In December 2019, the European Commission presented the European Green Deal with the ambition of making Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050, boosting the economy, improving people's health and quality of life, caring for nature, and leaving no one behind.

Digitalisation will be at the core of this ambitious program and fibre is key to align the digital and sustainability agendas. As the most sustainable telecommunication infrastructure technology, full-fibre is a prerequisite to achieving the European Green Deal and making the European Union’s economy more sustainable.

The need to work collectively towards a more sustainable society has become a strategic objective of policy makers and the vast majority of private organisations alike. With this context in mind, the sustainability Working Group of the FTTH Council Europe has been created with two key objectives:

  • Promote full fibre as the most sustainable access network technology and enabler of multiple applications which can contribute to reducing the carbon footprint of our activities. Remote working and learning being the most obvious examples.
  • Support all stakeholders of the Fibre to the Home value chain in their efforts to make their respective activities more carbon neutral.

Insights from the Committee

 

 

Policy & Regulation Committee Accelerates Policy Engagement Over Summer

While the summer months are typically associated with vacations, the Policy & Regulation Committee has shifted into high gear to contribute to a series of public consultations. A key focus is the European Commission’s Call for Evidence on the proposed Digital Networks Act (DNA)—a strategically significant initiative that could reshape the regulatory landscape. Central to the debate is whether the current regulatory framework, namely the European Electronic Communications Code (EECC), remains fit for purpose. Our position is clear: the existing framework has proven effective. Any slowdown in investment or risk of Member States missing Digital Decade targets cannot be attributed to the regulatory model itself. We are working to reinforce this viewpoint by aligning with like-minded stakeholders to ensure a united and persuasive message.

At the same time, copper switch-off remains our top priority. This is clearly reflected in all P&R Committee documents currently in preparation, which emphasize the urgency of a coordinated and well-supported transition.

Another ongoing and important debate concerns the upper 6GHz spectrum band. Here, the Committee supports unlicensed use to strengthen the future of Wi-Fi connectivity. This topic has fostered close collaboration with the IBE Committee, given its implications across both regulatory and technical dimensions of future network development.

In short, this summer is anything but quiet for the Policy & Regulation Committee as we continue to shape key policy discussions that will impact our sector for years to come.

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