Connect Europe Urges Radical Overhaul in Digital Networks Act to Accelerate Fibre and 5G Rollout

Connect Europe Urges Radical Overhaul in Digital Networks Act to Accelerate Fibre and 5G Rollout

(IN BRIEF) Connect Europe has responded to the EU’s Call for Evidence in support of a robust Digital Networks Act, urging radical deregulation, simplification, and harmonization to boost Europe’s digital competitiveness. Highlighting delayed full-fibre targets (2051) and lagging 5G rollout, the association proposes streamlined telecom rules, a move from ex-ante to ex-post market oversight, stable spectrum licences, and revised net neutrality to encompass major platforms. It also calls for stronger EU-level governance to eliminate national inconsistencies and welcomes the DNA as a catalyst for investment in advanced, sustainable connectivity.

(PRESS RELEASE) BRUSSELS, 14-Jul-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — Connect Europe, the foremost representative of European connectivity providers accounting for 70% of sector investment, has called on EU institutions to seize the moment presented by the proposed Digital Networks Act (DNA). In its response to the European Commission’s Call for Evidence, the association urges a regulatory overhaul—emphasizing ambitious deregulation, deep simplification, and continent-wide harmonization—to restore Europe’s competitive edge in digital infrastructure.

Current telecom rules, crafted for legacy networks and outdated market conditions, now inhibit growth: according to Commission data, Europe will not meet its full-fibre rollout targets until 2051, and trails all major regions in standalone 5G deployment. To reverse these trends, Connect Europe insists the DNA be adopted as a regulation prioritizing competitiveness, simplicity, and a level playing field. This framework should spur investment, reward innovation, strip away burdensome legacy obligations, and ensure fair treatment for all digital actors.

Connect Europe’s principal demands include:

• Streamlined regulation by eliminating obsolete or redundant requirements—especially where horizontal EU laws already apply—cutting reporting duties, and repealing directives such as ePrivacy.
• Shift to ex-post oversight for wholesale access, relying on competition law and the Gigabit Infrastructure Act as the norm, with ex-ante measures retained only for acute local bottlenecks. The creation of a pan-EU access product is deemed disproportionate and commercially unviable.
• Stable spectrum policy featuring extended or indefinite licence terms, automatic renewals, transparent coordination via peer review and appeal mechanisms, and market-driven allocation timetables.
• Balanced internet ecosystem by enforcing “same service, same rules,” mandating fair negotiation terms for tech platforms, and establishing binding dispute resolution. The DNA also presents an opportunity to update net neutrality—adding CDNs, OS providers, and major platforms under its scope while excluding B2B services.
• Robust EU governance to reduce national fragmentation through uniform enforcement, with the Commission leading monitoring, coordination, and best-practice sharing among national regulators.
• Cross-cutting reforms that remove outdated provisions, ensure equal treatment for emerging services (e.g., satellite Direct-to-Device), and promote environmental efficiency without new reporting burdens.

“Profound reform can put the EU back on the global tech map and give our citizens and businesses the advanced connectivity they need to compete,” stated Alessandro Gropelli, Director General of Connect Europe. The association stands ready to collaborate with policymakers to ensure the DNA drives strategic investment in critical connectivity technologies and fosters energy-efficient, circular telecom practices.

Connect Europe’s Response to the Call for evidence to the Digital Networks Act (.pdf) 

Media Contact:

Marcel Planagumà
Digital Communications Manager
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planaguma@connecteurope.org
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+32 (0) 472 08 35 35

SOURCE: Connect Europe