{"id":15997,"date":"2026-06-19T15:02:11","date_gmt":"2026-06-19T14:02:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/?p=15997"},"modified":"2026-06-29T11:32:52","modified_gmt":"2026-06-29T10:32:52","slug":"irelands-eu-presidency-and-the-digital-networks-act-a-united-vision-for-reform","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/general\/irelands-eu-presidency-and-the-digital-networks-act-a-united-vision-for-reform\/","title":{"rendered":"Ireland\u2019s EU Presidency and the Digital Networks Act: A United Vision for Reform"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/news\/europes-e1-trillion-mobile-industry-at-a-crossroads-ahead-of-irish-eu-presidency\/\">Europe\u2019s \u20ac1tn mobile industry at a crossroads ahead of Irish EU presidency<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery gallery_tiles galleryid-15997 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-full'><div class='gallery-item' data-micromodal-trigger='modal-1-0'>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<a class='image_link' href='#' ><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0048.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Four professionally dressed individuals (three men, one woman) stand on a stage with an &quot;Ireland 2026: Shaping Europe&#039;s Connectivity Future&quot; backdrop. The stage has chairs, a table with water, and blue and orange lighting, creating a formal conference setting.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0048.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0048-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0048-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0048-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0048-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0048-2048x1366.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class='gallery-item' data-micromodal-trigger='modal-1-1'>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<a class='image_link' href='#' ><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0209-1.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Five people in business attire stand smiling on a stage with blue lighting. Behind them are chairs, tables with jugs, and two screens displaying event info titled \u201cEurope\u2019s Connectivity DNA: Getting the Digital Networks Act Right\u201d with panellist names and photos.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0209-1.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0209-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0209-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0209-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0209-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0209-1-2048x1366.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class='gallery-item' data-micromodal-trigger='modal-1-2'>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<a class='image_link' href='#' ><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0210.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0210.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0210-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0210-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0210-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0210-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0210-2048x1366.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class='gallery-item' data-micromodal-trigger='modal-1-3'>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<a class='image_link' href='#' ><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0204.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Five panellists sit on stage, engaged in discussion at a conference. Three women and two men face an audience. Bright lights, a backdrop with coloured panels, and event logos are visible. One man gestures while speaking; others listen attentively.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0204.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0204-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0204-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0204-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0204-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0204-2048x1366.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class='gallery-item' data-micromodal-trigger='modal-1-4'>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<a class='image_link' href='#' ><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0206.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Three people stand together indoors, smiling at the camera. Two women wear suits\u2014one in black with a scarf, the other in white\u2014whilst the man in the centre wears a dark suit and glasses. Behind them is event signage with telecommunications branding.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0206.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0206-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0206-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0206-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0206-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0206-2048x1366.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class='gallery-item' data-micromodal-trigger='modal-1-5'>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<a class='image_link' href='#' ><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0049.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"A woman speaks at a lectern with two microphones. Behind her, a large screen displays the text: \u201cIreland 2026: Shaping Europe\u2019s Connectivity Future\u201d and \u201cWelcome Address \u2013 Nicola Cooke, Director, Telecommunications Industry Ireland\u201d.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0049.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0049-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0049-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0049-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0049-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0049-2048x1366.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class='gallery-item' data-micromodal-trigger='modal-1-6'>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<a class='image_link' href='#' ><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0072.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"A man in a suit and glasses speaks at a lectern with two microphones. He gestures with his hands, appearing to address an audience. The background features panels lit in blue, white, and red tones, creating a modern, vibrant atmosphere.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0072.