The European Commission unveiled its package for the transformation of the EU’s connectivity sector on Thursday 23 February. The three-part package should, through a series of measures, enable EU citizens and businesses to benefit from very high-speed connectivity (transmission speed of one gigabit/second or more) by 2030, as set out in the EU’s objectives for the Digital Decade (see EUROPE 13095/24).
The Commission started by presenting in detail a new proposal for a regulation on gigabit infrastructure. This future regulation - which comes against a backdrop of growing demand for faster connectivity - will replace the 2014 directive on reducing the cost of broadband.
In particular, the text should serve to digitise and simplify the procedures for granting authorisations for the deployment of gigabit networks. It should also increase cooperation between network operators and the entities responsible for civil works for the underlying physical infrastructure - such as ducts and masts - which account for 70% of the costs for network deployment.
“Today, access to fast and secure connectivity is becoming a reality for everyone, everywhere in the EU. But high-speed internet requires considerable investment”, commented Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton.
In addition, the proposed regulation provides for all new buildings - and those undergoing renovation - to be equipped with optical fibre.
Ensuring access to networks for all operators
The second part of the package is based on a draft recommendation containing guidelines to be sent to national regulatory authorities on the conditions of access to the telecommunications networks of dominant operators in the market.
In practice, this second component should act as a guarantee that all operators can access the network infrastructure. To this end, the text provides for the introduction of incentives to abandon traditional technologies in the next “2 to 3 years”, according to the European Commission.
It also plans to encourage, through incentives for flexible pricing for network access, the rapid roll-out of very high-speed networks. The draft recommendation has been submitted to the Body of European Regulators (BEREC) for a 2-month consultation. The Commission should then adopt its final recommendation, taking into account BEREC’s opinion.
Finally, on Thursday 23 February, the Commission also launched a 12-week consultation on the evolution of the telecommunications sector. The focus will be on identifying the infrastructure needed for the EU to remain a major global player in this field and the investments needed to achieve this. Several avenues are envisaged, such as the creation of a digital fund or a direct contribution from telecommunications operators. On the basis of the opinions collected, measures will then be announced by the European Commission.
The package presented by the Commission has been received in different ways by the stakeholders. Some, such as the Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA Europe), have expressed concern about the consultation.
“The responses to most of the questions in the consultation can only be provided by technology companies and telecoms operators, thus excluding most stakeholders”, lamented CCIA Europe, calling on the Commission to “adopt a more inclusive approach and give equal weight to the concerns expressed by consumer groups and digital rights NGOs”.
See the proposed regulation: https://aeur.eu/f/5gt
See the draft recommendations: https://aeur.eu/f/5gu
See the consultation: https://aeur.eu/f/5gv (Original version in French by Thomas Mangin)