Telecoms regulation
Pressure on Commission ahead of decision on connected car technology
Pressure is mounting on the European Commission ahead of a decision it is expected to announce this autumn that will affect how internet-connected cars are built in Europe.
Commission vs. Android: Killing the cow for a steak
Competition is what makes the world a better place, not intelligent design by God or by bureaucrats. Therefore, protecting competition is one of the key responsibilities of the European Commission. But in the case of Android, it is about to make a huge mistake, writes Žiga Turk.
EU connected cars plan sparks national backlash
A niche policy fight over the technical groundwork for internet-connected cars has pitted car companies against telecoms operators and also set off alarm bells in a handful of EU capitals.
MEP on connected car fight: Commission should focus on safety standards, not technology
The European Commission wants future connected vehicles to be able to run both on 5G and Wifi networks, claiming its upcoming legal proposal will remain "technology neutral". But a leading lawmaker warns this will in effect give preference to one technology over another.
Automakers and telecoms firms bicker over EU connected vehicle proposal
A battle between car manufacturers and telecoms operators is heating up as the European Commission prepares to announce legislation later this year that could determine whether automakers will need to rely on Wifi or wireless 5G technology to build internet-connected vehicles.
EU caps price of international phone calls in landmark telecoms overhaul
Lawmakers agreed to cap the price of phone calls and SMS messages between EU countries and sealed a deal to encourage investment in fast internet networks during a late-night meeting on Wednesday (6 June).OpinionPromoted content
Europe’s next digital network: power and responsibility
With great power comes great responsibility. Various versions of this quote were attributed throughout history to Churchill, Roosevelt and more recently to Spiderman.
Commission demands EU leaders approve deadlocked ePrivacy bill
The European Commission is amping up pressure on EU leaders to approve a controversial privacy bill, deadlocked in legal talks for more than a year, after the data breach scandal involving Facebook and Cambridge Analytica.
MEPs and Commission headed for showdown over international phone call rates in the EU
The European Parliament is holding its ground on its controversial proposal to lower the costs of international phone calls within the EU, one week before a make-or-break round of negotiations on a sweeping telecoms bill.
After Facebook scandal, MEPs argue the GDPR isn’t enough
The EU needs more legal safeguards to prevent massive privacy breaches like the current scandal over Facebook and British political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica, MEPs from different political parties argued on Wednesday (18 April).
Cybersecurity agency warns of ‘extremely dangerous’ risks of 5G technology
Superfast 5G mobile networks come with “extremely dangerous” cybersecurity risks, the EU cybersecurity agency ENISA has warned. 5G is expected to become available to European consumers by 2025.
EU telecoms regulators examine whether app stores restrict internet access
European telecoms regulators are investigating whether app stores restrict internet access by limiting their users’ choice of content, the chair of the umbrella group of EU watchdogs said on Wednesday (14 March).
Pushing boundaries: Thoughts on the tech milestone we’re about to reach
It’s been almost ten years since the commercial rollout of 4G created the connected world we live in today. And the new buzzword now is 5G, writes Tony Graziano.
Brussels pivots on controversial investment clause in EU telecoms bill
The European Commission has proposed new criteria to guide investment in telecoms networks, in a twist that is likely to stir disagreement as EU negotiators try to strike compromise over a draft telecoms bill.
EU cybersecurity boss eyes hardware as early target for certification plans
A draft bill to set up an EU system certifying the cybersecurity level of tech products is still trapped up in negotiations after the European Commission announced the overhaul last September.
EU’s 5G hopes at stake over disagreement on radio spectrum
Much of the Brussels policy crowd visiting this year's Mobile World Congress in Barcelona headed home early to monitor, lobby or take part in another round of tense negotiations over a draft EU telecoms law that is taking place on Wednesday and Thursday (28 February-1March).
Trump’s telecoms regulator: the EU’s ‘complexity’ may cause challenges for 5G
A lot of the debate around net neutrality comes from misinformation but "this baseless fearmongering will simply lose credibility" once it becomes clear that the internet economy has continued to thrive, US telecoms regulator Ajit Pai told EURACTIV on the sidelines of the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
Tensions over net neutrality shake up Mobile World Congress
Sparks flew at a public discussion over net neutrality at one of the world’s biggest tech conferences on Monday (27 February), as EU tech chief Andrus Ansip defended the bloc’s two-year-old legislation while sharing a stage with the American regulator who just repealed a similar US law.
Ansip: Europe must switch immediately to 5G
Europe must switch “immediately” to fast 5G mobile networks, EU Commissioner Andrus Ansip told EURACTIV in an interview.
Europe in ‘terrible hurry’ as pressure mounts in global race for 5G
There will be growing pressure this week on European companies and politicians as they struggle to keep up with Asia and the United States on launching fast 5G mobile services.
Mobile World Congress: Europe rushes to keep pace on connectivity
The EU is racing to make the superfast 5G mobile technology available for consumers by 2025, but is lagging behind faster competitors in Asia and the US.
Tech lobby group drafting budget proposal to double EU funds in digital sector
Brussels-based lobby group DigitalEurope is drafting its own proposal outlining how much money should be earmarked for investment in the tech sector as part of the EU’s next budget.
Conservative MEPs ask Merkel to reverse telecoms talks in coalition negotiation
Eight German conservative MEPs have written to Chancellor Angela Merkel to complain about a controversial telecoms investment plan, which crept into coalition talks this week between Christian Democrats and Social Democrats.