DT Economics provides insights on regulatory effectiveness in small nations

National regulatory authorities (NRAs) in small nations face a unique balancing act. With fewer resources but broad mandates, they often oversee multiple sectors – such as telecoms, energy and water – while contending with challenges around independence, appeals, and often outdated legislation.

To shed light on these issues, DT Economics undertook a pro bono project with the International Institute of Communications (IIC) Small Nations Regulators Forum (SNRF) over the course of last year to develop a knowledge library for regulators operating in small markets. This resource gathers insights from across regions and is designed to grow over time as new contributions are added.

The research focused on the telecoms remit of NRAs. Out of 28 authorities contacted across Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East and the Caribbean, six were not in scope for this study as they did not cover telecommunications in their mandate, and 13 provided responses. Bilateral discussions with regulators complemented the survey, helping to capture more specific insights and highlight regional differences.

Key insights from the work include:

• Scope of responsibility – Unlike larger markets with specialised agencies, small nation NRAs often need to be “jack of all trades,” raising the question of whether cross-sectoral oversight is more efficient than sector-specific approaches.

• Regulatory objectives and appeals – Small nation NRAs frequently pursue multiple primary objectives, which can create difficult trade-offs. Appeals processes are essential for accountability, yet they can be resource-intensive and burdensome for smaller authorities.

• Powers, sanctions and independence – Most NRAs combine preventative (ex ante) and corrective (ex post) powers, helping them manage enforcement efficiently. While many NRAs secure partial self-funding – often signalling a level of independence from political or commercial pressures – achieving true autonomy remains challenging in small, tightly interconnected markets.

The challenges faced by small nation NRAs are not isolated, but shared. The survey revealed consistent themes, showing that collaboration and knowledge exchange can be powerful levers for strengthening regulatory capacity and supporting effective oversight in small nations.

Read more in our full article in InterMEDIA: https://iicintermedia.org/small-nations/navigating-complexity-with-scarce-resources-regulatory-effectiveness-in-small-nations/

Please also get in touch with Sean Kennedy (sean.kennedy@dteconomics.com) or Chiara Garbellini (chiara.garbellini@dteconomics.com) if you would like to know more about this work.