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0072-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0072-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0072-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0072-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0072-2048x1366.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class='gallery-item' data-micromodal-trigger='modal-1-7'>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<a class='image_link' href='#' ><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0092.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"A man in a suit and orange-striped tie speaks at a lectern with two microphones. Behind him, a large screen displays the event title: &quot;Ireland 2026: Shaping Europe\u2019s Connectivity Future&quot; and his role as Minister for Culture, Communications, Ireland.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0092.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0092-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0092-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0092-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0092-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0092-2048x1366.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class='gallery-item' data-micromodal-trigger='modal-1-8'>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<a class='image_link' href='#' ><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0125.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"A man in a dark suit, tie, and glasses speaks at a lectern. Behind him is a large screen displaying text for a keynote: \u201cIreland 2026: Shaping Europe\u2019s Connectivity Future\u201d and the speaker\u2019s name, Micha\u0142 Kobosko, with his photo inset on the right.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0125.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0125-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0125-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0125-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0125-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0125-2048x1366.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class='gallery-item' data-micromodal-trigger='modal-1-9'>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<a class='image_link' href='#' ><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0212.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"A conference room with an audience seated facing a panel of five speakers on a stage. Large screens behind the panel display speaker names and topics. The room is brightly lit with circular ceiling lights and has a formal, professional atmosphere.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0212.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0212-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0212-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0212-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0212-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0212-2048x1366.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class='gallery-item' data-micromodal-trigger='modal-1-10'>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<a class='image_link' href='#' ><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0031.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"A group of people, both men and women, are standing indoors, chatting and smiling. One woman in focus holds a coffee cup and laughs whilst talking to another person. The setting appears to be informal, possibly a networking event or social gathering.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0031.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0031-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0031-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0031-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0031-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2026_06_11_GSMA_Dublin_0031-2048x1366.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p>As Ireland prepares to assume the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, telecoms policy is moving to the centre of the European agenda. At a recent forum convened by the GSMA and Telecommunications Industry Ireland (TII), industry leaders, policymakers and EU representatives gathered in Dublin to discuss the proposed Digital Networks Act (DNA) and the wider future of Europe\u2019s connectivity landscape.<\/p>\n<p>Europe is at a strategic crossroads. Decisions taken over the next year will shape telecoms regulation and Europe\u2019s competitiveness, innovation capacity and digital sovereignty.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Connectivity is strategic infrastructure<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Opening the event, Nicola Cooke, Director of TII, argued that telecoms must be recognised as critical national and European infrastructure. That means creating a more enabling policy environment across Europe reducing unnecessary complexity, improving spectrum policy, balancing cybersecurity requirements, and building a clearer narrative around the value of connectivity for economic growth and societal resilience.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Europe\u2019s regulatory framework is too fragmented<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In his keynote, Vivek Badrinath, Director General of the GSMA, called for a more ambitious regulatory approach to create a true digital single market.<\/p>\n<p>He highlighted several structural problems. Hundreds of spectrum licence renewals create administrative inefficiency and investment uncertainty. The sector faces a patchwork of 28 sector-specific regulations and dozens of reporting obligations. Current merger rules and market fragmentation limit operators\u2019 ability to achieve scale.<\/p>\n<p>Badrinath argued that smarter spectrum licensing alone could free up an estimated \u20ac30 billion over a decade for network investment. He also called for updated net neutrality rules that support innovation, a level playing field across the digital ecosystem, and a rethink of cybersecurity rules that may divert resources from network upgrades.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ireland\u2019s EU Presidency could become a defining moment<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Patrick O\u2019Donovan, Ireland\u2019s Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, described the upcoming Presidency as a defining period for digital policy.<\/p>\n<p>While issues such as online safety, social media regulation and artificial intelligence will feature prominently, the DNA is expected to be a major priority. The Presidency\u2019s ambition is to simplify rules, harmonise regulation across member states and strengthen the investment capacity of European digital players.