Meeting in Amsterdam on 26 and 27 March, several European digital and telecoms ministers expressed their desire to “simplify” and “deregulate” the sector, while the European Commission embarked on a wide-ranging process of unravelling several European directives and regulations.
In the declaration published at the end of the ‘D9+’ meeting, which brings together the Member States that are “most advanced in terms of digital technology”, including Poland, Estonia, the Netherlands and Finland, the ministers state that they “support the Commission in its aim of simplifying and creating more synergies between the different European and national funding programmes”.
“We discussed the need for a reviewed digital rulebook that is fit for purpose, deregulated where possible, avoids unnecessary red tape and does not hinder the development and use of technology by innovative European companies”, the statement said.
The signatory countries also stress the need to include several types of so-called strategic technologies in Europe’s digital strategy – namely AI and quantum technology – and the importance of “reducing barriers for private investment (...) to unlock sufficient capital to support the EU digital investment agenda”.
“We, the D9+ countries, recognise the importance of deepening digital cooperation among Member States and call for a cohesive and forward-looking European strategic approach to technology with a strong digital component aimed at increasing the EU’s tech sovereignty in an open manner”, say the thirteen signatory countries.
Also present at the meeting, Commission Vice-President and Commissioner for Technological Sovereignty, Henna Virkkunen, had a slightly different view on the issue of deregulation.
“When it comes to digitalisation, regulation is always the best approach”, she told the press, according to Euractiv, referring to the future Digital Network Act (DNA), the planned overhaul of European telecommunications that the Commission has been working on for the last year.
However, the Commissioner was in favour of “the simplest possible” rules in this area, to encourage investment. The future Digital Network Act will be discussed by member countries at the Telecommunications Council on 6 June (see EUROPE 13559/15).
See the declaration: https://aeur.eu/f/g5r (Original version in French by Isalia Stieffatre)