The College has adopted the Commission's proposal for a Digital Networks Act, the DNA.

We want to boost innovation and investment in resilient and advanced networks. We want to speed up Europe's digital transformation, strengthen the single market for connectivity, and deliver best-in-class networks for consumers and businesses across the Union.

And we will achieve this in four major actions.

First, the DNA will strengthen the single market for connectivity ensuring a maximum legal harmonisation across the Union.

We introduce a ‘Single Passport' authorisation system. This will allow operators to provide networks and services in various Member States by making a notification in just one Member State.

Satellite communications are vital for sovereignty, resilience and strategic autonomy. The DNA introduces also a single EU-level authorisation for satellite services, which will ensure EU-wide access to satellite spectrum under harmonised and coordinated authorisation conditions.

Such an EU framework will allow European operators to scale up, and support new services such as Direct-to-Device, which are increasingly critical for EU security and connectivity.

Second, The DNA we strengthen a competitiveness by providing incentives to support long term investments and innovation to the sector, supporting the deployment of innovative technologies such as 6G.

In this regard, the DNA will introduce more consistent and investment-friendly conditions for radio spectrum assignment, such as indefinite licence durations combined with more frequent license renewals.

The DNA will also ensure the delivery of high-performance networks for citizens and businesses by accelerating the transition to full-fibre infrastructure. For this, switching off copper is instrumental to have all households connected to gigabit networks.

We provide safeguards throughout the process to make sure that no one is left behind.

Copper switch-off should start by 2030 and will be driven by mandatory national plans to support fibre roll out by 2035.

However, in areas where fibre deployment is not economically viable, and no other adequate connectivity services are present, exceptions are possible.

The access regulation regime will be updated to support the transition and uptake of fibre. It will also become more modern, focused and predictable. The ex-ante regulation remains in place where needed to address market failures.

Third, the DNA will deliver simplification. It significantly reduces regulatory and administrative burden by cutting reporting requirements for both the private and public sector and removing unnecessary obligations, while maintaining a high level of consumer protection.

Furthermore, harmonised rules and templates set by BEREC will achieve simplification. 

Fourth, the DNA reinforces the resilience and preparedness of the Union's digital infrastructure. For that, the DNA introduces an EU-level Preparedness Plan to strengthen Europe's capacity to prepare for, prevent, and respond to incidents and cyber-attacks. We oblige digital infrastructure providers to cooperate to achieve these goals.

The Plan complements existing obligations under cyber-security and critical infrastructure frameworks. However, we are specifically reinforcing obligations regarding availability of emergency communications, public warnings and critical communications.

And we are linking the authorisation regime of the DNA with the obligation sets in the review of the Cyber Security Act.  

Fifth, to boost innovation in the broader digital ecosystem, the DNA will introduce a mechanism to clarify Open Internet rules for innovative services. This will be key for innovative products that reply on 5G/6G slicing. 

We also trust that this mechanism will also have some positive impact on the introduction of innovative services in the EU and thereby on the development capacities in cloud and AI.

On the Interconnection we concluded that in general the commercial relationships between telcos and content and application providers are the industry standard to exchange traffic, and work well.

However, some players litigate before national courts on the issue of Interconnection and those legal procedures can take many years to be resolved. We think the voluntary conciliation mechanism we propose in the DNA will help parties resolve disputes more easily and ensure efficient, economically sustainable, and reliable end-to-end traffic delivery.

With the Digital Networks Act, we are ensuring that Europe benefits from a cutting-edge digital infrastructure that enables its leadership in innovation, resilience, and competitiveness.