Electronic Communications for:

preparing any draft regulatory text relating to the postal and electronic communications sectors;
preparing the terms of reference;
preparing the procedure for selecting candidates for the operation of electronic communications licences;
the appropriateness or necessity of adopting regulations relating to the postal and electronic communications sectors;
making recommendations to the competent authority prior to granting, suspending, withdrawing or renewing licences;
preparing Algeria’s position in international negotiations in the field of postal services and electronic communications;
any other matter relating to the postal and electronic communications sector.

In addition and by virtue of the provisions of Article 30 of Law No. 15-04 of 11 Rabi’ al-Thani 1436 corresponding to 1st February 2015 laying down the general rules relating to electronic signature and certification, the Regulatory Authority has been entrusted with the mission of Economic Electronic Certification Authority. As such, it is responsible for:

Developing and submitting for approval, to the National Electronic Certification Authority, its electronic certification policy and ensure that it is applied;
Issuing authorisations to electronic certification service providers, following a favourable opinion from the National Electronic Certification Authority;
Approving certification policies issued by electronic certification service providers and ensuring that they are applied;
Conserving expired electronic certificates and the data related to their issuance by electronic certification service providers in order to hand them over to the competent judicial authorities, where appropriate, in accordance with the legislative and regulatory provisions in force;
Publishing the electronic public key certificate of the National Electronic Certification Authority;
Taking the necessary measures to ensure continuity of services in the event that the electronic certification service provider is unable to provide its services;
Transmitting to the National Authority for Electronic Certification, periodically or at its request, all information relating to electronic certification activity;
Auditing applicants for authorisation itself or through accredited audit firms, in accordance with the certification policy;
Ensuring the existence of effective and fair competition by taking all necessary measures to promote or re-establish competition between providers of electronic certification services;
Arbitrating disputes between electronic certification service providers and each other or users in accordance with the legislation in force;
Requesting from providers of electronic certification services and from any person concerned, any document or information useful for the performance of the tasks assigned to it by this law;
Developing the terms of reference laying down the terms and conditions for the provision of electronic certification services and submitting them to the National Electronic Certification Authority for approval;
Performing any checks in accordance with the electronic certification policy and the terms of reference laying down the terms and conditions for the provision of electronic certification services;
Producing public reports and statistics, as well as an annual report including a description of its activities, subject to the protection of confidentiality;

The Economic Electronic Certification Authority will report any facts of a criminal nature to the Public Prosecutor’s Office which come to light during the performance of its duties.

Organisational structure and operation

In order to carry out its duties, the Regulatory Authority has a Board made up of seven (7) members, including the Chairman, appointed by the President of the Republic on a proposal from the Prime Minister, and a Director General appointed by the President of the Republic.

The Regulatory Authority is administered by the Director General who will have, within the limits set by the laws and regulations in force, all powers to manage the Regulatory Authority and ensure its operation.

A non-suspensive appeal may be lodged with the Council of State against decisions taken by the Board of the Regulatory Authority within one month of notification of the decision.

The Board of the Regulatory Authority will draw up its rules of procedure, which will define, in particular, the rules governing its operation and the rights and obligations of its members and of the Director General.

The regulations and internal rules governing the staff of the Regulatory Authority and the organisation of the Directorate General will be drawn up by the Director General and approved by the Board of the Regulatory Authority and published in the official bulletin of the Regulatory Authority.

The accounts of the Regulatory Authority will be kept in accordance with commercial accounting principles and the national accounting and financial system. The accounts of the Regulatory Authority will be subject to external audit by an Auditor, appointed by the Board.