About us
We are Germany's main authority for infrastructure, promoting competition in the markets for energy, telecommunications, post and railways to guarantee the efficiency of our country's vital networks. As a consumer protection authority, we also safeguard the interests of the people using these networks.
History
The Bundesnetzagentur für Elektrizität, Gas, Telekommunikation, Post und Eisenbahnen is an independent higher federal authority with its main office in Bonn operating within the scope of business of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) and the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV). We have been responsible for Germany's essential electricity, gas, telecommunications and postal infrastructures for over 20 years.
Our authority was founded in 1998 as part of the process of liberalising the postal and telecommunications markets. Our task was to ensure fair and non-discriminatory competition for all market participants. Our success and our expertise in regulation led to the energy and rail sectors also being placed under our responsibility.
The Regulatory Authority for Telecommunications and Post, which took over the responsibilities of the former Federal Ministry of Post and Telecommunications and the Federal Office for Post and Telecommunications, was renamed the Bundesnetzagentur on 13 July 2005.
On 1 January 2006 the Bundesnetzagentur's scope of tasks was extended to cover regulation of the rail sector.
In 2011 the Bundesnetzagentur also took on tasks in connection with the network development plans. If a network development plan indicates the need for expansion of the extra-high voltage network, the Bundesnetzagentur's efficient planning and approval procedures help to speed up implementation.
In June 2013 the Bundesnetzagentur was given additional tasks relating to the expansion of the electricity grid. Since then, it has been responsible for carrying out the planning approval procedures for expansion projects crossing federal state or national borders.
Today, as the main authority responsible for infrastructure, we set the general conditions for fair competition in these sectors and, in our role as supervisory authority, we also take on some functions of consumer protection. Modern energy, communications and transport networks are everyday lifelines in our society. Without these networks a prosperous economy based on the division of labour would be unthinkable. Germany's competitiveness and future as a successful export country depends on the capability of these networks. Core infrastructures make it possible to achieve market power. The interests of companies, politics, the economy and society are not always in alignment. And competition that strikes a balance between these interests does not usually happen by itself.
Regulation of these infrastructures by an independent institution, such as the Bundesnetzagentur, is a key task in our national economy and will remain so. We gladly accept responsibility for this. Now and in the future, as in the past 20 years.