New Rules for a New Era: Connecting Europe to 2030
Start: Wednesday 20 March 2024 16:30
End: Wednesday 20 March 2024 20:00
Venue: GSMA Europe Office
Location: Regent Park - 1st Floor, Boulevard du Regent 35, 1000 Brussels
Ahead of 2024 European Parliament elections, the GSMA is pleased to invite you to the launch event of the Mobile Industry’s Manifesto for Europe “New Rules for a New Era: Connecting Europe to 2030”.
A thriving mobile sector is a key driver of the EU’s digital ambitions, both through its next generation 5G and 6G networks, and the technologies and innovation ecosystems they enable. It also acts as an engine of Europe’s economic competitiveness as advanced connectivity enables industry, including SMEs, to reap the value and transformative benefits of digital technologies.
As cloud computing, AI and digital networks becomes the determining factor for economic growth and political power, Europe is lagging behind other global players in this race.
The upcoming European elections present an opportunity to place the reform of the telecom sector on the EU political agenda. A new regulatory framework could allow for long-term investment, recognising the need for economies of scale and enabling the fast deployment of world-leading connectivity.
Programme
16:30 – 17:00 | Registration of participants
17:00 – 17:15 | Opening remarks and presentation of the Mobile Industry’s Manifesto for Europe
Laszlo Toth, Head of Europe and CIS, GSMA
17:15 – 18:30 | EURACTIV Debate “The European connectivity landscape – What reforms are needed for a new era?”
In February 2024, the European Commission published the White Paper on “How to master Europe’s digital infrastructure needs”. It analyses a set of possible actions to foster innovation, security and resilience of digital infrastructures.
Connectivity is the backbone of a competitive digital and green economy. Some industry stakeholders argue that excessive market fragmentation, spectrum costs and an outdated regulatory framework have caused the telecom sector’s revenues to decrease, despite growing reliance on digital networks and connectivity. They say that European telcos have lost 80% of their market value over the last 20 years, while revenues across the broader internet ecosystem have significantly increased. Concerned stakeholders believe that a paradigm shift is needed for Europe to effectively compete in the global economy.
According to Margrethe Vestager, the fragmentation of the EU’s telecom market and different regulations in the 27 Member States are a missed economic opportunity. With the publication of the White Paper, various policy solutions to help the creation of a Single Market for Telcos have been identified.
Join this Euractiv event to discuss the reforms needed to strengthen the European telecoms industry and advance the EU’s digital ambitions. Questions to be discussed include:
– What regulatory changes are needed for the digital infrastructure framework to improve European competitiveness?
– What are the key takeaways from the European Commission’s White Paper “How to master Europe’s digital infrastructure needs”?
– With the upcoming report on the future of the Single Market, what needs to be done to move closer to a true European Telecoms Single Market?
Panelists:
Kamila Kloc, Director Digital Decade and Connectivity, DG CNECT, European Commission
Aleksander Soltysik, Chairperson, Radio Spectrum Policy Group
Peter Alexiadis, Research Fellow, CERRE, and Visiting Professor, King’s College London
Ben Wreschner, Chief Economist and Head of Public Affairs, Vodafone Group, and Chair of Policy Group Europe, GSMA
More to be announced soon.
Moderated by Jennifer Baker, EURACTIV