<\/p>\n<p>O\u2019Donovan emphasised the need for faster legislative processes that can keep pace with technological change and market dynamics. That urgency was echoed repeatedly throughout the event: policy cycles measured in years no longer match the speed of digital innovation.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The next six months will shape the DNA<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The clearest signal came from Micha\u0142 Kobosko, Member of the European Parliament and Rapporteur for the Digital Networks Act.<\/p>\n<p>He described the coming months as \u201ccrucial\u201d, noting the tension between high expectations for reform and the more conservative instincts of some member states. His goal is to deliver a draft report in October, with several priorities at the centre of the work: simplifying rules and reducing reporting obligations; ensuring \u201csame service, same rules\u201d across the digital ecosystem; achieving real harmonisation across Europe; and positioning the DNA as an enabler of investment and innovation.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Investment certainty is the industry\u2019s overriding concern<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>CEOs from Ireland\u2019s mobile operators pointed to the industry&#8217;s economic importance and Europe\u2019s investment gap relative to the United States. Capital expenditure per capita remains significantly lower in Europe, while operators face growing demands to deploy 5G, strengthen resilience and support AI-driven connectivity needs.<\/p>\n<p>Several themes emerged repeatedly: regulatory certainty is essential for long-term infrastructure investment; spectrum policy remains central to unlocking 5G standalone deployment; overlapping cybersecurity obligations risk increasing costs without improving outcomes; and Europe\u2019s fragmented market structure limits scale and efficiency.<\/p>\n<p>The second panel broadened the discussion to the wider digital rulebook, including the Digital Markets Act (DMA) and Digital Services Act (DSA). Participants argued that Europe needs a more coherent \u201cconnectivity union\u201d approach, with clearer guidance from the European Commission and more streamlined processes across member states.<\/p>\n<p>There was also a growing consensus that net neutrality rules may need to be updated to accommodate new network capabilities and innovative services without creating legal uncertainty.<\/p>\n<p>The event closed with a sense of both opportunity and urgency. Ireland\u2019s Presidency arrives at a moment when Europe is reassessing its industrial competitiveness, strategic autonomy and digital future. Telecoms networks sit at the heart of all three. There was a clear alignment across industry and many policymakers on the direction of travel. Simplification, harmonisation and investment predictability are increasingly framed as prerequisites for Europe\u2019s wider economic competitiveness.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/solutions-and-impact\/connectivity-for-good\/mobile-economy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/The-Mobile-Economy-Europe-2026.pdf\">The Mobile Economy Europe 2026<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/solutions-and-impact\/connectivity-for-good\/mobile-economy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/The-Mobile-Economy-Ireland-2026.pdf\">Irish EU Presidency Infographic<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As Ireland prepares to assume the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, telecoms policy is moving to the centre of the European agenda. At a recent forum convened by the GSMA and Telecommunications Industry Ireland (TII), industry leaders, policymakers and EU representatives gathered in Dublin to discuss the proposed Digital Networks Act (DNA) [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":75,"featured_media":15954,"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-15997","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-general","category-news"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.3 (Yoast SEO v27.9) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Ireland\u2019s EU Presidency and the Digital Networks Act: A United Vision for Reform - GSMA Europe<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/general\/irelands-eu-presidency-and-the-digital-networks-act-a-united-vision-for-reform\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Ireland\u2019s EU Presidency and the Digital Networks Act: A United Vision for Reform\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"As Ireland prepares to assume the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, telecoms policy is moving to the centre of the European agenda. At a recent forum convened by the GSMA and Telecommunications Industry Ireland (TII), industry leaders, policymakers and EU representatives gathered in Dublin to discuss the proposed Digital Networks Act (DNA) [&hellip;]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/general\/irelands-eu-presidency-and-the-digital-networks-act-a-united-vision-for-reform\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"GSMA Europe\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/gsma\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-06-19T14:02:11+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-06-29T10:32:52+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Vivek_Ireland_11062026_1200x628-1.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1502\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"786\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"mgalani@gsma.com\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@GSMA\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@GSMA\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"mgalani@gsma.com\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Ireland\u2019s EU Presidency and the Digital Networks Act: A United Vision for Reform - GSMA Europe","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/about-us\/regions\/europe\/general\/irelands-eu-presidency-and-the-digital-networks-act-a-united-vision-for-reform\/","og_locale":"en_GB","og_type":"article","og_title":"Ireland\u2019s EU Presidency and the Digital Networks Act: A United Vision for Reform","og_description":"As Ireland prepares to assume the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, telecoms policy is moving to the centre of the European agenda. 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