Today the European Commission published “A Competitiveness Compass for the EU“, which will guide the work in the coming five years and lists priority actions to reignite economic dynamism in Europe.
Laszlo Toth, Head of Europe at the GSMA, comments: “Europe will not regain competitiveness without the digital infrastructure to support innovation and demand. Our networks are a fundamental enabler for growth across the continent, but remain undervalued and under pressure.
“Europe has a powerful history as the home of invention and opportunity. But real change is now needed to reestablish that leadership role. The Competitiveness Compass is encouraging, as it acknowledges the need to simplify regulation and prioritise speed and agility while paving the way for a Digital Networks Act by the end of the year. The DNA will represent a welcome and crucial signal of Europe’s future intent to be a global technology powerhouse once more, particularly if it delivers on creating a true telecoms Single Market.
“Current policy principles were established decades ago and no longer reflect how the sector should function, which is restricting the industry’s ability to source the hundreds of billions of Euros needed for infrastructure upgrades to benefit Europe’s citizens and businesses. Our digital networks are fundamental to Europe’s ability to compete on the global stage, so it is very positive that the new Commission is recognising this.”