Autoridade Nacional de Comunicações (ANACOM) is the regulatory authority

Regulatory Authority

A regulatory agency is a public authority or government agency responsible for exercising autonomous authority over some area of human activity in a regulatory or supervisory capacity...

 for electronic communications and postal services

Mail

Mail, or post, is a system for transporting letters and other tangible objects: written documents, typically enclosed in envelopes, and also small packages are delivered to destinations around the world. Anything sent through the postal system is called mail or post.In principle, a postal service...

 in Portugal

Portugal

Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...

.

ANACOM also represents Portugal at relevant international fora and has several functions with respect to electronic commerce

Electronic commerce

Electronic commerce, commonly known as e-commerce, eCommerce or e-comm, refers to the buying and selling of products or services over electronic systems such as the Internet and other computer networks. However, the term may refer to more than just buying and selling products online...

. It has been active since 1989. Its main objectives are to promote competition, transparency in prices and conditions of use, and the development of communication networks and markets. ANACOM also works to defend the interests of citizens and in particular the users of communications. This work involves ensuring access to the universal service in both electronic communications and postal services.