Connect Europe unveils “Europe’s Digital Choice”, an ambitious policy agenda for the new EU leadership
With connectivity and technology being front and centre for the new College of Commissioners and with the Draghi report calling for a major policy reform in telecoms, Connect Europe has unveiled today its policy agenda "Europe’s Digital Choice."
This ambitious plan proposes 8 policy steps to build a more Connected, Competitive, and Innovative Continent to the benefit of citizens and businesses.
Connectivity: the case for doing more and doing it now
Europe has a historic opportunity to reclaim leadership in the connectivity ecosystem as it evolves towards ubiquitous, advanced connectivity with 5G, fibre as well as future technologies such as 6G and quantum & AI-ready networks. Over the past 20 years, our Continent missed out on the smartphone and app revolutions, but also failed to build global internet companies. The existing regulatory and competition framework in Europe has not been able to reverse this trend. We therefore believe that a significant change in approach and mindset is needed, one that focuses on enabling innovation rather than adding layers of regulation.
Today, thanks to the Continent’s solid industrial base and R&D excellence, we can build leadership in new connectivity technologies and enhance Europe's competitiveness on a global scale.
Citizens are demanding this, too. According to recent findings, 76% of Europeans believe advanced connectivity is crucial for enhancing their lives and socio-economic conditions, while the majority acknowledges the importance of technologies such as 5G for business innovation and future growth. Connect Europe’s policy agenda highlights significant progress, with 89% of Europeans consumers enjoying 5G and 64% of households connected by fiber. However, it underscores the urgent need for greener, more resilient networks, embracing developments in softwarization, cloudification, AI, and network-as-a-service.
Our blueprint for a flourishing European network ecosystem
With the Parliamentary hearings for the Commissioners-designate nearing, Connect Europe reveals its policy agenda, urging Europe to take this historic chance to lead in connectivity. Connect Europe envisions a future where small business owners and all citizens benefit from a digitally robust and innovative Europe.
To realize this vision, Connect Europe proposes 8 policy steps to:
Make Europe more competitive in connectivity by achieving scale, promoting industry collaboration and achieving a real Digital Single Market for businesses and consumers.
Let the rules be easier, clearer and fairer, by removing unnecessary burden, streamlining and further harmonizing sectoral regulation with horizontal rules (e.g., consumer protection, privacy, security)
Provide gigabit access to all citizens and companies, faster, by fundamentally reviewing the EU regulatory framework and moving away from current ex-ante regulation.
Create an investment-friendly approach to spectrum policy to support 5G investment and future 6G innovation.
Promote fairness and correct current asymmetries in the internet value-chain through a dispute resolution mechanism addressing failures in commercial negotiations for data transport as well as by applying the same rules for comparable services.
Execute an industrial strategy for advanced and secure connectivity for a competitive and AI-ready European telco edge cloud infrastructure and open RAN ecosystem, including by making public funding available.
Streamline reporting obligations in areas such as cybersecurity and sustainability.
Facilitate the climate transition for digital infrastructure, supporting a market-based transition to new network technologies, commercial network sharing and by helping reduce emissions along the entire value chain, improving access to renewable energy and by stimulating investment in green networks through an inclusion in the EU taxonomy.
"Europe has the opportunity to catch the connectivity train and strengthen its critical infrastructure, after having missed out on the smartphone and consumer internet revolutions. This is a matter ofcompetitiveness and socio-economic growth, but also a crucial factor for our security and sustainability. We can win the race by deeply reforming current rules and revamping our competition policy."
Alessandro Gropelli
-Director General-Designate, Connect Europe
