As Denmark prepares to take over the helm of the EU Presidency, the GSMA and Teleindustrien (Telecommunications Industry Association in Denmark) brought together senior government officials, industry leaders and security experts for a critical and timely conversation on the future of Europe’s connectivity landscape and the resilience of its digital infrastructure.
Held in Copenhagen on 10 June, the event opened a space for open dialogue on the state of Europe’s telecoms sector and what’s needed to regain global competitiveness, ensure secure digital infrastructure, and prepare for future shocks in an uncertain geopolitical climate.
Read the joint statement by the GSMA and Teleindustrien “Telecoms industry heralds crucial six months for Europe’s growth, innovation and security ahead of Danish Presidency of the EU”
Denmark’s success – and the challenges ahead
Jakob Willer, Director of Teleindustrien, set the tone by highlighting Denmark’s telecom success story: strong high-speed internet coverage, widespread adoption, and affordable prices for consumers. However, he also flagged key challenges: declining operator revenues, low returns on investment, lack of scale, and the pressing need for sustained investment in digital infrastructure.
Europe is falling behind
In his keynote address, Vivek Badrinath, Director General of the GSMA, issued a stark warning: while other global regions are innovating and scaling, Europe is falling behind. European operators are constrained by fragmentation and overregulation, which hinders investment and slows progress.
His message was clear: “Scale is king.” Without it, Europe risks losing out economically and strategically. Consolidation is vital to achieve that scale and build the best-in-class digital infrastructure Europe needs to compete globally.
Badrinath called on Denmark, as the incoming EU Presidency, to take up this historic responsibility through the Digital Networks Act (DNA) — by creating a true single market, reforming competition policy, reducing regulatory burdens, and providing a stable investment environment that supports operators and delivers better value for consumers.
Denmark’s digital vision
Caroline Stage Olsen, Denmark’s Minister for Digital Affairs, underscored the need for secure, high-quality digital infrastructure, especially in growing geopolitical tensions. She stressed Denmark’s commitment to a technology-neutral, market-based approach that maintains strong competition as the engine of innovation and resilience.
She laid out the priorities of the Danish EU Presidency, including:
- Protecting users and ensuring a safe digital environment, especially for children;
- Tackling Big Tech dominance;
- Supporting Europe’s competitiveness by simplifying the regulatory framework and enabling innovation.
A vision for Telecoms Single Market
Renate Nikolay, Deputy Director-General of DG Connect, shared the European Commission’s vision for the Digital Networks Act — to support a more integrated and resilient Digital Single Market. The five pillars of the DNA include: a holistic approach to connectivity, security and resilience, simplification of rules, spectrum harmonisation, and clear governance structures.
Her remarks reinforced the Commission’s intent to align stakeholders across the continent to create a digital ecosystem that is both competitive and secure.
A panel of Danish telecom CEOs: Morten Christiansen, Regional CEO, 3 Scandinavia and Austria, Gert Vinther Jørgensen, Group CEO, NORLYS, Christian Thrane, CEO of Nuuday, Michel Jumeau, CEO, TDC NET, Lars Thomsen, CEO, Telenor Denmark, spoke with one voice: Europe’s operators need scale to compete globally with regions like the US and China. They urged policymakers to enable consolidation, reduce regulatory complexity, and foster a pro-innovation environment that empowers the industry to build next-generation networks.
Connectivity as a foundation for resilience
Torsten Schack Pedersen, Denmark’s Minister for Resilience and Preparedness, elevated the conversation to national security matters. He emphasised that telecommunications are fundamental to societal preparedness and technological independence, especially given global instabilities.
He called for a single market approach to network resilience and reiterated a key Danish Presidency priority: strengthening the robustness of Europe’s critical communication infrastructure.
A closing panel of security experts including Dr. Marnix Dekker, Deputy Head of Resilience of Critical Sectors Unit, ENISA, Karsten Brinkmann, Chief Information Security Officer, TDC NET and Chairman of Teleindustrien Cybersecurity Group, Jean-Marie Mele, Group Chief Information Security Officer, Orange, Ben Wreschner, Group Regulatory Policy Director, Vodafone Group and Eirik Øwre Thorshaug, Vice President – Public Affairs, Telenor Group, provided a sobering perspective: Europe is no longer at peace. With rising geopolitical tensions and potential conflicts on the horizon, the private sector must be ready to act and work closely with governments.
The panel highlighted the fragmented implementation of digital legislation across member states and stressed the urgent need for a common European approach to cybersecurity and infrastructure resilience. All agreed that cross-sector, cross-country, and public-private collaboration is essential to meet future challenges.
Looking ahead
The discussions in Copenhagen underscored a critical inflexion point for Europe. As Denmark takes up the EU Presidency, the path forward must balance competitiveness and competition, innovation and regulation, growth and security.
The stakes are high — but so is the collective ambition.
