Virkkunen Must Break with Telco Ideas of Past and Build Digital Networks Act on Sound Principles, Coalition Urges New EU Tech Chief – CCIA

Brussels, BELGIUM – Henna Virkkunen, the European Commission’s new Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, must reject the flawed proposals of her predecessor and approach the upcoming Digital Networks Act (DNA) with a clean slate, stresses a coalition representing civil society, the digital sector, and mobile operators. 

Today’s joint statement calls on Virkkunen to adopt an evidence-based approach prioritising competition, technology neutrality, and consumer protection for Europe’s digital future.

The coalition, which includes the Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA Europe), is not alone in sounding the alarm bell. In last week’s Council Conclusions, EU Member States also voiced their firm opposition to several controversial DNA proposals inherited by Virkkunen from the previous Commission.

“The new Commission should firmly reject proposals of the past, regardless of how they are reframed: these include network usage fees, arbitration mechanisms, reducing or removing ex-ante regulation on dominant telecoms operators, or unjustified regulation of cloud infrastructure – all damaging the open internet,” according to the joint statement. 

Indeed, the signatories urge Virkkunen to respect the results of two consecutive public consultations, the repeated reservations of the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC), as well as the concerns voiced by the 27 Member States on 6 December – all warning against these outdated and discredited policies. 

The following can be attributed to CCIA Europe’s Policy Manager, Maria Teresa Stecher: 

“Henna Virkkunen has a chance to lead with fresh thinking, but she must first break with failed ideas of the past, as Member States are also asking her to do.” 

“Should the Digital Networks Act materialise and become reality, then it needs to prioritise policies that safeguard competition, net neutrality, and consumer welfare – rather than propping up incumbent telecom operators.” 

“Proposals like network usage fees or artificial consolidation in the telecoms market would harm Europe’s digital transformation and fail to reflect the reality of how the internet works.”