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STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS
2026 No. 180
RETAINED EU LAW REFORM
ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS
The Authorisation of Frequency Use for the
Provision of Mobile Satellite Services (European
Union) (Revocation etc.) Regulations 2026
Sift requirements satisfied 4th February 2026
Made - - - - 25th February 2026
Laid before Parliament 2nd March 2026
Coming into force - - 14th May 2027
The Secretary of State makes these Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 14(1)
and 20(1)(b) of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023 (“the 2023 Act”)(1).
The Secretary of State is a relevant national authority for the purposes of section 14(1) of the
2023 Act(2).
The requirements of paragraph 6(2) of Schedule 5 to the 2023 Act (relating to the appropriate
parliamentary procedure for these Regulations) have been satisfied.
Citation, commencement and extent
1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Authorisation of Frequency Use for the Provision
of Mobile Satellite Services (European Union) (Revocation etc.) Regulations 2026.
(2) These Regulations come into force on 14th May 2027.
(3) These Regulations extend to England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Revocation
2. The Authorisation of Frequency Use for the Provision of Mobile Satellite Services (European
Union) Regulations 2010 are revoked in their entirety(3).
(1) 2023 c. 28.
(2) The term “relevant national authority” is defined in section 21(1) of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023.
(3) S.I. 2010/672 as amended by S.I. 2013/174 and S.I. 2018/1385.Document Generated: 2026-03-02
Status: This is the original version (as it was originally made). This
item of legislation is currently only available in its original format.
Consequential Provisions
3.—(1) The Authorisation of Frequency Use for the Provision of Mobile Satellite Services
(European Union)(Amendment) Regulations 2013 are revoked in their entirety(4).
(2) The Radio Spectrum (EU Exit) Regulations 2018(5) are amended by the omission of
regulation 3 (Amendment of the Authorisation of Frequency Use for the Provision of Mobile Satellite
Services (European Union) Regulations 2010).
Lloyd of Effra
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
Department for Science, Innovation and
25th February 2026 Technology
(4) S.I. 2013/174 that implemented Commission Decision 2011/667/EU of 10 October 2011 on modalities for coordinated
application of the rules on enforcement with regard to mobile satellite services (MSS) pursuant to Article 9(3) of Decision
No 626/2008/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 265, 11.10.11, pp. 25-27).
(5) S.I. 2018/1385.
2Document Generated: 2026-03-02
Status: This is the original version (as it was originally made). This
item of legislation is currently only available in its original format.
EXPLANATORY NOTE
(This note is not part of the Regulations)
These Regulations are made in exercise of the power in section 14(1) of the Retained EU Law
(Revocation and Reform) Act 2023 (c. 28) (“the 2023 Act”). This is the power to revoke secondary
assimilated EU law without replacing it. These Regulations revoke the Authorisation of Frequency
Use for the Provision of Mobile Satellite Services (European Union) Regulations 2010 (“the 2010
Regulations”) in their entirety. The 2010 Regulations are secondary assimilated law within the UK
within the meaning of section 21(2) of the 2023 Act.
Regulation 1 provides for citation, commencement and extent.
Regulation 2 revokes the 2010 Regulations. The 2010 Regulations implemented two EU measures:
Decision No 626/2008/EC of the European Parliament and the Council of 30 June 2008 on
the selection and authorisation of systems providing mobile satellite services (MSS) (OJ L 172,
2.7.2008, pp. 15-24) (“EU Decision”), and Decision 2009/449/EC of the Commission of 13 May
2009 on the selection of operators of pan-European systems providing mobile satellite services
(MSS) (notified under document number C(2009) 3746) (OJ L 149, 12.06.2009, pp. 65-68) (“EU
Commission Decision”), which established a coordinated EU-wide process for the selection and
authorisation of MSS in the 2 GHz band. This resulted in the authorisation of selected applicants
to use radio spectrum within the 2 GHz band for the operation of MSS in the European Union
for a period of eighteen years. It also made provision incidental to the authorisations, for example,
to ensure the monitoring of compliance of the selected applicants with the conditions of the
authorisations. The EU Decision and the EU Commission Decision were revoked in domestic law by
the Radio Spectrum (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/1385) (“the 2018 Regulations”) (which
also amended the 2010 Regulations).
The authorisations granted under the 2010 Regulations continued and are due to expire at the end
of 13th May 2027. The 2010 Regulations are revoked by these regulations on the expiry of the
authorisations, as from that time the 2010 Regulations will serve no purpose.
Regulation 3 deals with consequential amendments as a result of revoking the 2010 Regulations:
Paragraph (1) revokes the Authorisation of Frequency Use for the Provision of Mobile Satellite
Services (European Union)(Amendment) Regulations 2013 which implemented Commission
Decision 2011/667/EU of 10 October 2011 on modalities for coordinated application of the rules
on enforcement with regard to mobile satellite services (MSS) pursuant to Article 9(3) of Decision
No 626/2008/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (notified under document C(2011)
7001) (OJ L 265, 11.10.2011, pp. 25-27).
Paragraph (2) amends the 2018 Regulations by omitting regulation 3 of those Regulations, which
had amended the 2010 Regulations as a result of UK’s withdrawal from the EU.
A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact
on the private, voluntary or public sector is foreseen.
An Explanatory Memorandum has been prepared and published alongside the instrument on https://
www.legislation.gov.uk/.
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