29 June, 2016
Press Release - European Single Market: ETNO supports positive digital reforms
ETNO, the Association representing Europe’s leading telecom operators, welcomes the European Council reflections on the Digital Single Market.
In their conclusions, European Heads of State and Government stressed the vital importance of the upcoming Telecoms Framework Review and of spectrum reform in creating new growth opportunities.
As the EU moves to reform its current regulations and policies, a new set of digital-savvy laws should help building a strategic advantage for Europe and create new societal and economic opportunities in the Single Market.
For this reason, ETNO advocates for concrete pro-innovation and pro-investment measures. More specifically, expectations are high on new telecom rules that:
- Focus on user-welfare and innovation, rather than on market structures. This can be done by lifting wholesale regulation when retail markets are competitive, and by strongly incentivising infrastructure competition;
- Unequivocally support enhanced network investment, by giving precedence to commercial terms as opposed to regulated solution, simplifying regulated access products to one and strengthening the technology neutrality principle;
- Swiftly achieve concrete and credible results on spectrum harmonisation and availability;
- Establish a horizontal-approach and recognise the thriving competition dynamics in electronic communication markets, including by deeply reviewing the e-Privacy Directive.
ETNO Chairman Steven Tas said: “We are firm believers in the European Single Market. Positive digital reform has the potential to bring about fresh growth and job opportunities for all. We support a renewed policy focus on innovation and investment”.
