Why Are European Telecom CEOs Urging for EU Digital Reform?

Europe’s top telecommunications executives have united in a direct appeal to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, urging the bloc to take decisive action on regulatory reform to restore Europe’s digital and economic competitiveness.

In a joint letter addressed to von der Leyen, the CEOs of Europe’s leading mobile operators and equipment manufacturers stressed that reform through the forthcoming Digital Networks Act (DNA) and merger guidelines review cannot be delayed or weakened.

The CEOs wrote: “Nearly a year has passed since your Commission was formed with the aim of restoring Europe’s competitiveness.

“Digitalisation and connectivity play a crucial role in this regard... We welcome your very necessary drive for reform, but we fear that when it comes to digital policy, it might be lost to resistance against change.”

The letter warns that Europe’s digital position has deteriorated, citing lower economic growth, security vulnerabilities, and sluggish innovation resulting from fragmented regulatory frameworks.

It states: “This is why the Digital Networks Act (DNA) is a crucial opportunity. Europe’s sovereignty, security and ability to protect its values rests on the Commission delivering against its promise of serious reform."

A united front of Europe’s telecom leaders

The co-signatories include many of the industry’s most influential figures:

• Thomas Arnoldner, Deputy-CEO of A1 Telekom Austria Group
• Amel Kovačević, General Manager of BH Telecom
• Allison Kirkby, CEO of BT Group
• Robert Finnegan, Deputy Chairman of CK Hutchison Group Telecom
• Georgios Metzakis, Acting CEO of Cyprus Telecommunications Authority (CYTA)
• Timotheus Höttges, CEO of Deutsche Telekom AG
• Börje Ekholm, President and CEO of Ericsson
• Massimo Sarmi, Chairman and CEO of FiberCop
• Joost Farwerck, CEO and Chairman of the Board of Management of KPN
• Mike Fries, CEO of Liberty Global
• Ana Figueiredo, Chairman and CEO of MEO

• Justin Hotard, President and CEO of, Nokia Corporation
• Christel Heydemann, CEO of Orange Group
• Stijn Bijnens, CEO of Proximus Group
• Christoph Aeschlimann, CEO of Swisscom Ltd
• Michel Jumeau, CEO of TDC NET
• Marc Murtra Millar, Chairman and CEO of Telefónica S.A.
• Vladimir Lučić, CEO of Telekom Srbija
• Benedicte Schilbred Fasmer, President and CEO of Telenor Group
• Pietro Labriola, CEO and General Manager of TIM
• Margherita Della Valle, CEO of Vodafone Group
• Vivek Badrinath, Director General of GSMA
• Alessandro Gropelli, Director General of Connect Europe

This coalition highlights the scale of industry investment already made by Europe’s mobile operators, more than €500 billion (US$580 billion) since 2015 to roll out 5G networks.

Yet, adoption remains limited: just 2% of Europeans currently use standalone 5G, compared to 25% in the US and more than 77% in China.

Without urgent regulatory change, the CEOs warn that Europe risks falling further behind global competitors. “Europe’s industrial powerhouses, from automotive to fintech, may soon come to resemble houses of cards without the connectivity to explore, scale and exploit new services,” they write.

The Digital Networks Act: an urgent policy lever

At the heart of the appeal lies the upcoming Digital Networks Act (DNA) - a legislative overhaul designed to harmonise Europe’s telecom markets and remove long-standing barriers to investment.

The DNA proposes a shift from directives to a directly applicable regulation across all Member States, simplifying compliance and cutting administrative burdens by an estimated 50%.

The act aims to streamline spectrum authorisation for 5G, 6G and satellite networks, enforce tighter cybersecurity standards, and introduce “fair relationship” principles requiring large content providers to negotiate equitable commercial terms with telecom operators.

It also seeks to harmonise the shutdown of legacy networks, simplifying dispute resolution procedures and paving the way for greater investment certainty through extended spectrum licences.

These reforms, the executives argue, are vital for scaling European digital infrastructure to compete globally. They underline that a regulatory framework fostering both competition and investment is key to supporting advanced technologies such as cloud computing, edge infrastructure, artificial intelligence, and Industry 4.0.

A call to action for 2026 and beyond

Closing their letter, the signatories urge the Commission to accelerate implementation and enter 2026 with a “clear action plan” for driving growth and innovation.

The letter concludes: “Your rallying call to the Commission was a year ago; we are ready to support you and your College so the EU enters 2026 with a clear action plan for accelerating investment in Europe’s digital networks as the key facilitators of growth, security, innovation, resilience and competitiveness in Europe.

“It is an opportunity that simply cannot be missed. Your Commission needs to act on this now.”