Input to own-initiative report on Europen Tech Sovereignty and digital infrastructure
Connect Europe shares its initial perspectives on European technological sovereignty and digital infrastructure as the ITRE EP Committee prepares to develop its own initiative report on these critical matters.
Key Recommendations:
Enable in-market consolidation as a stepping stone towards the European Single Market. We should reduce fragmentation and improve operators’ ability to innovate and invest in inclusive networks to the benefit of all end-users. Adapt competition policies accordingly to ensure the European industry is on a better, fairer footing when negotiating, partnering and competing with global tech giants.
Adopt a new policy approach for the telecom sector, driven by the upcoming Digital Networks Act (DNA), that fosters sustainable growth and innovation and supports investment in the European industry. Key elements should include a deregulatory push of today’s telecoms framework (by overhauling and simplifying existing telecoms rules) to align with competitive market realities while prioritising investment and removing regulatory barriers that hinder cross-border operations and synergies.
Revise the radio spectrum framework to ensure better legal certainty and encourage greater investment in infrastructure. This should be achieved primarily through a longer duration of spectrum usage rights, fair pricing, and ensuring timely access to additional spectrum.
Promote European industry cooperation to foster the development of Europeansolutions in cloud, AI, and virtualization technologies, reducing dependency on non-European providers and strengthening EU’s strategic autonomy in key technologies.
Support innovation “made in Europe”, by introducing a European preference clause in public procurement, while recognising that providers of European solutions may rely on complex ecosystems and global supply chains.
Preserve the current functioning of CEF Digital to support investment in 5G networks and services, backbones, and submarine cables, while strengthening its budget. Ensure that relevant EU funding is allocated to fostering an ecosystem for network-related innovations, such as Open RAN and edge cloud.
Reform the IPCEI funding mechanisms by reducing bureaucracy and focusing on impactful allocations to support the continued development of AI and edge-cloud technology at scale
Apply the 25% red tape cutting target to the telecom regulatory framework as well as all EU rules affecting the sector.
