Policy & Regulation Committee at the Forefront of EU Telecom Policy: From Market Review to Copper Switch-Off

Over the past months, the Policy & Regulation (P&R) Committee has been working on delivering substantive inputs to several high-stakes public consultations. In particular, the European Commission’s revision of the Recommendation on relevant markets in the electronic communications sector has demanded our close attention. This is a critical dossier for FTTH members, as the Commission is pondering whether and how to update the current framework, since the European Electronic Communications Code requires that such a Recommendation be reviewed periodically. The FTTH Council Europe emphasised that the existing Market 1 (Wholesale local access) and Market 2 (Wholesale dedicated capacity) continue to meet the criteria for ex-ante regulation, so both of them should not be removed from the list in the revised Recommendation.

We have also engaged on the consultation regarding guidance on the application of Article 3 of the Gigabit Infrastructure Act (GIA), which concerns access to existing physical infrastructure. It goes without saying that this is of major relevance to FTTH deployment, and we called for clear and consistent EU-level guidance.

Looking ahead, our focus is toward the forthcoming Digital Networks Act (DNA), a landmark legislative file expected around mid-December. This was already a major topic at FTTH Congress CEE in Warsaw, notably during the P&R panel that followed a keynote from Kamila Kloc (Director, European Commission), who offered insights into the Commission’s intended approach. Great news for the sector confirmed during the Congress: the DNA will include a strong push toward copper switch-off.

In Q4, the FTTH Council Europe, in close cooperation with Committee members, is actively engaging with decision-makers in the European Commission, the European Parliament, and with permanent representations of the Member States in Brussels to promote our policy positions. It is a busy, pivotal period for regulation and policy in our sector, and we continue to work to make sure our position is well known among the decision-makers.

If your company wishes to help shape FTTH Council Europe’s positions on regulatory topics like these, we encourage you to join the P&R Committee. Please contact Arturs Alksnis (arturs.alksnis@ftthcouncil.eu).