The GSMA anticipates a crucial six months as Cyprus takes over the Presidency of the European Union.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Europe\u2019s digital present is an unfortunate reality of underinvestment and a struggle to compete with other major global markets. Europe\u2019s digital future is on the line during this presidential term, and decisions made now will hopefully set the continent\u2019s businesses and citizens up for decades of growth, innovation and security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For too long, Europe has sat on the sidelines and watched as smart, forward-looking decisions were made the world over, from the USA to China and many markets in between. As a result, the benefits of reliable, high-speed connectivity \u2013 in particular in developing, maturing and monetising new digital products and services \u2013 are being felt elsewhere and not by Europeans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now, it must be our turn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Most imminently, this comes in the form of the Digital Networks Act, a long-awaited piece of legislation that simply must deliver on the Commission\u2019s stated aim of simplification and overall mission to improve the continent\u2019s competitiveness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The DNA is a key opportunity to reduce the regulatory burden on mobile operators, to apply fair and equivalent rules across the whole digital ecosystem, and to ensure longer-term certainty over spectrum licences. Doing so will greatly improve the collective ability to drive the significant investment needed to provide Europe with its networks of the future and allow the continent to begin to catch up with the global connectivity leaders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Equally important is the ongoing review of the merger guidelines. Consumer benefits are felt not just through competitive pricing but through improved service and innovation across networks. This too requires investment, which scale can unlock and which smarter decisions on in-market consolidation will allow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Europe\u2019s expectations and ambitions do not match its reality. For all the talk of AI, cloud, 6G, and security and resilience, all of these are dependent on digital infrastructure that is not accessible under present regulatory restrictions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The DNA can address this as long as it remains bold and, at Member State level, is accepted as the only way to restore Europe to a competitive footing and empower its digital economy for decades to come. We hope Cyprus\u2019s leadership of the bloc can help deliver on this need and give Europe the tools to return to its role as a true global powerhouse.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The GSMA anticipates a crucial six months as Cyprus takes over the Presidency of the European Union. Europe\u2019s digital present is an unfortunate reality of underinvestment and a struggle to compete with other major global markets. Europe\u2019s digital future is on the line during this presidential term, and decisions made now will hopefully set the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":75,"featured_media":14889,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_oasis_is_in_workflow":0,"_oasis_original":0,"_oasis_task_priority":"","_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,28],"tags":[],"algolia_discover_type":[],"class_list":["post-14888","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-general","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n