{"id":14004,"date":"2025-07-14T08:54:49","date_gmt":"2025-07-14T07:54:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/?p=14004"},"modified":"2026-01-05T10:03:41","modified_gmt":"2026-01-05T10:03:41","slug":"digital-networks-act","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/general\/digital-networks-act\/","title":{"rendered":"The Digital Networks Act: Europe\u2019s last chance for a secure, competitive and innovative future\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The GSMA, the industry association representing Europe\u2019s telecoms operators, has submitted a response on behalf of the telecoms industry to the European Commission\u2019s Call for Evidence on the Digital Networks Act (DNA).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The DNA is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to address the raft of market limitations that have continued to stymie digital progress and have limited access to necessary investment, costing Europe its position as a leading player on the global stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A thriving digital ecosystem, underpinned by cutting-edge telecoms infrastructure, is the key enabler of growth, security and innovation in 2025 and Europe\u2019s increasingly trails behind other developed economies in its availability, resilience and capacity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To address this loss of competitiveness, a fundamental reset of the regulatory framework for the digital communications sector is required. The DNA should aim to return the European telecoms sector to a position of strength and leadership while ensuring that Europe meets its objectives on connectivity, digitalisation, and competitiveness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Simplifying the framework and enhancing harmonisation, reducing the regulatory burden and ensuring a more competitive, balanced and fair digital environment should be at the top of the Commission\u2019s DNA action plan, prioritising speed and agility and based around the following core principles: \u202f<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Competitiveness<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Regulatory simplification\u202f<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Harmonisation \/ Completion of the Digital Single Market\u202f<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    We believe that the future DNA should establish a radically simplified regulatory framework that offers appropriate incentives for investment and innovation and supports the implementation of the EU’s strategic vision and objectives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    This vision emphasises the importance of widespread, secure and advanced connectivity infrastructure, which is crucial and strategic for EU’s resilience, security, global competitiveness, digital ambitions and prosperity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    To achieve this, three primary policy changes should be prioritised:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    1. Simplification<\/strong>: A fundamental overhaul of today\u2019s framework is necessary, always with the underlying aim of improving long-term investment capacity to enable the sector to deliver on important public policy objectives such as providing reliable, super-fast and future-ready connectivity for consumers and businesses. Regulations must be made fit for purpose in the modern digital ecosystem and ensure an effective rebalancing of the sector, with a view to streamlining rules that are no longer essential or justified. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    2. Spectrum<\/strong>: The DNA must also include the important and necessary evolution of EU spectrum policy. Among the priorities should be extended licence durations \u2013 transitioning towards indefinite licences, or at a minimum extending terms to 40 years \u2013 and easier renewals that align with the need for increased investment certainty and significantly support long-term network planning and deployment. A clear EU roadmap is needed for spectrum availability, and harmonisation efforts should focus on the timing of availability and technical and economic usage conditions, rather than imposing uniform national assignment procedures or timetables.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    3.<\/strong> Level playing field<\/strong>: The DNA should focus on levelling the regulatory playing field and ensuring a fair and balanced relationship between traditional telecommunication providers and other players of the digital ecosystem. This will help to support innovation and investment into networks, ensuring the adoption of high-capacity networks, maintaining sustainable competition, and delivering benefits to consumers, businesses and the public sector \u2013 in short, a fairer functioning of the internet value chain.\u202f<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      <\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      Ultimately, enabling telecoms operators to reach scale is critical to fostering the significant investment needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      We urge EU policy makers to be ambitious in striving to benefit EU citizens and businesses, and to seize this vital opportunity to set Europe up for decades of digital leadership, not more lagging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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      Response to the European Commission\u2019s Call for Evidence on the Digital Networks Act<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Read now<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>

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      For more information, please contact:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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